Why BPEA EQT: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

BPEA EQT Overview

Founded in 1997, BPEA EQT (formerly Baring Private Equity Asia and BPEA) is an Asian private equity firm with headquarters located in Hong Kong.

The firm was an affiliate of Barings Bank before it became an independent entity. In 2022, it was acquired by EQT to stand as its Asian investment platform. BPEA EQT is one of the largest PE firms in Asia.

BPEA EQT primarily focuses on the Asia Pacific region and it has three investing strategies:

• Private Equity
• Credit (operates as BPEA Credit that focuses on India)
• Real Estate (operates under the EQT Exeter brand)

BPEA EQT has additional offices in Beijing, Seoul, Mumbai, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Jean Salata is the Founder, CEO, and Partner at BPEA EQT. He manages all investment decisions made at the firm, along with its strategic direction. In February 2023, Forbes determined Jean Salata’s net worth at $5.9 billion – making him the 15th richest person in HK and 2nd richest person in Chile.

BPEA EQT AUM

According to the firm’s publicly available data, BPEA EQT has $22 billion of assets under management.

BPEA EQT Interview Process & Questions

Interview process can vary with each candidate, however, if you interview at BPEA EQT (or a similar firm), there are some consistencies:

• Candidate will go through 4-6 rounds of interviews
• Junior investment professionals conduct the first few rounds while the more senior staff handle the latter part of the interview.
• The whole interview process could take multiple weeks – unless it’s “on-cycle” or “on-campus” recruiting.

When you interview at BPEA EQT, expect to get a blend of fit, behavioral, and technical / investing questions so make the necessary preparations beforehand.

Just in case you need help preparing for your interviews, feel free to check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

Why BPEA EQT

Interviewers at BPEA EQT and similar firms almost always ask “Why this firm?”

It’s their way of knowing the motivation of candidates for wanting to work specifically for their firm, and not just any other firm in the finance industry.

When asked this question, make sure to mention whoever you’ve met at the firm during your networking efforts and how they’ve left a really positive impression on you.

Improve your response further by exploring the thoughts and perspectives of the firm’s founders, management teams, and key personnels.

This insightful interview with Jean Eric Salata, head of BPEA EQT and chairman of EQT Asia, is a good start:

More interviews

• Jean Eric Salata, Chief Executive of Baring Private Equity Asia talks about Asia’s bright spots, and why India is a top pick for digital progress.
• CNBC TV18 interview with BPEA EQT’s Jean Salata
• Bloomberg Television interview with Baring PE Asia CEO, Jean Salata

BPEA EQT Case Study

Case Studies have always been a part of the interview process at firms like BPEA EQT.

The interviewers use case studies to assess their candidate’s ability to communicate and their technical knowledge.

At BPEA EQT, most case studies focus on financial modeling and investment recommendations. But interviewers may also require candidates to do cold calling case study if they are applying for junior roles.

My Growth Equity Interview Guide tackles case studies in more detail. Check it out for more information.

BPEA EQT Salary & Compensation

According to Glassdoor, the estimated total pay for Analysts and Associates at BPEA EQT is $86,372 and $83,865 per year, respectively. Figures depend on the location, level of experience and qualifications of the candidate.

Analyst

Associate

BPEA EQT Careers, Jobs, & Internships

Explore open roles at BPEA EQT using our job board which also features all job vacancies at other similar firms.

BPEA EQT Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase and the firm’s public record, BPEA EQT has over 100 investments since inception and manages 11 funds. Some of the firm’s notable deals include Pioneer Corporation, Coforge, and Codemao.

Notable Transaction: Virtuos

Founded in 2004 and located in Singapore, Virtuos delivers end-to-end game development solutions for some of the top game franchises.

Virtuous has become one of the leading digital production companies for video game development and now operates in 13 locations in Europe, Asia, and North America.

In September 2021, Virtuous received a $150 million investment from BPEA EQT. Following this investment, BPEA EQT became the largest external shareholder of Virtuos – alongside 3D Capital Partners. Virtuous continued to operate under CEO Gilles Langourieux.

The said investment enables Virtuos to enter its next phase of growth acceleration and fund its buy-and-build strategy. The investment also helps the company’s digital platform.

Next Steps

Thinking about landing a role at BPEA EQT?

If so, check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide. This online course can help you ace your interviews through its step-by-step lessons.

It is designed to help candidates streamline their interview preparations, deep dive on topics that are most likely to get asked during interviews, and mental models for answering interview questions.

Get the course now and start learning!