Malaysia's largest public pension fund KWAP joins Riyadh-based ewpartners to explore regional markets

International investment firm ewpartners in Saudi Arabia has unveiled an initiative to explore collaboration with Malaysia's largest public pension fund, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP), to strengthen private market connections between the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The move marks a significant milestone for KWAP into the private markets in the region, reinforcing Malaysia's role as a vital hub connecting the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Hosted by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, the initiative aligns with the increasing economic ties between the two regions and supports their shared goals of diversification and cross-border investment growth.

Founder and Managing Partner of ewpartners Jerry Li told media, "We are proud to work closely with KWAP, one of Asia's most respected investors. This marks a significant milestone in ewpartners' journey as we expand our presence in Southeast Asia. The collaboration with KWAP reinforces our commitment to fostering cross-border collaborations and driving transformative growth across both regions."

Hazman Hilmi Sallahuddin, chief investment officer of KWAP, said this collaboration aligns with KWAP's strategy of seeking compelling, risk-adjusted returns in growth markets while supporting Malaysia's broader economic agenda.

And, "ewpartners' extensive regional familiarity and expertise as well as strong relationships in both the Middle East and Asia make them an ideal partner in strengthening economic ties between our regions", he said. "We believe this initiative will unlock meaningful opportunities for SMEs not just in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, but also across Southeast Asia and the Gulf, driving long-term value and impact."

This joint effort, initially announced at the Private Sector Forum 2025 in February and formalized recently, is struck at an opportune time, with Malaysia assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, fostering deeper collaboration between the regions. Bolstered by its large Muslim population and advanced Islamic financial ecosystem, Malaysia is uniquely positioned as a bridge between the two regions.

Building on the success of its maiden fund, ewpartners' second flagship fund will continue to co-build regional ecosystems while providing investors with exposure to the economic transformation underway in the Middle East.

Headquartered in Riyadh and formerly known as eWTP Arabia Capital, ewpartners is an international investment firm specializing in cross-border investments between Asia and the Middle East. Backed by sovereign wealth funds and investors from ASIA and the Gulf Cooperation Council economies, the firm has been active in Saudi Arabia since 2017 and was the first investment firm to launch a cross-border platform between the Kingdom and China.

Li said the company is committed to investing in, supporting, and growing successful businesses across the Asia and Middle East regions, with a focus on key industries and themes such as digital infrastructure and solutions, advanced manufacturing, energy transition, and logistics and consumer enablement.

Through its collaboration with KWAP, the initiative will leverage ewpartners' strong ties with regional sovereign investors, including the PIF, as well as its on-the-ground expertise in facilitating cross-border transactions that create value across markets, for all stakeholders. This track record includes successful cross-border ventures with industry-leading companies such as Alibaba, Leshines (Lenovo), J&T Express, Sahm Capital, among others.

KWAP (Diperbadankan) or the Retirement Fund (Incorporated) was established in 2007 under the Retirement Fund Act 2007 (Act 662). The fund shall be applied to assisting the Federal Government in funding its pension duties. In 2015, KWAP was officially appointed as an agent of the federal government for the purpose of payment of pension, gratuity, and other benefits granted under any written law from the consolidated fund as agreed between the federal government and KWAP.

Jan Yumul in Hong Kong contributed to this report.