A new generation of entrepreneurs, full of potential and vision, has launched ALLY Global Management “ALLY GLOBAL”. Kris Eiamsakulrat, Managing Partner of ALLY GLOBAL, has introduced a new investment platform that connects the Southeast Asian capital market with global investment opportunities.

Kris Eiamsakulrat, Managing Partner of ALLY GLOBAL, stated that currently, Thai investors face significant limitations in their investment options, whether due to asset types or access to various assets compared to global investors. This creates constraints in investment opportunities. Although there are options for investing in foreign funds, they often involve numerous intermediaries, leading to high costs. Additionally, the returns relative to the risks can disadvantage Thai investors compared to those abroad. We see this as an opportunity to help Thai investors access direct investments without going through many intermediaries, which can diminish their benefits. Alternative Investment or Private Equity is a crucial component of global funds, with allocations typically ranging from 25-40%, especially in today's highly volatile environment.

ALLY GLOBAL is an investment company (Alternative Investment – Private Equity Investment) managing over $1 billion in assets, with a goal to expand this to $5 billion within five years. Currently, it has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Bangkok, and Singapore. ALLY GLOBAL focuses on investments in four main sectors worldwide, emphasizing stable businesses with bright growth prospects and high returns, supported by assets or cash flow:

1. Real Estate

2. Media and Entertainment

3. Services and Hospitality

4. Investments in sustainable growth and clean energy businesses

ALLY GLOBAL is also the first investment platform that allows investors to co-invest with major global asset management firms like Carlyle Group and Avenue Capital, differing from other platforms where foreign fund managers handle investments. This structure gives investors the opportunity to choose the best investment options. We can achieve this due to our strong network with various family offices and our partnerships with leading project managers in diverse global markets.

ALLY GLOBAL employs a Leadership Strategy, which is based on two interesting principles. The first is co-investing with founders of large, well-known funds, such as the family office of David Rubenstein, owner of Carlyle Group, one of the largest funds in America. It has been observed that he consistently accesses better opportunities for high-return investments. The second aspect is that ALLY GLOBAL collaborates closely with global fund partners and renowned companies such as Blackstone, Rockpoint Group, and Avenue Capital, which have successfully executed investments across various business sectors. ALLY GLOBAL works closely with all partners to understand the ever-changing global trends and to seize direct investment opportunities in assets to maximize returns for investors.

“Many of our partners have previously led real estate investment teams at major global banks, such as Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, allowing us to identify and select the best operators in key markets before others. This is reflected in our investment returns, which range from 18% to 40% per year (approximately) across all investments.

The idea originated from observing family investments in Private Investment globally and realizing that foreign fund managers do not have the best opportunities in the market. The best opportunities lie with local operators in each city, with whom we have connections and have invested together for a long time,” Kris stated.

The distinctiveness of ALLY GLOBAL compared to typical investment platforms includes:

1. ALLY GLOBAL invests directly in assets, yielding higher returns, whereas typical investment platforms invest through multiple layers, which may not provide access to quality assets, resulting in significantly lower returns.

2. ALLY GLOBAL has the opportunity to access high-quality assets before other companies due to its partnerships with local operators, built on connections, reputation, and clarity, which are crucial.

3. ALLY GLOBAL selectively chooses only high-potential assets, such as prime locations or businesses with clear growth and return trajectories, maintaining a strong position on pricing and understanding sellers, fostering a solid partnership.

ALLY GLOBAL has invested in high-potential real estate and hotel projects, including:

1. The Cipriani project, a mixed-use development valued at over $2 billion, located in the prime downtown area of Miami, Florida, representing the last beautiful land parcel in the luxurious Brickell area, recently launched as a condominium for sale and rent.

2. The 18-building commercial office project on Western Avenue, a major thoroughfare in Hollywood, located near Paramount Studios and Netflix, with strong potential, co-invested with the family of Mark Lasry, founder and CEO of Avenue Group, known as the owner of the top-ranked Milwaukee Bucks basketball team in America. This investment strategy involves purchasing the building with land and investing in renovations to increase rental returns by over five times the initial investment price. Currently, leases have been signed with renowned brands such as David Servaner's world-famous art gallery and a new fashion line from Theory founder and celebrity agent Scooter Braun.

3. The Crescent hotel project, located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, near Rodeo Drive, represents one of the best locations. This investment guarantees returns, with the renowned hotel brand Sonder managing it. Due to its beautiful location, there have been offers to purchase at 30% higher than our acquisition price just weeks after the investment. However, we believe the future value will continue to rise, especially after further improvements to the hotel.

4. The 1375 Broadway office building in New York, a 20-story building located near Times Square, Penn Station, and Bryant Park, which was unaffected by COVID, currently has a rental rate of over 95%. This is a low-risk preferred equity investment yielding 17%, co-invested with the family office of David Rubenstein, founder and owner of Carlyle Group, a renowned fund managing over eight trillion baht in assets.

In the hospitality sector, two types of hotels are interesting for investment: 1. Hotels in prime locations that can be acquired below market prices, with potential for significant rental rate increases through renovations led by best-in-class operators with globally recognized F&B components. 2. Hotels that can adopt new concepts or trends like 'work from anywhere,' located within a short drive and having year-round vacation seasons. Additionally, we have invested in the Six Senses Ibiza hotel in Spain, which, despite being newly opened during COVID, has quickly succeeded, with actual room rates exceeding expected rates by more than double, selling for €1,430 per night instead of the anticipated €700.

Overall, ALLY GLOBAL has invested in over 40 projects across America, Asia, and Europe. In Thailand, ALLY REIT has invested over 13 billion baht or $400 million, and is currently listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

In the media and entertainment sector, the trend of creating soft power is gaining momentum in many countries, focusing on using entertainment businesses to reach global markets. ALLY GLOBAL plans to create a fully integrated ecosystem, showcasing Thailand and Southeast Asia's creative entertainment works to a global audience. ALLY GLOBAL has established joint ventures with renowned companies in the Thai and Southeast Asian entertainment industry, providing financial investment, development, and distribution to partners in the film industry both in America and globally. Overall, the growth rate of the media and entertainment sector in Asia is higher than that of Europe, coupled with ALLY GLOBAL's strong relationships with major production companies and talent agencies in Hollywood. Furthermore, ALLY GLOBAL invested in one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe in November 2020 and sold it to a Global Entertainment Aggregator, achieving returns of over six times within less than two years of investment.

In the sector of investments in growth, sustainability, and clean energy, ALLY GLOBAL has invested in over 50 growing companies and startups, such as Hungryroot (an AI-powered grocery service with a current valuation of over $750 million, exceeding the initial investment value) and Braven Environmental (a company converting plastic to energy, valued at over $1 billion).

ALLY Global Management recognizes that the trend of private sector investment in economically advanced countries, such as the United States, several European nations, and Asian countries, views Private Equity investments as yielding higher returns than traditional investments. What sets ALLY GLOBAL apart is its direct investment approach, possessing truly good assets, clarity regarding return rates, alongside effective risk management, and exclusive opportunities to select assets or companies for investment. ALLY GLOBAL aims to create a new dimension to connect Southeast Asian investors with global business leaders, implementing this international concept practically, which will greatly benefit Thailand and the Southeast Asian region in the future. www.ally-global.com