PwC
Asia distress: Landslides on hold?
Investors are witnessing an uptick in turnaround opportunities based on delayed pandemic effects and a poor macro outlook. The trend remains anecdotal, but some markets could see a surge
Allegro buys PwC's Australia government consulting business
Turnaround specialist Allegro Funds has agreed to acquire PwC’s public consulting business in Australia, which is dealing with the fallout from a tax leak scandal. The sale price is AUD 1 (USD 0.66).
Taking PE in-house: Less limited partners
Institutional investors continue to pursue more active roles in private equity, even as a souring macro backdrop makes the game harder to play. Talent is always the key variable
GP selection: Discriminating customers
Sizeable LPs are hardening their criteria for fund commitments in reaction to a tougher investing environment. But going with fewer, deeper relationships is an uphill climb
ESG in M&A: Eloquent exits
Private equity firms are increasingly presenting portfolio companies’ sustainability credentials in a prepared and formal way in trade sale situations. It appears to be worth the trouble
Australia take-privates: Going large
A combination of abundant dry powder and friendly financing conditions are encouraging global GPs to pursue ever-larger listed companies in Australia. For now, macro headwinds are no deterrent
Emerging Asia start-ups: Governance revisited
Even a modest cooling off from tech investment euphoria experienced in the peak of the pandemic could reveal big cracks in Asian start-up markets. Diligence efforts are ramping up, but is it enough?
Metaverse: Too concrete to ignore
As lives lived online find a virtual world to call home, investors, brands, governments, corporations, and accountants follow them in. Real estate, avatars, and new ideas are in demand. Goggles are not
Carried interest: Safe in Hong Kong?
Tax treatment of carried interest has been an issue of contention in Hong Kong for several years. Just when it seemed to be resolved, draft implementation guidelines are causing disquiet
Coronavirus & leverage: Room to maneuver?
Economic disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak is likely to leave many private equity portfolio companies in breach of their leverage covenants. Borrowers and lenders are looking for a fix
Hong Kong tax: Playing catch-up
Hong Kong is introducing various initiatives intended to encourage private equity firms to bring more of their operations onshore. A failure to act may see Singapore emerge as Asia’s jurisdiction of choice
India macro: Steady as she goes
India’s economy is expected to remain stable in the face of global volatility, but trouble spots remain. Investors must structure their portfolios carefully to ensure they are not caught off guard by sudden shocks
Operational value-add: Sign of the times
Budding interest in operational value-add marks a new level of maturity in Asian private equity. Trial-and-error experimentation has progressed slower than the macro motivators
India healthcare: The growth infusion
Indian hospitals are increasingly attractive for private equity investors. GPs can thrive in the space with a well-defined growth strategy that takes local market requirements into account
PE and AI: The machinists
After decades of tantalizing but patchy progress, artificial intelligence is finally seen as ready for mass commercialization. Investors must now weigh an unmissable opportunity with a world of uncertainty
SeedPlus Singapore closes debut fund at $18m
SeedPlus Singapore, a Southeast Asia-focused seed fund run by Jungle Ventures, has closed its debut fund at S$25 million ($18 million).
Asia value creation: Internal repairs
Private equity investors in Asia are responding to an increasingly competitive deal-sourcing environment with a stronger focus on value-add, but successful implementation will require a cultural commitment
Hong Kong tax: A life less certain
Hong Kong introduced legislation intended to give private equity investors greater tax certainty, but the implementation guidelines have moved it further from this goal. The implications could be wide-ranging
Hong Kong tax policy: An unfortunate first
Hong Kong is the only major international center openly seeking to treat carried interest as income rather than capital gain for tax purposes. The private equity industry wants to know where it stands
China distress: After the boom
China’s slowing growth has created a wave of corporate defaults, and these bad debts should be put up for sale. Not all foreign investors are ready to jump in, though, conscious of the difficulties in extracting value
China to see PE fundraising rebound in 2014 – PwC
China is expected to see a significant rebound in private equity fundraising this year in response to the domestic IPO markets re-opening, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers(PwC). Meanwhile, renminbi-denominated fundraising will prevail as usual.
Held to account: The Big Four in China
A legal ruling might ban the Big Four accounting firms’ China affiliates from working on US-listed Chinese companies. VCs aren’t worried about IPO prospects, but there are longer-term concerns
Crystal ball: Predictions for 2014
From fundraising and secondaries to deal flow and exit strategies, private equity professionals from across the region give their perspective on the year to come
Australia mining: Swings and roundabouts
The end of the commodities super-cycle in Australia has impacted both mining companies and the businesses that serves them. Private equity can benefit, but only if it digs deep