Analysis >> Advisory
US regulation: Shot across the bow
Private equity has been put on notice by the US regulators - an alarming notion, yet one that was sufficiently well signposted that GPs could see it coming. How keenly will the rumblings be felt in Asia?
Private equity platforms: Matchmakers
Several online platforms have been launched with a remit to make exchanges between GPs and LPs more transparent and convenient. Do they complement existing processes or is fundraising set for reinvention?
Operational value-add: Home-made remedies
Private equity firms, and the LPs, are placing greater emphasis on adding value to portfolio companies. But what is the best way of developing operational capabilities in Asia, and who should pick up the tab?
India due diligence: Smoke and mirrors
A number of accounting scandals involving India-based private equity portfolio companies has contributed to the erosion of investor confidence in the country. Due diligence processes are being tightened in response
Singapore vs. Hong Kong: Shifting sands
Fund administrators are seeing increased demand from GPs for back office services in Singapore. Hong Kong isn’t the definitive loser, but the territory’s lack of tax and regulatory certainty for PE is a factor
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
Fund admin: In house or out?
Asian private equity is becoming institutionalized, with increasingly sophisticated and international LPs asking GPs to bulk up their back office capabilities. Third-party administrators sense an opportunity
China due diligence: Playing it safe
The catalogue of deals gone bad in China is long and undistinguished. Private equity firms, and the third-party advisors that work with them, are rethinking their approach to due diligence
Asia fundraising: Size matters?
While a select group of GPs are able to raise large funds at short order in Asia, the small and mid-cap space is hollowing out. It is in parts cyclical and a function of broader changes in the post-financial crisis LP base
Rich man’s game: The cost of fundraising in Asia
Asian GPs and fund lawyers are struggling with a demand-supply imbalance. LPs are negotiating more and conceding less - but for all that managers say fundraising costs are going up, lawyers say fees are going down
PE & PR: Sustainable alpha
Increasing numbers of PE firms are upping their commitment to environmental and social governance issues at future and existing portfolio companies. What’s their motive?
PE & PR: A good citizen
Private equity globally is under more scrutiny from more directions than ever before, placing a higher value on good branding and reputation. Does the asset class also suffer from the same profile problem in Asia?
Fund-level due diligence: More than ticking boxes
Corrupt deals, agreements with the dishonest and lackluster returns can all be avoided by doing sufficient due diligence on a GP. But advisers say LPs in Asia sill aren’t doing enough
China portfolio management: Accounting on the wild side
As private equity firms pay more attention to financial management and value-add in Chinese portfolio companies, recruiting a CFO with the right blend of skills and experience is vital – but difficult
The US invasion: Competition rises among Asia PE legal counsel
A host of US law firms are boosting their Asian operations with a view to offering private equity clients a full suite of services, from fund formation to capital markets. Is there enough business to go around?
PE and FATCA: Complain but comply
Asian GPs have lagged behind other regional institutions in getting to grips with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. The time has come to face the impact these rules could have on local firms
SEC registration: Are Asian GPs taking it seriously?
Three months after US regulators introduced new rules for reporting and registration of private investment advisers, PE firms are changing the way they do business – but much less so in Asia than in the US
Innovative intermediaries: China's boutique advisors
Boutique corporate financial advisors are expanding in China, taking advantage of deals that lie beyond the reach of global investment banks. In the absence of pre-IPO deals, future success relies on differentiation
Man in the middle: Placement agents in Asia
Placement agents are building up resources in Asia as the region becomes more significant as a fundraising location. Some GPs are keen to build long-term relationships, but others take more convincing
India Awards: Legal Advisor of the Year – Khaitan & Co
An effective legal advisor needs TO be on top of the latest regulatory developments. In India this is perhaps easier said than done. In the past six months, various regulators have move forwards then backwards on put and call options, taken PE firms to...
China forestry assets: A due diligence nightmare
Opaque regulation and uncertainty about ownership in China’s forestry industry represent a challenge to strong investor oversight.
China due diligence: Suspicious minds?
The quality of private equity firms’ China due diligence has been called into question over the last 12 months - growth capital players may have too little time and too much money.
Fund administration: the silver lining post GFC
It's interesting to note how far – and how deeply – GFC shockwaves reached into private equity practice, even at the shop-floor level, in fund management and administration.
Russian roulette for PRC investing
Risk, rewards and everything in between: the promise of returns in China