Articles by Tim Burroughs
Temasek-owned Azalea targets $600m from PE-backed bonds
Temasek Holdings-owned Azalea Asset Management is once again offering Singapore retail investors the opportunity to participate in private equity with plans to raise around $600 million through the sale of bonds backed by LP interests in funds.
Sequoia, MassMutual lead Series B for Singapore's Biofourmis
Sequoia Capital India and MassMutual Ventures have led a $35 million Series B round of funding for Singapore-based Biofourmis, operator of a health analytics platform that tracks how patients are responding to treatment.
Governance standards: A matter of integrity
Traditionally the overlooked, underappreciated or misrepresented facet of ESG, governance is gaining prominence in emerging markets private equity as investors reassess risk exposure
CPPIB increases co-investments, fund check sizes in Asia
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) closed a record nine direct private equity deals in Asia during the 2019 financial year, while writing down one of its largest existing co-investments in the region.
Vietnam PE: Proving ground
Global investors are demonstrating a more consistent sense of confidence in Vietnam as record levels of IPO and private equity activity suggest the country has largely dispelled a reputation for volatility
Impact investment faces tricky path to standardization
Impact investing has reached a “fundamental inflection point” in terms of the availability of investment opportunities and interest from LPs, but the institutionalization process is not straightforward.
Vietnam inbound investment: Regional rivals
Strategic interest in Vietnam is growing, especially among companies within Asia looking to tap growth no longer available at home. PE investors see them as partners – and sometimes as competitors
Carlyle's Rubenstein champions emerging markets
The bloom has faded from the rose in emerging markets in recent years, which means it is an opportune time to invest in these geographies, according to David Rubenstein (pictured), co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group.
L Catterton's Asia team to spin-out, raise growth fund
The bulk of the L Capital Asia team that merged with Catterton in 2016 to form L Catterton, a global consumer-focused private equity firm, is spinning out to raise a $750 million Asia growth fund.
Q&A: MassMutual Ventures' Ryan Collins
Ryan Collins, a managing director with MassMutual Ventures, discusses being a financial rather than a strategic investor, the rise of VC in Southeast Asia, and giving entrepreneurs straight answers
Asia's middle market: Lost in space
Growing fund sizes in certain Asian markets are redefining what constitutes a middle-market GP. Are these managers evolving alongside the opportunity set or careering dangerously outside of their sweet spot?
VIG hits $530m first close on fourth Korean fund
VIG Partners has reached a first close of $530 million on its fourth Korea-focused fund, with international investors accounting for more than 60% of commitments received so far.
AVCJ daily bulletin returns May 14
AVCJ's daily bulletin will not be published on May 13 due to a public holiday in Hong Kong.
Chinese online education player Baijiahulian files for US IPO
Baijiahulian, a Chinese online education platform that provides after-school tutoring services for primary and secondary school students, has filed for a US IPO. The company’s backers include Gaorong Capital.
Singapore’s GIC gets $33b from MAS for long-term investment
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) plans to transfer S$45 billion ($33 billion) of the country’s foreign exchange reserves to GIC Private for deployment in longer-term investments.
TA closes global growth fund at $8.5b hard cap
Global growth equity investor TA Associates has reached a first and final close on its latest fund – TA XIII – at the hard cap of $8.5 billion.
Kyobo Life: The mother of all puts
Put options amount to threats seldom acted upon. By demanding that the chairman of Korea’s third-largest life insurer buy back their shares, a group of investors has taken Asian PE into uncharted territory
Q&A: Xpeng's Brian Gu
Brian Gu, vice chairman and president of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng, explains how the private equity-backed company is trying to stand out in a competitive and fast-changing market
Proventeus targets $150m for Southeast Asia fund
Proventeus Capital, a private equity firm established by a team that spun out from the Malaysia branch of Kuwait Finance House, is looking to raise $150 million for a Southeast Asia mid-market buyout fund.
Southeast Asia VC: Growth agenda
Growth funds targeting B and C rounds for technology start-ups continue to gain traction with Southeast Asia venture capital managers keen to fill the late-stage funding gap
LPs ramp up emerging markets due diligence efforts - survey
Private equity investors in emerging markets are expanding the scope of their manager due diligence, driven by the weaknesses exposed in the demise of Abraaj Group as well as by increasing emphasis on environment, social, and governance (ESG) protocols.
China's Yunji completes $121m US IPO, gains 29% on debut
Yunji, a Chinese membership-based e-commerce platform, gained 29% on its NASDAQ trading debut following a $121 million IPO that was largely covered by two of its private equity investors.
Investcorp: Into Asia
Investcorp entered the region last year through a fund commitment in China and the acquisition of an alternative investment platform in India. The firm’s top executives explain the rationale
C-Bridge closes third healthcare fund at $850m
C-Bridge Capital has closed its third healthcare fund - which covers Asia but is most active in China - at $850 million, after increasing the hard cap. It is the largest dedicated healthcare vehicle raised for deployment in Asia by an independent private...