Articles by Tim Burroughs
Japan fundraising: Sink or swim?
Investor sentiment is gradually turning on Japan. The big buyout funds must convince LPs there is sufficient deal flow in their portion of the market; the smaller players must figure out how to talk to foreign LPs
PE-owned Dutch waste company sells subsidiary to Cheung Kong Infrastructure
A Dutch waste management provider owned by CVC Capital Partners and KKR has exited its energy-from-waste (EfW) subsidiary to a consortium led by Cheung Kong Infrastructure (CKI) for EUR940 million ($1.27 billion). It is the Hong Kong-based company’s...
CalPERS CIO Joseph Dear scales back responsibilities
Joseph Dear, chief investment officer at California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), has given up some of his duties at the pension fund as he undergoes treatment for prostate cancer.
CITIC Capital’s Yichen Zhang joins EMPEA board
Yichen Zhang, chairman and CEO of CITIC Capital, has joined the board of directors at the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA). He will also sit on the organization’s Asia Council.
PE-owned MediaWorks New Zealand enters receivership
Creditors are poised to take control of Ironbridge Capital-owned MediaWorks as the New Zealand broadcaster and its subsidiaries went into receivership.
LPs require local expertise for Asia co-investment – AVCJ Forum
LPs need a presence in Asia – or, at the very least, an understanding of local markets – if they are to be successful co-investors in the region, industry participants told the AVCJ Europe conference, which took place in London last week.
Korea's NPS to boost alternatives exposure
South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) will increase its allocation to alternative investments to 11.3% from 8.4% as part of an aggressive plan that will see a substantial drop in the pension fund’s fixed income exposure.
Lumis, HDFC invest in India’s PeopleStrong
Lumis Partners has teamed up with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) to invest in PeopleStrong, an Indian human resources outsourcing company. The size of the equity commitment was not disclosed.
Oregon Investment Council backs Morgan Stanley, RRJ funds
Oregon Investment Council (OIC) has committed $75 million to Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia’s (MSPEA) fourth pan-regional fund. The vehicle, which reached a first close of $750 million towards the end of last year after less than six months in the...
John Brakey quits as head of PE at Australia's MLC
John Brakey has resigned as head of private equity at MLC, National Australia Bank's (NAB) wealth management division. His replacement is Natalie Meyenn, who moves up from her role as chief investment officer at the PE division.
Orix, Perigon to make partial exits from Air Asia X via IPO
Orix Corp. and Perigon Advisory will make partial exits from regional budget carrier AirAsia's long-haul subsidiary through an IPO that is targeting up to $370 million.
PAG agrees $150m investment in Chinese property developer
PAG’s absolute returns division will invest in China-focused shopping mall operator Zall Development Group through a $100 million convertible bond issue, with the option to subscribe to a further $50 million worth of bonds. Assuming full conversion,...
Morgan Stanley-backed Hyundai Rotem gets green light for IPO
Hyundai Rotem, a South Korean railway vehicle manufacturer backed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), has received approval to list on the Korea Stock Exchange. It will likely be the country’s largest share offering so far this year and the...
Safety first: Investing in China's food supply chain
Driven by rising disposable incomes and lower confidence in food safety, Chinese consumers are willing to pay a premium for quality. PE firms have identified the opportunity, but taking it can be difficult
China IPOs: Different this time
There are signs that the China listings logjam is gradually becoming unstuck, sowing seeds of hope for PE equity and VC investors fielding awkward questions from LPs about liquidity horizons. But markets are unlikely to bounce back to their former highs...
PE investors move to liquidate Ambow, call for CEO to resign
New York-listed Chinese tutoring and training services provider Ambow Education Holding could face a winding up order after a court appointed liquidators to assume control of the company. Avenue Capital, Ambow’s largest institutional shareholder, instigated...
CVC hires Korea specialist Charles Huh from Standard Chartered
Charles Huh has joined CVC Capital Partners as a senior managing director responsible for South Korea after spending nine years at Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE).
Saratoga vehicle raises $151m in IPO, will invest with institutional fund
A vehicle containing legacy assets that predate Saratoga Capital’s institutional funds has raised $151 million through an IPO in Indonesia. Saratoga Investama Sedaya (SIS), which is controlled by the private equity firm’s founders, Sandiaga Uno and...
Taiwan scores poorly on attracting PE – white paper
Taiwan’s government promised to revise rules on foreign investment and facilitate the inflow of private equity capital after a report issued by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (AmCham) delivered a stinging criticism of the domestic investment...
Korea’s STX Pan Ocean files for bankruptcy after PE rescue fails
STX Pan Ocean, South Korea’s largest bulk shipping group, has filed for court receivership after attempts to secure a private equity-led restructuring of the beleaguered business failed.
Secondaries valuations remain challenging – KIC
Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) will increase its allocation to alternatives to as much as 25%, up from 15%, but CIO Don Lee said there were no immediate plans to add managers in the secondary space, citing valuation challenges in the market.
Regulator blocks Anacacia exit of Rafferty’s to Heinz
Anacacia Capital’s sale of baby-food producer Rafferty’s Garden to H.J. Heinz has been blocked by the Australian Competition and Consumer Association (ACCC). The regulator decided that the transaction would give Heinz an unfairly dominant market position.
China Asset Management backs $332m iSoftStone take-private
Chinese IT services provider iSoftStone Holdings has received a take-private proposal from its CEO and chairman, who is working in conjunction with ChinaAMC Capital Management, an alternative investment platform affiliated to fund management company China...
CVC eyes IPO for Indonesian cable operator LinkNet - report
LinkNet, the Indonesian cable television and broadband operator in which CVC Capital Partners holds a 49% stake, is reportedly targeting an IPO this year. It would be the second share offering in 2013 by one of the private equity firm’s Indonesia-based...