Articles by Justin Niessner
Thailand's Charoen Pokphand buys Bellisio from US GP
Thai agro-industrial giant Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) has acquired frozen meals specialist Bellisio from US private equity firm Centre Partners for $1.1 billion.
Taiwan's HTC launches $1.5b VR investment fund
HTC and the Shenzhen municipal government have agreed to set up a Chinese virtual reality (VR) research institute and a RMB10 billion ($1.5 billion) investment fund for the technology.
Deal focus: Treasure Data helps businesses reach the cloud
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan ventured outside its domestic comfort zone to support Treasure Data, and thereby help Japanese corporates get to grips with big data
Asia PE and upstream energy: Under the pump
Although a low oil price environment has created interesting inroads for PE investors seeking exposure to Asia’s growing energy consumption story, challenges of timing and targeting have slowed uptake
General Atlantic backs Indonesia lifestyle retailer
General Atlantic has invested about IDR1.1 trillion ($80.5 million) in a food and beverage unit of diversified Indonesian lifestyle products retailer Mitra Adiperkasa (MAP).
Japan's Seven Dreamers receives $60m Series B round
Seven Dreamers Laboratories, a Japan-based manufacturer of personal-use devices, has raised a $60 million Series B round of funding from Panasonic, SBI Investment and construction company Daiwa House Industry.
Timeliness the key to value-add – AVCJ Forum
PE investors must focus on speed and forward planning when implementing strategies across team building, operational improvements and crisis management, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum in Hong Kong.
Investors weigh maneuvering options in response to global volatility – AVCJ Forum
Recent signs of global volatility have prompted PE investors to consider a divergence in business dynamics and economic trajectories between the US and Europe and Asia, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
CHAMP-backed Accolade Wines acquires Australian competitor
Accolade Wines, an Australian wine producer owned by CHAMP Private Equity, has agreed to acquire domestic peer Fine Wine Partners from Japanese-owned food and beverage company Lion.
New Zealand's Movac reaches $74.5m first close on tech fund
New Zealand venture capital firm Movac has achieved a first close on its fourth technology-focused fund with NZ$105 million ($74.5 million) in commitments.
Singapore's MC Payment gets $3.5m for SE Asia expansion
Singapore private equity firm 2W Group has led a $5 million ($3.5 million) funding round for domestic financial technology company MC Payment.
Blackstone pulls out of SE Asia energy platform
The Blackstone Group has terminated an $800 million commitment to develop oil and gas assets in Southeast Asia with Malaysia-based Tamarind Energy.
Tech & government: Living laboratories
As governments of Southeast Asia’s emerging economies look to create more workable VC policy environments, start-ups and investors have proliferated across a patchwork of imperfect systems
Tech & government: 20 years of early days
Since the dawn of the internet in the mid-1990s spurred a global rebalancing of economic power, Asia’s newest VC heavyweights have raised questions as to how this technology-driven shift will be governed
Japan's Monstar Lab gets $2.4m round
Monstar Lab, a Japan-based company specializing in global outsourcing services for IT companies, has raised JPY250 million ($2.4 million) from investors including Resona Capital.
India's Centrum launches $75m PE fund
India-listed financial services company Centrum has launched a INR5 billion ($75.3 million) private equity fund to focus on domestic consumer-focused industries.
HarbourVest closes global secondaries fund at $4.8b
HarbourVest Partners has reached a final close of $4.8 billion on its latest global secondaries fund, beating the target of $3.6 billion.
Warburg Pincus supports take-private of Singapore's ARA
Warburg Pincus has joined a consortium of investors including China’s Avic Trust to privatize Singapore-listed real estate fund management company ARA Asset Management.
Warburg Pincus invests $75m in India's Rivigo
Warburg Pincus has invested $75 million for a minority stake in Indian trucking company Rivigo. The transaction marks the GP’s third logistics deal in the country in the past two years.
New Horizon pursues legal action over Japan's Sagami
Japanese GP New Horizon Capital has initiated legal action against Sagami, a domestic clothing retailer which it had targeted for acquisition. It claims the company accepted a weaker offer from rival PE bidder Aspirant Group.
Quadrant-backed UPG acquires Australia's Rockpool
Quadrant Private Equity has taken control of Australian restaurant operator Rockpool Group via a bolt-on acquisition by existing portfolio company Urban Purveyor Group (UPG).
Shaw Kwei makes appointments in Hong Kong, New York
Shaw Kwei & Partners has appointed Peter Ko as managing director in the firm’s Hong Kong office and David Hudson as senior advisor in New York.
Australia's Wolseley exits maintenance firm to trade buyer
Wolseley Private Equity has agreed to sell its controlling stake in Australian building maintenance equipment company Facade Access to Swedish industrial sector supplier Alimak for A$120 million ($92.1 million).
Singapore's Jubilee Capital in $30m first close on tech fund
Jubilee Capital, a newly formed venture investment firm based in Singapore, has reached a first close of $30 million on an early-stage technology fund targeting $100 million.