Articles by Tim Burroughs
KKR, Allegro pick up Australasian loan portfolio from BOS
KKR’s special situations business has teamed up with Australia’s Allegro Funds to acquire a portfolio of commercial loans from BOS International. The sale came after Lloyds International, BOS’ parent, conducted a review of its Australia and New...
PE & PR: Private equity’s public face
Private equity is more entrenched and better understood in some Asian markets than others. What do the various stakeholders - entrepreneurs, government, media, public - make of the asset class?
Asia fundraising: Emerging LPs
Led by a clutch of sovereign wealth funds, Asia’s emerging LPs are looking to boost their alternatives exposure. Fund managers in search of allocations must find out what makes these institutions tick
Asia fundraising: A divided market
Global and local players are in the market trying to raise new regional and country vehicles. The former can rely on institutional relationships and IR might to get the job done. The latter face a resources squeeze
Q&A: Unitas Capital's John Lewis
John Lewis, chief investment officer at Unitas Capital, talks to AVCJ about the importance of reputation in Asia from fundraising through post-deal value-add to exiting portfolio companies to multinational buyers
Q&A: L Capital Asia's Ravi Thakran
L Capital Asia, a private equity firm sponsored by LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods company, was set up in 2008 and closed its first fund in 2010. Managing Partner Ravi Thakran tells AVCJ what makes the firm different
CHAMP PE sells off Blue Star’s Australian operation
CHAMP Private Equity is said to have exited the Australian arm of printing and communications company Blue Star Group to a consortium including Wolseley Private Equity and CaxtonWeb. Blue Star’s New Zealand operations area also expected to be sold off.
Alvarez & Marsal MD relocates to Hong Kong
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has relocated Managing Director Jacques Roizen from New York to Hong Kong to support the development of the firm’s Asia team. He has been with A&M for 10 years and was responsible for setting up the revenue enhancement practice...
AXA PE opens Beijing office, reaches halfway point on third Asia fund
AXA Private Equity has opened an office in Beijing as part of efforts to boost north Asia exposure as it seeks to raise $500-600 million for a third regional fund. With AXA Capital Asia II now 80% deployed, the firm reached a first close of $300 million...
Silk Road expects three Myanmar deals by year end
Silk Road Management expects to complete three investments in Myanmar by the end of the year, marking the Southeast Asian nation’s first private equity deals in about 20 years. The investments will be made via Silk Road’s Myanmar Human Capital Fund,...
Anand Prasanna leaves Squadron Capital
Anand Prasanna, an investment director at Squadron Capital has left the firm after five years to join another Asia-focused fund-of-funds. He will start his new job in mid-December.
DAR Capital launches India movie fund
DAR Capital Group, a London-headquartered investment banking and private equity firm, has launched a INR1 billion ($18.6 million) movie fund that will provide financing to projects throughout India. It is among the first vehicles to be approved under...
KV Asia reaches first close of more than $100m
KV Asia Capital has reached a first close on its debut fund of more than $100 million. The full target is $250 million, which will be deployed in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia expected to feature prominently.
Fidelity commits $74m to India’s Trivitron Healthcare
Fidelity Growth Partners India has invested INR4 billion ($74.4 million) in medical technology firm Trivitron Healthcare. The funding will be used to make lateral acquisitions in Europe and the US as well as to improve the Chennai-headquartered company’s...
How much is too much?
KKR had received commitments of $6.2 billion for its 11th North American fund as of the end of September. The vehicle, which entered the market in early 2011, has attracted about $700 million from LPs in the last six months and questions are being asked...
New Silk Route to buy Nando’s India franchise – report
New Silk Route (NSR) will reportedly acquire a 74% stake in the Nando’s India franchise as it continues efforts to build a platform of India restaurant assets.
Squadron joins forces with FLAG
The future of independent Asian fund-of-funds has long been a matter for debate if only due to the resource pressures. Fundraising can be a protracted process, which means some people spend long periods on the road; stricter compliance requirements are...
Ekuinas acquires Malaysian shipping services provider
Ekuinas, the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, has completed a MYR220.9 million ($72.3 million) buyout of OMNI Petromaritime, a company that provides offshore support vessels to the oil and gas industry. Ekuinas acquired an 82.5% stake in OMNI for MYR150.9...
VIDEO: Thomas H. Lee of Lee Equity Partners
Thomas H. Lee, managing partner of Lee Equity Partners, talks to AVCJ TV about the evolution of the US private equity industry, his decision to leave buyouts for growth capital, how investors can identify good managers, and his expectations for China
Anacacia agrees to sell Rafferty's to H.J. Heinz
Anacacia Capital has agreed to sell baby-food producer Rafferty’s Garden to H.J. Heinz, prompting a review by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCA). There is sufficient crossover between the two companies’ businesses that the commission...
Taiwan’s SinoPac to enter fund admin business
Taiwanese financial services company SinoPac plans to set up a fund administration unit in Hong Kong targeting private equity and hedge funds with less than $100 million in assets under management.
CVC names three co-chairmen to succeed Michael Smith
CVC Capital Partners’ chairman, Michael Smith, will retire in January and be succeeded by Donald Mackenzie, Rolly van Rappard and Steve Koltes. The announcement comes as the private equity firm prepares to launch its latest global buyout fund with a...
Clifford Chance appoints new head of Asia Pacific corporate practice
Clifford Chance has named Mark Shipman as the new head of its Asia Pacific corporate practice, replacing Roger Denny, who is stepping down after 10 years. Shipman will continue to lead the firm’s global funds and investment management practice, while...
Apax-owned Travelex to expand in China
Apax Partners-owned Travelex will expand its China footprint on becoming the first overseas operator to receive a nationwide foreign exchange license. The company plans to add a further 20 outlets in the next year to its current tally of 35, begin rolling...