It’s no secret that McLaren Automotive would love to have a larger presence in the Asian market, and the best way to achieve that goal is via the help of someone intimately familiar with the region.

McLaren has announced that Peter Lim, a successful Singapore businessman (and the 655th richest person in the world), has completed a “significant” investment in McLaren Automotive.

Lim, the son of a fishmonger, earned a degree in accounting before becoming a stockbroker and, later, a full-time investor. His holdings range from a palm oil producer through a series of Manchester United F.C.-themed bars, and Lim even attempted to buy Liverpool F.C. to expand English football into the Asian market. He's earned a reputation for philanthropy as well, and is known to be an avid supporter of both education and amateur sports.

Lim will join McLaren Automotive’s Board of Directors, effective immediately, and will help strengthen McLaren’s corporate influence in the Asian region. Demand for McLaren’s MP4-12C supercar among Asian buyers is strong, with confirmed orders that will take production into 2013 to fill.

McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman Ron Dennis welcomed Lim to the board of directors, and echoed the company’s feelings by saying: “Peter Lim’s track record in Asia... adds further quality to our board in this highly competitive business environment.”

Dennis went on to describe the current environment at McLaren Automotive as “exciting,” referring to both the launch of McLaren’s MP4-12C and the development of a future range of McLaren sports cars. All will be built by hand at the company’s new McLaren Production Center located in Woking, England.