Asia
State Street names new Asia alternatives head
State Street Corporation has appointed Bob Keogh as head of alternative investment solutions for Asia Pacific. Based in Hong Kong, he will assume responsibility for servicing private equity, hedge fund and real estate managers.
Real assets not overpriced, if you know where to look - AVCJ Forum
There is no shortage of high-quality real assets available to private markets investors despite rising prices in certain areas, industry participants told the AVCJ Real Assets Forum. The onus is on investors to look beyond the obvious.
Fundraising: First impressions
A successful introductory meeting doesn’t guarantee LP support but it is an important first step on the road to achieving it. GPs must be informed, engaging and polished – but not too polished
India's Kaizen opens US office ahead of Fund II launch
Indian education-focused GP Kaizen Private Equity has opened an office in Silicon Valley ahead of launching its first pan-Asian fund, which has a target of $120 million.
Oil angle: PE finds a route in Asia
The continued growth of the Asian economies means increased demand for energy. Major Asian countries and corporations are rising to the challenge and paying top dollar for almost every oil and gas interest they can lay their hands on – not to mention...
MVision CEO to move from London to Hong Kong
Mounir Guen, founder and CEO of placement agent MVision is relocating from London to Hong Kong in order to lead the firm’s expansion in Asia.
Evolution of the spin-out
Traditionally, private equity spin-outs have fallen somewhere along a scale that features autonomy at one end and greed (or, more kindly, a desire for talents to be appropriately rewarded) at the other, with innate entrepreneurism occupying the middle.
Asia trails the West on operational value-add - survey
Asian private equity firms lag behind their Western counterparts on operational value add, according to a new survey.
CBRE GMM reaches final close on Asia real estate fund
The investment arm of global real estate advisor CBRE has announced a final close on the Asia Alpha Plus III (AAP III) Fund of $236 million.
OMM’s Collins joins Dechert, eyes new phase in Asia spin-outs
Dean Collins, formerly partner and head of the Asia fund formation practice at O’Melveny & Myers (OMM), has joined Dechert as managing partner of the firm’s newly-opened Singapore office.
Ex-KKR Asia fundraiser joins Neuberger Berman as advisor
Clifford Chiu, who stepped down from his fundraising role at KKR earlier this year, has become a senior advisor to Neuberger Berman Asia. He will help build the investment manager’s client base across the region.
SAIF Partners leads $15m round for US monetization platform
SAIF Partners has led a $15 million Series B round of funding for Supersonic, a mobile app monetization firm based in San Francisco.
Control deals cast light on Asia GPs' value creation credentials - AVCJ Forum
Private equity investors are seeing more control deals in emerging Asian markets traditionally dominated by growth capital, which in turn gives LPs greater visibility as to GPs’ operational capabilities.
Distress fundraising: In credit?
Whether disillusioned by the returns from conventional private equity or seeking to diversify their exposure, LPs are more open to Asia credit strategies. The returns are there, provided you pick the right strategy.
Noble Group, EIG form energy joint venture
Private equity firm EIG Global Energy Partners has teamed up with Asia-based agriculture and energy supply chain manager Noble Group to acquire and operate upstream and mid-stream energy assets.
DeAWM hires ex-Paul Capital executive for Asia secondaries
Jason Sambanju, formerly co-head of Asia at Paul Capital Partners, has joined Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management (DeAWM) as head of Asia secondaries.
Secondaries, succession best source of control deals in Asia - Partners Group
Secondary acquisitions from other PE firms and founder succession planning are the richest sources of control transactions in Asia, says Partners Group, but in each situation winning over management and other stakeholders is vital.
TPG invests in Hong Kong-based hedge fund seeder
TPG Capital will take an ownership interest in HS Group, a Hong Kong-based investment company that provides seed capital to hedge funds, as part of strategic partnership between the two firms.
NewQuest closes Fund II, prepares for hydropower take-private
NewQuest Capital Partners has reached a final close of $316 million on its second pan-Asia fund, exceeding the $300 million target. The announcement comes as the secondaries specialist is poised to take private US-listed China Hydroelectric in a deal...
Emerging markets fail to meet LP expectations – research
Emerging markets GPs have fallen substantially short of LP expectations, with top quartile funds achieving the desired 16% IRR in just two out of nine years between 2000 and 2011, according to new research.
Q&A: Top Tier Capital Partners' Jessica Archibald
Jessica Archibald, managing director at VC-focused fund-of-funds Top Tier Capital Partners, on mounting valuations in the US venture capital market and Asia losing some of its shine on a risk-adjusted basist
FATCA compliance: A ticking clock
As of July 1, PE firms were supposed to have taken the first step towards compliance with the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Few in Asia can exist beyond the regulatory web
Inside fundraising: Gleanings from the first half of 2014
At the halfway point of 2014, what do the private equity fundraising numbers tell us? According to provisional data from AVCJ Research, 82 funds have reached incremental or final closes worth $23.6 billion so far this year. This compares to $25.5 billion...
LP interview: Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board has established a sizeable presence in Asia and is making ever larger commitments to GPs in the region. But Mark Machin, the fund’s Asia president, says it is still early days