Articles by Tim Burroughs
Bedell Cristin to offer BVI legal services from Singapore
International law firm Bedell Cristin has opened an office in Singapore from which it will provide British Virgin Islands (BVI) legal services to clients throughout Asia. Stephen Adams, who joined Bedell from BVI law firm Barker Adams at the beginning...
Southern Capital revises Adventa MBO offer
Southern Capital Group and a director of Adventa have submitted a revised takeover bid for the Malaysian medical products manufacturer. The offer still stands at MYR320.85 ($100 million), or MYR2.10 per share, but now excludes Adventa’s interests in...
SAFE commits $500m to Blackstone property fund – report
China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) has reportedly committed $500 million to The Blackstone Group’s latest real estate private equity fund. Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII has proved popular with investors and Stephen Schwarzman,...
Infinity Group sells IP to Anxin-China
Infinity Group, the Israel-based private equity firm created by China Development Bank and Israeli conglomerate IDB Group, has sold intellectual property developed by two of its portfolio companies to Anxin-China Holdings.
Billabong opens its books to TPG, says buyout offer too low
Billabong International's board has agreed to let TPG Capital conduct due diligence on the company, although it maintains that the private equity firm’s A$694 million ($712 million) buyout offer is too low in the context of a control transaction. TPG’s...
CIC doubles alternatives exposure, posts loss for 2011
China Investment Corporation (CIC) doubled its exposure to private equity, direct investments and hedge funds in 2011 but market volatility saw the sovereign wealth fund’s global portfolio retract by 4.3%, contributing to its first-ever annual loss....
Archer Growth invests in Best Friends Pet Supercentre
Archer Capital Growth Funds, the Australian GP’s lower mid-market unit, has set up a partnership with Best Friends Pet Supercentre and plans to expand the chain to 44 outlets. The company currently operates 11 supercenters that sell pet products and...
Clearwater reaches final close of $575m on fourth fund
Clearwater Capital Partners has closed its latest Asia credit and special situations fund at $575 million. It is the first time the private equity firm has gone to the market since 2007, when it raised a greater-than-expected $900 million for Clearwater...
VIDEO: Archer Capital's Greg Minton
Australian fund managers need to go offshore to raise capital – but only if they are targeting large funds, says Greg Minton, managing director at Archer Capital. “In fund IV we got about A$740 million from the domestic market and about the same again...
Australia’s lower mid-market retains its appeal
Successful fundraises by CHAMP Ventures and Archer Capital Growth Funds suggest that foreign LPs are willing to fill the gap left by Australian institutions. Performance and consistency remain the key factors
The US invasion: Competition rises among Asia PE legal counsel
A host of US law firms are boosting their Asian operations with a view to offering private equity clients a full suite of services, from fund formation to capital markets. Is there enough business to go around?
Why Australian take-privates are taking off
A renewal of interest in Billabong International from TPG Capital always seemed likely. When the PE firm first came calling in February with a A$3 per share buyout offer, Billabong’s management refused to budge from its valuation of $4 per share. The...
Abraaj appoints Tom Speechley as Aureos CEO
Tom Speechley, a senior partner at Abraaj Capital, has been named CEO of Aureos Capital. The appointment coincides with the completion of Abraaj’s acquisition of Aureos and its emerging markets small- and mid-cap investment platform.
FountainVest reaches first close of $1b on second China fund
FountainVest Partners has reached a first close of just over $1 billion on its second China-focused fund. The vehicle has only been in the market for about four months, but it is already nearing its full target of $1.25 billion. Sources familiar with...
Atlantic-Pacific Capital appoints new CEO
Mark Bourgeois has been appointed CEO and president of Atlantic-Pacific Capital, the global placement agent and advisory firm. He was previously CEO of Credit Suisse’s asset management group in the Americas, with responsibility for funds in which the...
CVC, Standard Chartered in $850m Infastech exit
CVC Capital Partners and Standard Chartered Private Equity have exited Hong Kong-based fastener manufacturer Infastech to Stanley Black & Decker for $850 million in cash. The strategic investor emerged the victor in a two-round auction process. It was...
CHAMP PE seeks exit from New Zealand’s Blue Star
CHAMP Private Equity-owned Blue Star has suspended trading on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in anticipation of an announcement that the business is up for sale. It comes after the struggling communications company said in June that it had won the support...
TPG resumes Billabong pursuit with $712m buyout offer
TPG Capital has renewed its interest in Billabong International, tabling a A$694 million ($712 million) takeover bid for the Australian surfwear manufacturer. The offer is A$147 million lower than the private equity firm’s previous bid for Billabong,...
STIC exits Jeil Hydraulics for 3.1x return
STIC Investments has exited its stake in Jeil Hydraulics, a Korean manufacturer of hydraulic motors and related components, to Eaton Corporation for KRW30.8 billion ($26.8 million). The investment generated a 3.1x money multiple.
Warburg sues Titan Petrochemicals in Hong Kong
Warburg Pincus has sued portfolio company Titan Petrochemicals Group and some of its executives in Hong Kong’s High Court, citing misrepresentation and breaches of contract. This comes as the debt-laden shipping and oil storage firm continues talks...
Coller closes new secondaries fund above target at $5.5b
Coller Capital has reached a final close of $5.5 billion on its latest global secondaries fund. The new vehicle is larger than its predecessor, which closed in 2007 at $4.8 billion, and above the initial fundraising target of $5 billion. The fund has...
Creador confirms MNC Skyvision investment
Creador Capital has confirmed it invested $28 million in Indonesian pay TV operator MNC Skyvision’s IDR2.15 billion ($228 million) IPO. The committed capital includes $13 million from a co-investor.
CHAMP Private Equity’s oOh!media to buy Eye Corp
CHAMP Private Equity’s oOh!media has agreed to buy Eye Corp, Ten Network Holdings’ outdoor advertising business. The deal values Eye at up to A$145 million, of which A$120 million will be paid in cash on completion, with the remainder due in three...
Zhenrong Energy makes offer for Warburg-invested Titan
Guangdong Zhenrong Energy has offered to pay HK$150-200 million ($19.3-25.8 million) for at least 51% of Titan Petrochemicals, the debt-laden shipping and oil storage firm against which Warburg Pincus has asked a court to launch liquidation proceedings....