Articles by Tim Burroughs
PennSERS commits $50m to Asia Alternatives’ third fund
The Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System (PennSERS) has committed $50 million to Asia Alternatives' third fund-of-funds, which was launched early last year with a target of $1 billion. As of September 2011, it had attracted $375 million,...
AVCJ China Awards: VC Deal of the Year – Dianping.com
As China’s leading restaurant reviews website, Dianping.com has developed a business model that is difficult for others to replicate. VC backers TrustBridge, Lightspeed, Sequoia and Qiming don’t expect this to change
AVCJ China Awards: PE Deal of the Year – Alibaba Group
Silver Lake started building relations with Alibaba Group almost as soon as it launched its Asia operations in 2008. It was the logical thing to do: the private equity firm assiduously builds relationships with senior management at most of the world’s...
AVCJ China Awards: PE Exit of the Year – Beijing Leader & Harvest
Much is made of the commercial implications of China’s clean energy drive. The government has pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and energy intensity, promote industrial efficiency and minimize industrial pollution, protect forests, curb motor...
AVCJ China Awards: PE Professional of the Year – David Liu
David Liu, KKR member and head of the firm’s China operations, explains how the drop in public market valuations has created a swath of deal-making opportunities
Growth capital mezzanine: The third way
Growth capital mezzanine players are still few in number in Asia. Will struggling equity markets and tighter credit conditions open up the market for these alternative capital providers?
Rise of the China PIPE deal
It has taken Indian fund managers years to convince their LPs of the merits of PIPE deals, and efforts haven’t been wholly successful. The knee-jerk response, “Why should I pay you fees to invest in companies that I could just invest in myself?”...
Blackstone suspends payments to Visa Power – report
The Blackstone Group is said to have deferred payments on its $111 million investment in Visa Power after the Indian company failed to meet certain targets set out in the deal.
Goldman names Hui head of Asia Pacific ex-Japan merchant banking
Stephanie Hui has been named head of Goldman Sachs’ merchant banking operations for Asia Pacific ex-Japan as part of a management reshuffle following the departure of three senior partners from the firm. She will report to Andrew Wolff, who is moving...
PE firms plan AsiaInfo bids – report
Silver Lake, TPG Capital and Primavera Capital are said to be among the PE firms that have expressed an interest in AsiaInfo-Linkage, the US-listed telecoms software manufacturer that is subject to a buyout offer from CITIC Capital.
Cathay Life Insurance invests $30m in KKR’s Asian fund
Cathay Life Insurance has committed $30 million to KKR’s second pan-Asian fund, which has a target of $6 billion. Cathay Financial Holding, the Taiwan insurer’s parent company, announced the investment in a stock exchange filing dated June 11.
Serasi’s Veronica John joins Mekong Capital
Veronica John, founder of Serasi Capital and formerly CEO of IDFC Capital, has joined Mekong Capital as a senior advisor. She is responsible for various aspects of the Vietnam-focused GP’s operations, including investments, fundraising and private equity...
Boris Bong leaves Squadron Capital for J.P. Morgan
Boris Bong, a managing director at Hong Kong-based fund-of-funds Squadron Capital, has left the company. He is joining J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s private equity group, also as a managing director.
PE firms consider bid for Australian packaging firm – report
The Blackstone Group, KKR and The Carlyle Group are said to be in talks with banks over a bid for Australian packaging company Pact. The deal could value the firm at as much as $1.4 billion.
Sony increases take in PE-backed India subsidiary
Sony Pictures Television, the international television production and distribution arm of Sony, has increased its stake in Indian subsidiary Multi Screen Media (MSM), which is also backed by private equity investor Capital International. Sony has agreed...
SK Group raises fund to support struggling firms
Korea’s SK Group has created a KRW100 billion ($85 million) private equity fund intended to promote shared growth with smaller partner companies. Rather than offer loans to suppliers, the fund will invest directly in competitive firms that are struggling...
Temasek buys stake in Asia-focused Ivanhoe Mines
Temasek Holdings has purchased a 5.5% stake in Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines, a move seen as part of ongoing efforts to increase the natural resources share of its portfolio. The transaction was channeled through Tembusu Capital, a private equity firm affiliated...
Renminbi funds face a new reality
“Do you know a company called [name redacted]?” the colleague asked on the phone. “Yes,” I replied. I had been familiar with the firm and its business model for several years. It is a relatively small outfit based in Shanghai, not widely known...
Kumho Industrial sells $812m in assets to Korean PE fund
Kumho Industrial, the struggling South Korean conglomerate, has sold KRW946.5 billion ($811.9 million) worth of assets to a private equity fund operated by Korea Finance Corp. in order to boost liquidity. The jettisoned assets include a stake in Daewoo...
Renminbi funds face a new reality
“Do you know a company called [name redacted]?” the colleague asked on the phone. “Yes,” I replied. I had been familiar with the firm and its business model for several years. It is a relatively small outfit based in Shanghai, not widely known...
Paul Weiss hires Spencer Park for Asia PE, M&A practice
Paul Weiss has appointed Spencer Park as counsel to its private equity and M&A practice in Asia. Based in Hong Kong, he will work on private equity, credit and real estate transactions across the region.
San Diego pension fund commits $50m to FountainVest
The San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA) has committed $50 million to FountainVest China Growth Capital Fund II. FountainVest Partners, set up by former Temasek Holdings executives in 2007, raised $950 million for its first vehicle...
TPG secures pact with Korea’s Vogo
Comparisons between TPG’s tie-ups with Northstar and Vogo are flawed – one is fully formalized, the other is loose. But the private equity firm does appear ready to re-engage with South Korea after a long absence
PE firms remain in the hunt for Kyobo Life
The sale of a one third interest in Kyobo Life, the smallest of South Korea’s Big Three life insurers, was always going to be a two-phase affair. The first phase – Korea Asset Management Corp. (KAMCO) exiting its 9.9% stake in the company – is now...