WASHINGTON, DC | December 11, 2024 – The Asia Group (TAG) announced a minority investment from RLH Equity Partners that will enable TAG to significantly expand its geographic reach, bring its services to new sectors, and build cutting-edge AI-powered technology solutions. With this growth capital, TAG will accelerate the buildout of an industry-leading consulting platform for corporate leaders to navigate the influence of geopolitics and public policy and seize opportunities for their businesses.
“The global economy is in the early innings of a profound industrial and technology revolution that is accelerating because of geopolitical forces. The partnership with RLH provides The Asia Group with unmatched resources and depth of expertise to attract and cultivate world-class talent and build innovative tools that will help companies maximize strategic advantage during this period of global uncertainty,” said Nirav Patel, CEO & Co-founder of The Asia Group. “With RLH’s proven track record of combining high touch with high tech, TAG will be at the forefront of shaping the future of the geopolitical consulting industry through our innovative market entry, market access, and corporate transformation services.”
The investment positions TAG as the premier destination for top-tier professionals at the intersection of Asia policy and business. TAG will expand its senior executive team with exceptional talent that represents the deep expertise required to meet the demands of global corporates and investors seeking guidance in an era of unprecedented change in business, policy, security, and other critical fields. These talent investments will help launch new service lines and enable expansion into new markets, building upon the firm’s existing investments in New Delhi, Mumbai, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Hanoi, Tokyo, and Bangkok.
“The combination of global and local insights, technological innovation, and top-tier leadership will define the future of our firm and unlock significant business opportunities for our clients,” said Rexon Ryu, President of The Asia Group. “We’re thrilled to have the backing of an investing partner that embraces our core values of excellence, success, and collaboration, and shares our ambition to be world-class and dominant.”
In addition, TAG will further enhance its in-house AI tools, designed to give TAG’s client service teams unmatched ability to help a wider array of clients make informed decisions.
Kevin Cantrell, Managing Director at RLH Equity Partners, and Paul Fortin, Vice President, commented on the partnership: “TAG’s core capabilities align to address the dynamic growth opportunities and nuanced operating conditions Fortune 500 companies encounter across Asia. The Company’s unique global-local orientation and tech-enabled approach make it the go-to advisor for navigating the most critical geographies in the Indo-Pacific region. We are confident that TAG is exceptionally well-positioned to continue its formidable growth trajectory.”
Baird was the exclusive financial advisor to The Asia Group in the transaction. Gunderson Dettmer served as legal counsel to The Asia Group.
About The Asia Group
The Asia Group (TAG) is the premier partner to the world’s leading companies seeking to excel across the Indo-Pacific. With a multidisciplinary team of dynamic professionals from government, investment banking, trade and investment law, corporations, and academia across the region, TAG enables companies to unlock value and mitigate risk at the intersection of public policy and corporate strategy. For more information, visit www.theasiagroup.com.
About RLH Equity Partners
RLH Equity Partners invests behind passionate entrepreneurs in uniquely positioned, high-growth, knowledge-led B2B enterprises driven by macro changes in technology, healthcare, and regulatory environments. RLH’s portfolio companies concentrate on offering specialized consulting, engineering and professional services with $25 million to $150 million of annual revenue at the time of investment. The RLH investment team strives to deliver strategic and operational guidance to its portfolio companies in navigating the opportunities and challenges of scale and rapid growth. RLH’s insights and processes to support entrepreneurs in building market leading enterprises have been honed over RLH’s more than 40-year history of successful investing. RLH currently manages over $1 billion of assets and is actively seeking new portfolio company investments.
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