Articles by Tim Burroughs
Fund focus: ClearVue brings consumer clarity
Having raised $362 million for its second fund, and diversifying its LP base in the process, Chinese GP ClearVue Partners has proved there is appetite for consumer sector specialists that have the right skill sets
Deal focus: Autoplus primed as industry consolidator
Autoplus is the only independent player of the three groups that dominate used car sales in South Korea. Having bought the business for $97 million, VIG Partners expects the company to strengthen its grip on the market
Navis buys New Zealand egg producer Mainland Poultry
Navis Capital Partners has agreed to buy a majority stake in New Zealand-based egg producer Mainland Poultry. The size of the deal was not disclosed but local media reports put it at NZ$300-350 million ($207-242 million).
KKR, JIP seek $2.3b buyout of Japan's Hitachi Kokusai Electric
KKR has announced its third tender offer for a Japanese company in six months, teaming up with Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) and Hitachi on a JPY257.1 billion ($2.3 billion) bid for Hitachi Kokusai Electric.
Baring Asia, CPPIB to privatize Nord Anglia in $4.3b deal
Baring Private Equity Asia has agreed a $4.3 billion privatization of Nord Anglia Education, a school operator it took private in the UK in 2008 and relisted in the US three years ago. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is also participating...
Fund focus: DSG wins with early-stage angle
Deepak Shahdadpuri's DSG Partners Asia has secured $40 million for its second fund, which targets early-stage consumer opportunities in India and Southeast Asia
MBK-owned ING Life to raise $972m in Korea IPO
MBK Partners will make a partial exit from ING Life Korea as the insurer raises KRW1.1 billion ($972 million) in its domestic IPO.
Ant Financial invests in VC-backed bike-sharing service Ofo
Ofo, a Chinese bike-sharing company that completed its $450 million Series D round of funding less than two months ago, has received a strategic investment of undisclosed size from Ant Financial, Alibaba Group’s financial services affiliate.
IMM launches tender offer for Korean cosmetics player
A consortium led by IMM Investment has agreed to pay KRW188.2 billion ($166 million) for a 25.54% stake in Korean cosmetics manufacturer Able C&C and launched a tender offer to secure control of the business.
China AI specialist Sense Time gets $60m from Sailing
Sailing Capital has provided $60 million in Series C funding to artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning technology start-up Sense Time, less than six months after the Beijing-based company announced its previous round.
VCs commit $65m to China vaccine developer CanSino Biologics
SDIC Fund Management, a GP under China’s State Development & Investment Corporation, has led a $65 million round of funding for CanSino Biologics, a China-based vaccine developer.
Adveq agrees sale to Schroders
Adveq, a global fund-of-funds that deploys $100-200 million every year in Asia, has agreed to an acquisition by UK-listed asset manager Schroders.
VIG buys Korean used car retailer for $97m
VIG Partners has agreed to acquire 100% of South Korea-based used car retailer and maintenance provider Autoplus for KRW110 billion ($97 million). The plan is to build the business into a local equivalent of CarMax, which is the leading player in the...
Neuberger Berman launches onshore China unit
Neuberger Berman has established an onshore investment management business in China that is expected to enable the firm to distribute private fund products to local clients.
Saratoga's Uno elected deputy governor of Jakarta
Sandiaga Uno, one of the founding partners of Indonesia-focused GP Saratoga Capital, has been elected deputy governor of Jakarta. Uno and his running mate Anies Baswedan (pictured right, with Uno), a former education minister, secured a comprehensive...
ClearVue raises $362m for China consumer fund
ClearVue Partners has closed its second China consumer-focused fund at $362 million, having received commitments from institutional LPs including several global fast-moving consumer goods companies.
Integral closes third Japan mid-market fund at $670m
Integral Group has closed its third Japan mid-market buyout fund at the hard cap of JPY73 billion ($670 million), with domestic LPs accounting for approximately three quarters of the corpus.
Baring Asia to exit Weetabix as Bright Food agrees $1.76b sale
Baring Private Equity Asia will exit Weetabix after China’s Bright Food Group agreed to end its four-year ownership of the UK-based cereals producer through a trade sale that values the business at GBP1.4 billion ($1.76 billion) on a cash free, debt...
Bain to invest in Korean botox manufacturer - update
Bain Capital Private Equity has agreed to buy a controlling stake in Hugel, a South Korean manufacturer of botox and other health-related pharmaceuticals, for approximately KRW927.4 billion ($830 million).
Korea to create $7b restructuring fund
South Korea has announced plans for a KRW8 trillion ($7 billion) fund – of which half will come from private sector feeder vehicles – as part of government efforts to initiate a more market-based approach to corporate restructuring.
India's Ola raises $250m down round
Indian ride-hailing app operator Ola has raised INR16.75 billion ($259 million) in funding at a pre-money valuation of approximately $3 billion – compared to $5 billion for the company’s previous round in 2015.
SIG leads $22m round for China training platform
Susquehanna International Group’s SIG Asia Investments has led a $22 million Series B round of funding for Yunxuetang, a Chinese cloud-based vocational training platform that works with companies like China Mobile and Lenovo.
AVCJ daily bulletin returns April 18
AVCJ's daily bulletin will take a short break for the Easter holiday. Publication will resume on April 18.
CICC joins $108m round for China music streaming business
China International Capital Corp. (CICC) and two strategic investors have provided RMB750 million ($108 million) in funding for Chinese internet company NetEase's online music platform. The investment values NetEase Cloud Music at approximately RMB8 billion.