Articles by Alvina Yuen
Auctions: The new normal
Private equity firms love selling assets via auction but hate buying them through such channels. As Asian company owners become more sophisticated, bidding contests for large assets are becoming more frequent.
Bain-baked Gome records $110m loss for first nine months
Bain Capital-backed Gome Electrical Appliances has reported a loss of RMB686.7 million ($110 million) for the first three quarters of 2012.
Northstar set to complete Nera telecommunications take-private
Northstar Pacific Partners has agreed to buy a controlling 50.05% stake in Nera Telecommunications from power conversion specialist Eltek and is offering to buy the entire company for S$177.3 million ($145 million). This is the Indonesian GP's first...
Ontario Teachers leads funding round for China's 360Buy.com
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) has led a $300 million round of funding for 360Buy.com, China’s second-largest business-to-consumer e-commerce website by revenue.
Carlyle, Seven Group plan Coates Hire sale
The Carlyle Group and Australia's Seven Group are planning to sell their stakes in Australian equipment rental company Coates Hire. The news comes after the pair failed to proceed with an A$800 million ($831 million) IPO of the company earlier this year....
Permira cashes out of Galaxy at 2.8x
Thanks in no small part to the Chinese passion for gambling, Macau has emerged as the casino capital of the world in recent years, with takings six times those of Las Vegas. Permira has successfully ridden this wave, securing a 2.8x money multiple on...
China's Hina to launch vineyard fund
It was always just a matter of time before dedicated wine investment funds emerged to target China’s wealthy oenophiles. Wine is increasingly popular among the fashionable classes and the country recently surpassed the UK to become the world’s fifth-largest...
India Infoline gets approval for three funds
India Infoline has received approval from The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch its three alternative investment funds (AIFs) – IIFL Venture Fund, IIFL Private Equity Fund and IIFL Opportunities Fund.
Advent raises $10.8b for new buyout fund
Advent International has raised EUR8.5 billion ($10.8 billion) for its seventh global buyout fund, more than the EUR7 billion planned initially. The new vehicle, which launched officially in March, is one of the largest buyout funds raised since the start...
Tata Capital to set up $1b fund with Power Finance
Tata Capital has teamed up with Power Finance Corp (PFC), an Indian power sector financing specialist, to set up a $1 billion private equity fund to invest in domestic power projects.
Fosun bids for Greek gambling monopoly OPAP
Fosun has expressed interest in buying a 33% stake in Greek gambling monopoly Hellenic Football Prognostics Organization (OPAP), the country's privatization agency Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) said on Saturday.
India mobile payment firm raises Series A round
Mobile payments company Ezetap Mobile Solution has raised a Series A round of funding from Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Social+Capital Partnership, PayPal’s Peter Thiel and David Sacks of Microsoft, among others. Existing investor AngelPrime...
Phoenix Media to launch $300m fund
Phoenix Media is in the process of raising a $300 million private equity vehicle to invest in growth capital in Chinese media and culture companies. Hong Kong-listed broadcaster Phoenix TV is said to be one of the co-general partners of the fund.
PE & PR: A good citizen
Private equity globally is under more scrutiny from more directions than ever before, placing a higher value on good branding and reputation. Does the asset class also suffer from the same profile problem in Asia?
Asia buyouts: The privatization play
Take-private transactions have created headlines in a climate of low public market valuations. Companies are being targeted in Australia, Japan and the US, but a bid doesn’t necessarily result in a deal
Permira exits Galaxy Entertainment for 2.8x return - update
Permira exited its remaining 5.9% stake in Hong Kong-listed Galaxy Entertainment Group for around $875 million on Wednesday. The series of divestments imply the private equity player generated a return of 2.8x on its initial investment five years ago,...
Warburg exits Greentown for $54m
Warburg Pincus has reportedly raised HK$421.2 million ($54 million) by exiting Chinese property developer Greentown China after a six-year investment period.
Hina launches $100m wine fund
Hina Group, one of the leading Chinese private equity and M&A corporate finance boutiques, has teamed up with Richard Wollack, the founder of Premier Pacific Vineyards, to create the $100 million Hina Vineyard Fund. Capital will be raised from high net...
SE Asian private equity deals to rebound in 2013 - Bain & Co
Southeast Asia’s private-equity investments are expected to pick up next year as the region’s improving economic outlook attract new funds, said Sebastien Lamy, a partner at Bain & Co. He projects transactions across the region in 2012 to match last year’s...
Ontario Teachers to open Hong Kong office in 2013
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), Canada’s third-largest pension fund, is planning to open a Hong Kong office next year as part of efforts to diversify its investments. Its domestic counterpart, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, has already set...
Carlyle in talks with Prizm for controlling stake – report
The Carlyle Group is reportedly in advanced talks with Sequoia-backed Prizm Payments, India's leading electronic payments service providers, for a controlling stake in the company. The deal is said to value Prizm at $225-250 million, which is equivalent...
Paul Hastings opens Seoul office
Paul Hastings has opened an office in Seoul, its 20th location globally. It follows a number of international law firms in setting up a presence in South Korea.
CDIB to set up a private equity fund in China
Taipei-based China Development Industrial Bank (CDIB), the investment banking unit of China Development Financial Holding, has teamed up with China’s state-owned Jiangsu High-Tech Investment Group to set up a RMB2 billion ($321 million) PE fund.
Baidu to acquire Providence Equity Partners' stake in iQiyi
Providence Equity Partners, the specialist media and communications GP, will sell its stake in China-based online video portal iQiyi.com to Baidu. Providence held the asset for two-and-a-half years, having reportedly invested $50 million.