September 7, 2020, Hong Kong – Real estate private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners announced the closing of fundraising for its internet data center (IDC) platform, which targets to invest in a portfolio of projects in partnership with IDC developers and operators in China, bringing the total equity raised approximately US$1.3 billion.
Humbert Pang, Managing Principal and Head of China, said, “Gaw Capital Partners is extremely pleased to be teaming up with industry leaders and outstanding operating teams to invest in IDC projects. We have seen good results thanks to our operating partners’ strong execution capabilities. Amid the backdrop of pandemic and the rapid adoption of 5G in China, there is a strong demand for data processing services due to the increasing use of data because of the social distancing measures. With most social and economic activities migrating online, data centers in promising locations along the densely populated region of China are emerging as valuable assets that produce stable rental income.”
Christina Gaw, Managing Principal and Head of Capital Markets, commented, “We are delighted to complete the final close of fundraising for our IDC platform, following the highly successful fundraising round for our Gateway Real Estate Fund VI. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) is the largest investor in the IDC Platform, with additional commitments made by other global institutional investors. These commitments we have received are a strong vote of confidence in Gaw Capital’s approach to IDC assets, which is a focused sector for us, and we have further plans to grow into other Asia regional markets.”
From 2010 to 2018, the total IDC market size in China grew more than 10 times from RMB 10.2 billion to RMB 127.7 billion. The compound annual growth rate of the market was 37%, doubling that of the global average during the same period. The rapid growth of the IDC sector will be sustained in the coming years, spurred by China’s push towards greater digital transformation and technology adoption across sectors.
In addition to Gaw Capital Partners’ six funds in the Gateway Fund series targeting Asia Pacific, Gaw Capital Partners also manages opportunistic funds in Vietnam and the US along with a Pan Asia Hospitality Fund and European Hospitality Fund. Additionally, Gaw Capital also provides services for separate account direct investments in the global markets. Gaw Capital has also successfully developed a sizable logistics platform, medical-asset backed platform, mini-storage platform, premium outlet malls and education-related platform in recent years to help support the growth and management of these assets.


Gaw Capital Partners, through its funds under management, and its consortium partners, acquired 29 Hong Kong-based community shopping centers and associated facilities in March 2018 and March 2019.
Gaw Capital Partners officially started to operate over 29 assets and facilities near the public estates and established “People’s Place”. “People” stands for the public and the residents, whereas “Place” here is an allusion to the idiomatic Chinese term for a location of virtue and tradition, as well as a well-governed community; “Place” also connotes the solidarity of the local neighborhood. All in all, “People’s Place” stands for a place rich in sentiments and compassion, bringing strangers together in constructing a vibrant, cozy living environment. People’s Place aspires to transform obsolete commercial facilities into vibrant community hubs by creatively utilizing its space and bringing brand new experiences to residents, tenants and community stakeholders.
In partnership with experienced educators in China, Gaw Capital has invested in the development and operations of Stellart International School of Arts (SISA), an international arts education platform in China. The platform is initially seeded by a commercial site conveniently located in Sanshan New Town in Nanhai, Foshan, which has excellent connectivity nationally via the Guangzhou South Station. The site has a GFA of c.50,000 sqm in total. Operating under the SISA brand and developed by Gaw Capital Partners, the school houses up to 600 full-time high school students in its 6-storey tall academic block and 7-floor dormitory. 
