Q&A: How private equity can plug Asian SMEs' funding gap

Private equity firms can help bridge the gaping funding gap for Asia's small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs between stock market listings and bank loans, and make handsome returns for investors in the process, Olympus Capital’s managing director David Shen told FinanceAsia in an interview.

Since 1997 the firm has been buying and selling SMEs in the region. Currently it is selling its stake in Hong Kong-based Li Tong, which recycles iphones, according to one person familiar with the process. The firm's portfolio company, CreditAccess Asia, has filed for the IPO of its largest holding, Indian microfinance company Grameen Koota, looking to raise $200...