Korean private equity steps in to help heirless tycoons

For private companies owned by families, the absence of a male offspring to inherit the dynasty is a problem. However, this is an area where private equity can enter and take a stake in a company where the succession lineage has no obvious candidate to step into daddy’s shoes. “It’s no longer taboo for business founders to sell out to private equity in these situations and there have been a number of mergers and acquisitions,” says Peter Ko, Seoul-based senior managing director of…