Articles by Tim Burroughs
Investor consortium pays $1.6b for 5% of Alibaba
Silver Lake, Yunfeng Capital and other investors have purchased a 5% stake in Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group, worth $1.6 billion. The transaction is thought to be the tender offer made to employee shareholders and option holders, as well as certain...
2011 AVCJ Forum sells out
The 2011 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum has sold out, following an unprecedented level of industry support from both within and outside of the region. AVCJ will not be taking any more registrations for the event, although existing reservations made...
Q&A: Headland Capital Partners' George Raffini
After 21 years as a captive, HSBC’s Asia private equity unit spun out last year as Headland Capital Partners. Managing Partner George Raffini looks back on 12 months of change.
From buyouts to asset managers
Emerging Asia is a key consideration as the global buyout firms diversify their product offerings to meet the needs of a changing market
Q&A: First Reserve Corp's Jamie Paton
Energy-focused private equity firm First Reserve Corporation set up its first office in Asia earlier this year. Jamie Paton, managing director of the company’s Asia operations, assesses the investment landscape
China MBOs: The problem with privatizations
With stock prices undervalued, company chairman and private equity investors are eyeing potential privatizations among US-listed Chinese companies. It isn’t as easy as it seems.
China forestry assets: A due diligence nightmare
Opaque regulation and uncertainty about ownership in China’s forestry industry represent a challenge to strong investor oversight.
China due diligence: Suspicious minds?
The quality of private equity firms’ China due diligence has been called into question over the last 12 months - growth capital players may have too little time and too much money.
Bain, TPG told to give Lilliput founder first refusal on shares
The Delhi High Court has forbidden Bain Capital and TPG Capital from selling their shares in Lilliput Kidswear without first offering them to Sanjeev Narula, the company’s founder.
HDFC courts sovereign funds for fourth property vehicle
HDFC Realty, the private equity arm of India’s Housing and Development Finance Corporation, is in talks with Government of Singapore Investment Corp. (GIC), Temasek Holdings, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA)...
Asia property funds not suffering from European bank pullback
Most large Asian real estate funds are not suffering from a pullback in lending as a result of the euro zone difficulties because their exposure to European banks is minimal, according to a survey by the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association.
Quadrant-backed Summerset struggles on trading debut
Summerset Group, the New Zealand retirement village operator owned by Quadrant Private Equity, saw its stock open above the IPO price of NZ$1.40 on Tuesday, although it closed marginally below it. The price slumped a further 2.84% to NZ$1.37 on Wednesday.
Harbin Electric shareholders approve MBO
Harbin Electric’s shareholders have approved a privatization bid for the company put forward by chairman and CEO Tianfu Yang and supported by Abax Global Capital. The deal, which received board backing in June, is expected to close within a week.
Indian authorities reverse decision on options
The Indian government has backtracked on a month-old order on foreign direct investment (FDI) transactions that threatened private equity exits by limiting the use of put and call options.
PE firms back Chinese Wonton restaurant chain
Qiming Ventures, Hotung Investment and Mitsui Global Investment have committed $20 million in Series B funding to YPX Cayman Holdings, which operates casual food and beverage chain Cloud 9. The company also received personal investments from the founders...
Carlyle poaches Affinity MD to head up Korea operations
The Carlyle Group has appointed Sanghyun Lee as managing director with responsibility for the private equity firm’s South Korean investment activities. Lee joints from Affinity Equity Partners, where he also served as Korea-focused managing director....
Interpark-led consortium buys iMarketKorea for $378m
A consortium led by Interpark, the Korean online shopping mall operator, has agreed to purchase Samsung Group’s procurement arm iMarketKorea in a deal worth more than KRW422 billion ($378.4 million). Private equity firm H&Q and the Korea Venture Business...
Yahoo tipped to sell Asian assets, pay shareholder dividend
Yahoo is likely to close the door to potential private equity suitors by divesting its Asian assets and redistributing the proceeds to shareholders. The redistribution might take the form of a special divided or share buyback.
Vogo to sell down part of its Tong Yang Life Insurance holding
Vogo Investment is planning to sell down part of its 61% stake in Tong Yang Life Insurance, a subsidiary of mid-size South Korean conglomerate Tong Yang Group.
Submit your nominations for the 2011 AVCJ India Awards
Nominations are open for the AVCJ Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Awards. This is the second year we have sought to recognize and honor firms and practitioners who have helped drive the growth of Indian private equity. Presented in conjunction...
Blackstone sees opportunities in China's 'economic dislocations'
China’s slowing GDP growth should create “economic dislocations” that translate into acquisition opportunities for foreign investors, according to Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and CEO of The Blackstone Group.
Mitsui backs US mobile advertising platform
Mitsui & Co. has participated in a $14 million round of fundraising for US-based mobile advertising and media company 4INFO, alongside Vulcan Capital and existing investors Draper Fisher Jurveston, Gannett, Mezzanine Capital and US Venture Partners. Vulcan...
China's debt-ridden Railway Ministry to set up PE fund
China’s Ministry of Railways will set up a private equity fund to support the expansion of the rail network, 21st Century Business Herald reported, citing a source familiar with the situation. The vehicle could raise up to RMB100 billion ($15.7 billion)...
Blackstone-backed Gokaldas closes in on export contracts
Indian apparel manufacturer Gokaldas Exports, a portfolio company of The Blackstone Group, is expected to land supply contracts from Wal-Mart and nine niche European fashion houses. The move is seen as part of a wider trend under which Western buyers...