SoftBank Group Corp. Chief Operating Officer Marcelo Claure has advocated for a spinoff of the company’s Latin American investment fund, putting him at odds with founder Masayoshi Son, who disagrees with the move, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The Latin American venture isn’t as high-profile as SoftBank’s mammoth Vision Fund, but it has grown to $8 billion in assets since its launch in March 2019. The initial fund, under Claure’s leadership, has backed 48 companies and generated an internal rate of return of 85% in U.S dollar terms.
Claure sees a spinoff as a way to build the business, create value for SoftBank and boost his own compensation, said the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private.