Kirkland & Ellis moves to warm private equity 'cold spots'

Tsinghua University in Beijing will jointly develop a new research institute with US law firm Kirkland & Ellis, leveraging its private equity experience as part of the deal.

The Institute is the first of its kind in China and will bring together financial sponsors and entrepreneurs with faculty, students, service providers and government officials, to study and foster the development of private equity in China and neighbouring regions.

Kirkland's Asia private equity practice head, David Patrick Eich, said private equity activity relating to China, especially capital formation, is on fire, but that there remain cold spots, including unique regulatory challenges and gaps in critical professional subcultures. Eich said he hopes the institute will "warm things up". "Because of its status in China and international recognition, Tsinghua is a unique environment in which to illuminate the key issues with China's future business leaders, transfer key deal-doing technology, and light the way," Eich said.

The Private Equity Institute will be supported by Tsinghua School of Economics and Management, regarded as a top business school in China, as well as the China Center for Financial Research of Tsinghua University.