H.I.G. Capital has appointed Younghee Choi as head of Asia within its Capital Formation Group, effective September 1, 2026, bolstering the Miami-based private equity firm's efforts to expand its institutional and private wealth investor base across the region. Choi, who joins from Blackstone where she held senior managing director status and led Korea Institutional Client Solutions, will be based in Hong Kong and oversee capital formation activities for H.I.G.'s private equity, credit and real assets platforms throughout Asia.
The appointment reflects H.I.G. Capital's strategic push to broaden its Asian limited partner base and accelerate capital raising in one of the world's most dynamic alternative investment markets. Jordan Peer Griffin, executive managing director and global head of the Capital Formation Group, said the move would strengthen H.I.G.'s regional presence. "Her extensive capital formation experience, longstanding relationships across Asia, and ability to build enduring partnerships with institutional and private wealth investors will further strengthen our presence in the region," Griffin said in a statement. The firm did not name a search firm involvement in the recruitment. Choi expressed enthusiasm for the role, saying she looked forward to deepening investor relationships across Asia and connecting them to H.I.G.'s global capabilities.
Choi brings more than 15 years of capital formation and private markets experience, primarily developed at Blackstone. At the $750 billion asset manager, she held multiple senior positions within its Institutional Client Solutions and Private Wealth divisions, most recently as head of Korea ICS. During her tenure at Blackstone, Choi developed relationships with leading institutional investors and played a key role in building Blackstone's private wealth fundraising business in South Korea, establishing the platform's footprint in a high-net-worth market. Her track record suggests deep relationships with family offices, sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors across Asia, particularly in Korea and adjacent markets.
H.I.G. Capital, founded in 1993 by Sami Mnaymneh and Tony Tamer, manages approximately $75 billion in capital and invests across private equity, credit, real estate and infrastructure. The firm has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide and currently maintains a portfolio exceeding 100 businesses with combined annual sales surpassing $53 billion. H.I.G. operates from 18 offices globally, including locations in Miami, New York, Boston and Los Angeles, as well as European offices and a base in Hong Kong, from which Choi will now lead Asia operations. The appointment comes as H.I.G. looks to deepen its Asian footprint following its entry into the region in 2016 with offices in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Choi's hiring signals H.I.G. Capital's recognition that competition for capital allocations to alternative assets in Asia has intensified considerably. The appointment of a Blackstone veteran with substantial relationships among institutional and private wealth investors suggests the firm views capturing Asian capital as a priority, particularly given the region's concentration of sophisticated institutional investors and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Insofar as Choi led South Korea operations at Blackstone, her mandate may initially emphasize emerging markets like South Korea before expanding across Southeast Asia and beyond. The move appears calibrated to compete with larger incumbents like Blackstone in a region where private equity and credit remain growth markets for alternative asset managers.
