HarbourVest opens in Sydney

The private markets specialist firm has arrived in Sydney, hiring a former Challenger and AMP Capital executive to run the local business.

HarbourVest office will be led by Warwick Mancini, who is tasked with building client relationships in the region.

Before joining the $100 billion manager three years ago, Mancini was a director at Challenger Investment Partners.

Previously, he ran hedge fund strategic services at Credit Suisse and unlisted assets at AMP Capital as head of investment specialists

He joined AMP Capital Investors from Macquarie Group, where he was senior vice president in the private placement group in New York.

Earlier, Mancini worked as a senior associate in mergers and acquisitions at Shearman and Sterling and, before that, as an associate in the corporate and banking division in Allen Arthur Robinson.

"We are pleased to announce the expansion of our global network with the opening of our office in Sydney," said HarbourVest managing director Peter Wilson.

"The Sydney office is fully integrated into the global network, providing clients with seamless access to primary funds, secondary transactions, direct co-investments, real assets and infrastructure, and private credit," Wilson said.

"The establishment of a local Australian presence reflects the significant growth of this region as well as the increased interest in the alternative assets classes we observe among investors in Australia and New Zealand."

So far, HarbourVest has raised close to US$7 billion in Australia and New Zealand from approximately 40 superannuation funds, endowments, other institutional clients, and family offices.

This growth has speeded up in recent years, with 13 new clients and $1.8 billion of assets under management committed since 2019.
Wilson added that the Sydney office represents HarbourVest's first location in Australia and sixth in the Asia Pacific.