Unigestion, a Swiss global asset management firm based in Geneva, with operations in Canada, has launched Unigestion Global Choice II, a new private equity fund that invests in small- and mid-market firms with enterprise values of up to USD $500 million.

The firm regards the small- and mid-market sector as a key growth area in the private equity space, suggesting that global small-cap portfolios tend to outperform a more concentrated large-cap portfolio and deliver a similar performance with less risk.

“The current market conditions require investors more than ever to work with specialists that are able to identify off-market opportunities and provide access to specialist funds,” says Christophe de Dardel, head of private equity at Unigestion, in a statement.

“Unigestion has a rich heritage in small- to mid-market private equity investing, dating back over twenty years,” he adds.

After acquiring Zurich-based Akina Ltd. in 2017, Unigestion’s private equity business now stands at US$7 billion.