Michael Ceulen is a Partner in the Firm’s Hong Kong office and a member of the Asia Private Funds Practice. He specializes in the organization, structuring and operation of global and regional private equity funds, with a particular focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Having worked in Simpson Thacher's New York and London offices before relocating to Hong Kong in 2014, Michael offers clients an international perspective.
Michael has extensive experience advising on fundraisings across numerous asset classes, including buyout, growth, real estate, infrastructure and credit. In addition to traditional private equity fundraising initiatives, Michael regularly advises sponsors with respect to customized fund arrangements, separately managed accounts, co-investment vehicles, carry plans and other internal arrangements, as well as regulatory compliance and fund-related aspects of M&A and financing transactions.
Michael has counseled some of the world’s leading private equity firms, as well as middle market sponsors, including Advantage Partners, Affinity Equity Partners, Apax, Aspirant Group, Blackstone, Brummer & Partners, BTG Pactual, CapSquare, The Carlyle Group, CLSA Capital Partners, EmergeVest, Hillhouse, J-STAR, KKR, Morgan Stanley, Navegar, NewQuest Capital Partners, PAG, Polaris Capital Group, T Capital Partners, Tor Investment Management, Yunfeng Capital and Zebra Global Capital, among others.
Michael’s selected fund formation and other experience includes:
- Nippon Sangyō Suishin Kikō (NSSK) on the formation of NSSK IV Series Funds (approximately ¥250 billion)
- PAG in multiple fundraisings, including the formation of PAG SCREP VIII ($4 billion) - its flagship opportunistic real estate fund, PAG SCREP VII ($2.75 billion), PAG REN I ($550 million) - its first renewable energy-focused fund, PAG Real Estate Partners III ($1.8 billion) - its third pan-Asian core-plus/value-add real estate fund and TCAP VI Series Funds (¥80 billion)
- Nippon Investment Company (NIC) in the formation of NIC III Series Funds (¥63 billion)
- Japan Investment Innovation Corporation (J-INC) on the formation of its inaugural Japan buyout fund, Avant Fund Cayman, LP (over ¥61 billion)
- TOR Investment Mangement on the formation of its third Asia opportunistic private credit fund (TACO III) ($310 million), and its predecessor fund
- KKR on the formation of KKR Asia Real Estate Partners SCSP, its first Asia real estate fund ($1.7 billion)
- Yunfeng Capital in the formation of Yunfeng Fund III ($2.5 billion) and Yunfeng Fund II ($1 billion)
- The Carlyle Group in multiple fundraisings, including the formation of Carlyle Asia Partners V ($6.55 billion), Carlyle Asia Partners IV ($3.9 billion) and Carlyle Realty Partners VII ($4.2 billion)
- Blackstone on the formation of Blackstone Real Estate Partners Asia II ($7.1 billion) and Blackstone Capital ($2.3 billion)
- Affinity Equity Partners on the formation of Affinity Asia Pacific Fund V ($6 billion)
- Polaris CG Singapore Pte. Ltd. on the formation of Polaris Fund V Series Funds (¥150 billion) and Polaris Fund IV Series Funds (¥75 billion)
- CLSA Capital Partners/Sunrise Capital in the formation of Sunrise Capital IV ($450 million)
- Navegar on the formation of Navegar II, a Philippines focused growth fund ($197 million)
- NewQuest Capital Partners on the formation of NewQuest Asia Fund III ($540 million)
- Buyer consortium on the $1.58 billion going private transaction of New Frontier Health
- KKR in its acquisition of a significant minority stake in CA Media, an existing Asian media portfolio of The Chernin Group, as well as the creation of Emerald Media, a new vehicle to fund investments capitalizing on fast-growing opportunities in the media and entertainment industries across Asia
Michael received his LL.M. degrees from New York University and the National University of Singapore in 2011, and his licentiaat rechten, magna cum laude, from University of Antwerp in 2008. He is admitted to practice in Hong Kong and New York.