Articles by Tim Burroughs
Fund focus: Shoreline rides the China credit cycle
Ben Fanger, co-founder and managing director at China distress specialist Shoreline Capital, divides credit cycles into four phases: a credit boom or misallocated lending; decelerating growth or credit tightening; the recognition that someone has to take...
Onshore IPOs and China VIEs: Replacement capital?
With Chinese entrepreneurs considering domestic IPOs, foreign VCs face the prospect of having to sell off investments in restricted industries. But the trend can only be sustained as long as valuations remain high
Blue Sky reaches $11.5m first close on Australia VC fund
Australia-based alternatives investor Blue Sky has reached a first close of A$15 million ($11.5 million) on its second venture capital fund. The vehicle has a full target of A$30 million.
Carlyle commits $500m to South Asia energy platform
The Carlyle Group has committed $500 million to an upstream oil and gas start-up that will primarily focus on development and production opportunities in the Indian subcontinent.
Google, Lightspeed-backed InnoLight files for US IPO
InnoLight Technology, a manufacturer of components used in cloud computing and Google Capital’s first China-based portfolio company, has filed for an IPO in the US.
Arizona PSPRS commits $90m to StepStone Asia fund
Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (Arizona PSPRS) has agreed to commit up to $90 million to a StepStone AZ China and Asia Opportunity Fund.
NSSF joins funding round for Alibaba's Ant Financial
The National Council for Social Security Fund (NSSF) has participated in a funding round for Alibaba Group’s internet finance affiliate – Ant Financial Services – that is said to value the business at more than $40 billion.
VIDEO: Guernsey Finance's Dominic Wheatley
Investors are increasingly looking to run their activities through high quality rather than mass-market jurisdictions in response to stricter regulatory scrutiny, according to Dominic Wheatley, CEO of Guernsey Finance
Dianping leads $30m round for China's Farmlink
Farmlink, which operates a digital platform through which small and medium-sized restaurants in China can order food supplies, has received a $30 million in Series B funding led by listings and group-buying specialist Dianping.
Legend Holdings targets $1.96b Hong Kong IPO
Legend Holdings, sponsor of China-focused GPs Hony Capital and Legend Capital, has set a pricing range for its Hong Kong IPO that would see the company raise as much as HK$15.2 billion ($1.96 billion).
PE consortium submits take-private bid for China's Qihoo
Chinese internet security software provider Qihoo 360 Technology has received a take-private offer from its chairman and CEO, plus CITIC Securities, China Renaissance Holdings and Sequoia Capital.
Placement agent Forbes re-brands as FocusPoint
Placement agent Forbes Private Capital Group has re-branded as FocusPoint Private Capital Group following a management buyout from G2 Investment Group earlier this year.
IMAX, CMC Capital to launch China film fund
Movie theater operator IMAX Corporation and CMC Capital Partners will together launch a fund that will bankroll at least 10 Chinese-language movie productions.
Tembusu invests $10m in New Zealand's CricHQ
Singapore-based GP Tembusu Partners has committed $10 million to New Zealand’s CricHQ, a cricket-focused digital platform used by the sport’s administrative bodies as well as by clubs and fans.
Q&A: The Longreach Group's Masamichi Yoshizawa
The Longreach Group made a name for itself acquiring non-core assets from Japanese corporates. Masamichi Yoshizawa, a partner with the North Asia-focused firm, expects more of these deals
Corporate governance: Thin end of the wedge?
Japan’s corporate governance code will not trigger a torrent of non-core divestments, but it may encourage boards to think strategically about how – and with whom – they can improve performance
Japan buyouts: Large check limbo
It is not a phenomenon unique to Japan. Pick a major Asian market with public markets trading at or close to an all-time high and you find a cumulative private equity investment figure that is lagging the previous year’s pace.
First Reserve subscribes to $126m KrisEnergy rights issue
First Reserve will subscribe to a portion of a S$169.5 million ($126 million) rights issue by its investee KrisEnergy. The capital is required to support the oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) company’s development.
VC-backed iDreamSky gets take-private offer
IDreamSky Technology, a VC-backed Chinese mobile game publisher, has received a take-private proposal from its chairman and CEO barely 10 months after going public on NASDAQ.
Alibaba, Tencent-backed online property insurer raises $931m
Zhong An Online Property Insurance, which was set up by Jack Ma and Pony Ma, the founders of Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings, has raised RMB5.78 billion ($931 million) from a group of investors.
Sequoia, Fosun support take-private for China's Bona Film Group
Sequoia Capital and Fosun International are supporting a founder-led take-private offer for Bona Film Group that values the US-listed Chinese film distributor at approximately $832 million.
Sequoia's Shen joins China take-private wave
Neil Shen, managing partner at Sequoia Capital China, is supporting take-private bids for budget hotel operator Home Inns and online real estate agency E-House as a growing number of US-listed Chinese companies turn their attention to domestic listings....
Archer buys Dun & Bradstreet's Australasia credit-checking unit
Archer Capital has agreed to buy Dun & Bradstreet’s (D&B) Australia and New Zealand-based credit data business for A$220 million ($170 million).
China distress specialist Shoreline closes Fund III at $500m
China-focused distressed debt and special situations investor Shoreline Capital has closed its third fund at $500 million. The GP has also reached a first close of $115 million on an overflow vehicle.