Interview / People
AVCJ at 25: John Zhao of Hony Capital
John Zhao, founder and CEO of Hony Capital, teamed up with Legend Holdings to create China’s first buyout fund in 2003. Nearly 10 years on, he is still restructuring state-owned enterprises but also looking to go overseas
AVCJ at 25: X.D. Yang of The Carlyle Group
X.D. Yang, managing director and co-head of Carlyle Asia Partners, joined the buyout firm as it sought to up its game in China. A hugely successful insurance investment remains the landmark deal, but he expects to see more
AVCJ at 25: Joe Bae of KKR
Joe Bae, partner and head of Asia at KKR, set up the private equity firm’s regional operation seven years ago with two principal goals: being as local as possible and building a franchise that is sustainable in the long term
AVCJ at 25: Michael B. Kim of MBK Partners
Michael B. Kim, founding partner of MBK Partners, left The Carlyle Group in 2005 to set up his own private equity firm. The time was right, the capital was available, and there was a desire to become more local
AVCJ at 25: Finian Tan of Vickers Capital
Finian Tan, founder and chairman of Vickers Capital Group, identified Baidu as a start-up and guided the search engine provider all the way to IPO. It was the first in a string of post-tech bubble investments in Chinese internet companies
AVCJ at 25: Lip-Bu Tan of Walden International
Lip-Bu Tan, founder and chairman of Walden International, plotted the route by which foreign venture capital entered China’s internet sector, as well as guiding dozens of Asian companies from start-up to listing
AVCJ at 25: Roy Kuan of CVC Capital Partners
Roy Kuan, managing partner at CVC Capital Partners, witnessed a transformation in private equity in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. Suddenly he was in the buyout business, carving out assets from distressed conglomerates
AVCJ at 25: Weijian Shan of PAG
Weijian Shan, chairman and CEO of PAG, made his name in private equity turning around troubled companies for Newbridge Capital. Two bank deals helped open international investors’ eyes to the Asia buyout opportunity
AVCJ at 25: Ta-Lin Hsu of H&Q Asia Pacific
Ta-Lin Hsu, founder and chairman of H&Q Asia Pacific, brought venture capital to Taiwan as part of efforts to develop the tech sector. It was a launching pad for private equity across the region
AVCJ at 25: Lewis Rutherfurd of Inter-Asia Venture Management
Lewis Rutherfurd, co-founder of Inter-Asia Venture Management, has been active in the industry for 40 years. During that time he brought McDonald’s and Ikea to Hong Kong – and set up Asian Venture Capital Journal
Profile: IL&FS' Archana Hingorani
When Dr. Archana Hingorani swapped academia for industry, she ended up at the nascent IL&FS. Twenty years on, she is CEO of the company’s PE unit and recognized as a pioneer in Indian infrastructure
VIDEO: Stephen Pagliuca of Bain Capital
Global buyout firms are destined to become more diversified investors because the skills that underpin their success in corporate private equity are equally applicable to other asset classes, says Stephen Pagliuca, US-based managing director at Bain Capital...
Profile: KV Asia's Karam Butalia
Karam Butalia, executive chairman of KV Asia Capital, cut his teeth in private equity with Citicorp, set up Standard Chartered’s PE unit, and is now building his own Southeast Asia mid-market buyout shop
VIDEO: Ralph Jaeger of Siguler Guff
Pockets of growth in lower-tier cities continue to present the most enticing opportunities for emerging markets investors, says Ralph Jaeger, managing director and co-portfolio manager of Siguler Guff’s BRIC Opportunities Funds
India Awards: PE Professional of the Year – Sanjay Nayar
As head of KKR India, Sanjay Nayar presides over a private equity operation that is becoming ever more diversified to meet the needs of local entrepreneurs. He shared his market outlook with AVCJ.
Asia Awards: VC Professional of the Year – Sanjeev Aggarwal
SanjeevAggarwal, managing partner at Helion Venture Partners, reflects on a successful fundraise, the popularity of Indian venture capital, and a portfolio that is becoming increasingly international
AVCJ at 25: Turning points
To mark the 25th anniversary of Asian Venture Capital Journal, we highlight five key phases in the development of asset class in Asia and talk to the individuals involved. Two of the phases are births – of a sort – and the other three are crises, a reminder...
Q&A: EQT Partners' Martin Mok
Martin Mok, a Hong Kong-based partner at EQT Partners Asia, talks to AVCJ about what slowing economic growth and slowing public markets mean for private equity investors in China
Q&A: Unitas Capital's John Lewis
John Lewis, chief investment officer at Unitas Capital, talks to AVCJ about the importance of reputation in Asia from fundraising through post-deal value-add to exiting portfolio companies to multinational buyers
Profile: Founders Fund's Bruce Gibney
Founders Fund Partner Bruce Gibney became a multi-millionaire by investing in PayPal while still at university. He was later involved in the first angel investment made in Facebook
VIDEO: Jack Lange of Paul Weiss
Economic uncertainty makes private equity investors wary but weak public markets in China are also creating opportunities, says Jack Lange, a partner in the corporate department at Paul Weiss
Q&A: Paul Capital's Bryon Sheets
Bryon Sheets, a US-based partner with Paul Capital who leads secondary private equity coverage, talks to AVCJ about spinning out captive teams in North America and Europe, and the prospects for doing the same in Asia
Profile: Leopard Capital's Douglas Clayton
Leopard Capital CEO Douglas Clayton refused to let gun-wielding Cambodians distract him from setting up the country’s first private equity fund. He prides himself on being first on the ground in frontier markets
Q&A: Globis Capital Partners' Shinichi Takamiya
Shinichi Takamiya, a partner at Japanese VC firm Globis Capital Partners, discusses the prospects for domestic start-ups and how venture investment in Japan stacks up against global counterparts