Articles by Tim Burroughs
AVCJ daily bulletin returns May 2
AVCJ's daily bulletin will not be published on Wednesday May 1 due to the Labor Day public holiday in Hong Kong.
Focus Media's PE-backed MBO clears final hurdle
Focus Media will be privatized next month after shareholders voted in favor of a private equity-backed management buyout that values the company at $3.7 billion. It is the largest buyout transaction ever completed in China.
NYSTRS commits $85m to KKR’s second Asia fund
New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) has committed $85 million to KKR’s second Asia fund. The vehicle had received $4.8 billion from investors as of mid-April and is expected to announce a final close of $6 billion within the next two...
CITIC, CDH generate 4x return through China auto parts exit
CITIC Capital Partners and CDH Investments Management have exited Chinese auto components manufacturer Nanjing Aotecar to a domestic buyer. According to sources familiar with the transaction, CITIC has secured an approximately 4x money multiple on an...
CITIC, Vector see 3x return on RAE Systems trade sale
CITIC Capital Partners and Vector Capital have exited gas detection equipment manufacturer RAE Systems through a $340 million trade sale to Honeywell. The China-focused GP came in as a co-investor on US-based Vector’s privatization of the company in...
China's VIEs: A political football
The investment structure that has underpinned foreign investment in China’s internet and telecom sectors is being questioned by investors and regulators. Is the VIE dead and, if so, what could replace it?
JAIC spin-out seeks VC secondaries
Private equity secondary exits have seen a resurgence in Japan in the last two years, with more than $5.3 billion transacted. In only one year previously - 2007 - has deal value surpassed $1.3 billion. For two groups of industry participants, the prospects...
Ex-JAIC boss to launch Japan secondaries fund
Former JAIC CEO Moriyoshi Matsumoto, who was responsible for the group’s secondaries business, has spun out to create an independent secondary investment platform. WM Partners is targeting up to JPY10 billion ($102 million) for its debut fund, with...
CalSTRS commits to FountainVest, Bain Asia funds
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) committed $120 million to Asia-focused GPs during the final three quarters of 2012, according to a recent disclosure. The pension system also revealed that its private equity portfolio delivered...
KKR kicks tires, buys Alliance
India is expected to see an increasing number of secondary buyouts in the next couple of years as GPs look for ways to monetize existing portfolios in the face of a difficult public market environment. While KKR's acquisition of Warburg Pincus' majority...
Quadria carries the Milestone-Religare torch
For Amit Varma, buying Indian GP Milestone Religare was never part of the plan. He left financial services group Religare last year to set up Quadria Capital with Abrar Mir, formerly of NBD Sana Capital. They recently launched a debut fund, targeting...
Unitas patches up Australian auto parts firm
It seems counter-intuitive for a private equity firm to invest in inventory - if anything, they are known in the West for cutting working capital post-buyout - but this is what Unitas Capital did on acquiring Exego, a car parts supplier that operates...
1Q analysis: Hard times
Mixed fortunes for Asia buyout funds on the road; large-cap deals weaken, but venture capital activity is on the rise; exits one of few bright spots thanks to spurt in trade sales
Princeling funds: Who's your daddy?
Another month, another princeling fund. Okay, so they're not that prolific but there is a familiarity to PE platforms built upon the shoulders of Chinese leaders' offspring in terms of the nature of their emergence.
Korea Teachers Pension Fund CIO to step down
Yun Kyu Lee is to step down as chief investment officer of Korea Teachers Pension Fund (KTPF). His replacement has yet to be announced.
PE firms seek partnerships with Korean corporates - AVCJ Forum
Private equity firms are best served working with South Korean conglomerates rather than competing against them for assets, with collaborative efforts to secure overseas assets a strong potential source of deal flow, industry participants told the AVCJ...
Morgan Stanley-backed Hyundai Rotem targets IPO
Hyundai Rotem, a South Korean railway and defense systems manufacturer backed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), has applied to the Korea Exchange for an IPO. According to local media, the company is looking to raise KRW300-400 billion ($270-360...
Formation 8 raises $448m, eyes US-Asia VC opportunities
Formation 8, a start-up venture capital firm that targets US businesses with the potential to expand into Asia, has raised $448 million for its debut fund. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, the firm has eight operating professionals based out of offices...
KKR pays $500m for Warburg's Alliance Tire Group stake
KKR has agreed to buy Warburg Pincus’ controlling stake in Indian tire make Alliance Tire Group. Terms were not disclosed, but sources familiar with the transaction told AVCJ that KKR will pay $450-500 million for an approximately 75% stake as well...
Australia’s QIC looks to develop its direct China exposure
QIC, an Australian investment manager QIC with more than A$69 billion ($73 billion) under management for a combination of domestic and international clients, is stepping up its efforts to develop bilateral investment opportunities in China. The group...
eFront launches Sydney office
Financial software provider eFront, a leading supplier to alternative investment managers, has opened an office in Sydney. This is the company’s first foray into Australia but its fifth base in Asia Pacific, complementing existing locations in Beijing,...
University of Michigan commits to Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia IV
The University of Michigan has committed $25 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 market,...
CIC, ADM support buyout of Australian lithium producer
Chengdu Tianqi Industry Group, a Chinese lithium products manufacturer, has completed the acquisition of Australian miner Talison Lithium, with support from China Investment Corporation (CIC) and Hong Kong-based special situations group ADM Capital. The...
Carlyle buys Shanghai office tower from Singapore’s Forterra
The Carlyle Group has paid $267 million for Central Plaza, a Shanghai office building owned by Singapore real estate fund Forterra Trust. The deal is further confirmation of private equity firms’ appetite for commercial real estate in China, coming...