By Gerelyn Terzo, Global AgInvesting Media
Maharlika Investment Corp (MIC), the sovereign wealth fund of the Philippines, and Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group of Thailand are partnering to launch a private equity fund with a strategy that includes the agri-food sector. The fund, which boasts a massive target size of as much as $1 billion, will pursue investments in the Philippines ag industry, as well as its sustainable energy sector. The partners are currently focused on fund structure, key investment sectors and attracting additional capital to the PE fund.
Maharlika Investment Corp CEO Jr. is cited by Bloomberg as saying, “We anticipate achieving the first capital close within the next nine months,” after which time the fund will begin deploying capital into investment opportunities in those sectors with expectations to “generate significant returns while contributing to the nation’s development,” he noted.
The latest project represents Maharlika’s second big investment of 2025, the first of which was a 25 percent investment into Synergy Grid & Development Philippines for roughly $339 million. Founded in 2023, MIC was launched by the Philippines government to jumpstart economic expansion and strategic investments.
Maharlika CEO Joel Consing Jr. previously told Forbes Asia, “This landmark partnership with CP Group represents a significant step forward in realizing the full potential of the Maharlika Investment Fund and its impact on the Philippines. The $1 billion fund we aim to establish will be a catalyst for transformative growth in key sectors vital to our nation’s future.”
In addition to financial capital, Thai conglomerate CP Group lends its expertise, market access and sustainability focus to the partnership. CP Group, which is overseen by the family of Thai billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont, has so far directed over $2 billion into the Philippines, including its first move to establish operating feed mill Charoen Pokphand Foods near Manila. The fund strategy has since expanded to include aquaculture and agribusiness — including local hog-breeding projects — comprising an investment tally of approximately $179 million, per Forbes.
Last year, Philippines Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. urged the private sector to partner with the government to invest in agriculture with a view toward achieving greater food security.
The content put forth by Global AgInvesting News and its parent company HighQuest Partners is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only. All information or other material herein is not to be construed as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Global AgInvesting and HighQuest Partners are not a fiduciary in any manner, and the reader assumes the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content on this site.