Articles by Tim Burroughs
China rebound favors the few - AVCJ Forum
China’s economy has rebounded from COVID-19 faster than most others, but the pandemic has exposed a widening wealth gap in the country, industry participants told the AVCJ China Forum.
Deal focus: Affinity, Baring leverage market dislocation
Seeing Korean banks trading at discounted valuations and believing in the long-term health of the industry, some private equity investors have taken the opportunity to buy in the public markets
US LPs in China: Willing buyers?
There is no clear evidence of US LPs passing on China funds as a result of tensions between the two countries, but their current or future reluctance could be shrouded in various obfuscations
Investcorp increases focus on China healthcare
Investcorp has acquired minority stakes in two Chinese healthcare companies – hospital operator Lu Daopei Medical Group and telemedicine platform WeDoctor – paying undisclosed sums.
India fantasy sports platform raises $225m
TPG – acting through its tech adjacencies strategy – Tiger Global Management, ChrysCapital Partners, and Footpath Ventures have led a $225 million round for Dream Sports, operator of India’s largest fantasy sports platform.
Joseph Wan leaves Cinven, forms Hong Kong family office
Joseph Wan, previously a Hong Kong-based operating partner for European private equity firm Cinven, has established a multi-family office called Anchor Strategic Partners.
Bain pursues $374m acquisition of Japan pharmacy business
Bain Capital has agreed to acquire Japanese pharmacy chain store operator Kirindo Holdings through a tender offer that values the business at JPY39.7 billion ($374 million).
Baring to buy IT outsourcing player Virtusa for $2b
Baring Private Equity Asia has agreed to buy Virtusa, a global business consulting and IT outsourcing company with major delivery centers in India and Sri Lanka, for approximately $2 billion.
DCP invests $283m in Chinese diabetes treatment player
DCP Capital Partners has acquired a 9% stake in Tonghua Dongbao Pharmaceutical, a Chinese pharmaceutical company specializing in diabetes treatment, for RMB1.94 billion ($283.7 million).
Q&A: Starquest Capital's Frankie Fang
Frankie Fang, founding managing partner of China-focused fund-of-funds Starquest Capital, discusses early-stage valuations, specialization among domestic managers, and renminbi fundraising
Bain's Asia data center platform seeks US listing
Chindata Group Holdings, which claims to be the largest player in emerging markets Asia’s carrier-neutral hyperscale data center industry in terms of capacity in service, has filed for an IPO.
Temasek sees portfolio shrink, ups investment pace
Temasek Holdings has deployed a record S$32 billion ($23.3 billion) in the past year – with technology and healthcare the main beneficiaries – even as the impact of COVID-19 saw its overall portfolio shrink in value for the first time since 2016.
PAG exits Young Toys to Korean strategic buyer
PAG Asia Capital has sold Young Toys, a South Korea-based toy manufacturer it has owned since 2015, to a consortium led by MiraeN Group, a leading local publisher.
Korean AI drug developer secures $14m Series B
Oncocross, a South Korean drug developer that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify new applications for treatments already in clinical trials, has raised KRW16.5 billion ($14 million) in Series B funding led by Smilegate Investment and GNTech...
Silver Lake invests $1b in India's Reliance Retail
Silver Lake has made its second big bet on India in a week – and its third in four months – with a $1 billion commitment to the retail unit of Reliance Industries.
China due diligence: Nightmare scenarios
Luckin Coffee’s precipitous rise and fall is a reminder of longstanding issues around corporate fraud in China. Failing to spot problems before they emerge remains a key concern for PE investors
Infrastructure: Patient capital
Australia's IFM Investors has a plan to get long-term equity partners more involved in public-private partnerships. It means persuading superannuation funds to up their risk appetite
GPs sell Wall Street English China business back to founder
Baring Private Equity Asia and CITIC Capital have sold the China-based assets of English language training provider Wall Street English (WSE) back to the original founder after COVID-19 called into question the business model.
Hillhouse leads $418m investment in China's I-Mab
I-Mab Biopharma, a private equity-backed Chinese drug developer that listed in the US as recently as January, has raised $418 million through a private placement.
Ex-L Catterton Asia head Ravi Thakran launches SPAC
Ravi Thakran, formerly head of L Catterton’s Asia operation, has launched a US-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) to pursue aspirational consumer brands.
Vision Fund leads $100m Series C for Singapore-founded Biofourmis
SoftBank Vision Fund has led a $100 million Series C round for Biofourmis, a Singapore founded and now US-based operator of a health analytics platform.
CVC to exit Softex Indonesia with 3.3x return - update
CVC Capital Partners will exit personal care products manufacturer Softex Indonesia after US multinational Kimberly-Clark agreed to acquire the business for approximately $1.2 billion.
Australia's Future Fund posts negative return, sells part of PE portfolio
Future Fund has posted its first yearly negative return since the global financial crisis, amid economic chaos caused by COVID-19, and rebalanced its private equity portfolio as part of efforts to avoid “excessive risk.”
COVID-19 flexibility can exacerbate PE gender issues
Working from home has been a mixed experience for women in private equity, with greater flexibility counterbalanced by heightened feelings of isolation in environments that are already dominated by men.