James Murdoch and Uday Shankar return with $1.5 billion Qatar-backed investment firm Bodhi Tree, to focus on India and Southeast Asia

James Murdoch and Uday Shankar return with $1.5 billion Qatar-backed investment firm Bodhi Tree, to focus on India and Southeast Asia

James Murdoch and Uday Shankar have launched a new venture called Bodhi Tree with a $1.5 billion backing from Qatar Investment Authority as the duo looks to double down on their investment in Southeast Asia and India, the two said on Thursday.

The duo most recently worked at investment firm Lupa Systems after Murdoch's departure as chief executive of 21st Century Fox. Shankar previously served as the chair and chief executive of Star India, which was owned by Fox prior to the giant's acquisition by Disney for $71.3 billion. Lupa Systems was looking to raise $345 million in a SPAC last year.

Lupa Systems made a number of investments, including in media outfit Vice and Indian edtech startup DoubtNut and news aggregator and short video platform DailyHunt.