Articles by Winnie Liu
Korea LPs: Credit junkies
Korean institutional investors favor private debt over other alternatives asset classes because of its long tenor and stable cash flows. Multi-credit strategies are likely to launch as more capital is allocated overseas
CITIC Private Equity recruits ex-CalPERS PE head
Réal Desrochers, formerly head of private equity at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), has joined Beijing-based CITIC Private Equity (CITIC PE) as a managing director.
CMC, AlphaX lead $84m round for China Gaosi Education
CMC Capital Partners and AlphaX Partners – a VC firm co-founded by Chuan Thor, formerly a managing director at Highland Capital China – have jointly led a RMB550 million ($84 million) round for Gaosi Education Group, a Chinese education and training...
Tiger Global, Genesis lead $230m round for China’s Miss Fresh
Tiger Global Management and Genesis Capital have led an extended Series C round worth $230 million for Miss Fresh, a Chinese online grocery retailer backed by Tencent Holdings. Jeneration Capital also participated.
Banyan joins $152m round for China's QianbaoCard
QianbaoCard, a Shanghai-based start-up that provides financial services to local merchants and consumers, has raised a RMB1 billion ($152 million) Series B round of funding from Banyan Capital and other domestic investors.
Singapore's NRF invests $12m in cybersecurity start-ups
Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) has invested S$16 million ($12 million) in new cybersecurity projects, with a view to strengthening the country’s R&D capabilities in this area.
China’s VC-backed Qudian files for US IPO
China-based Qudian, previously known as Qufenqi, a VC-backed micro-lending services provider, has filed for an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.
China’s United Imaging Healthcare raises $509m Series A
Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare, a China-based medical imaging device maker, has completed a RMB3.33 billion ($509 million) Series A round of funding co-led by state-backed SDIC Fund Management and China Life Healthcare Fund.
Trump blocks sale of Lattice Semiconductor to Chinese GP
US President Donald Trump has vetoed the sale of US-based chip maker Lattice Semiconductor to Canyon Bridge Capital Partners, a private equity firm backed by Chinese LPs, citing national security concerns.
Fund focus: Welkin finishes institutional upgrade
The closing of Welkin Capital's second fund sees the GP pairing a formalized PE investment approach with the industry connections forged in its family office origins
Fund focus: OrbiMed scales up for Fund III
US-based healthcare specialist investor OrbiMed once again raises the bar with the closing of its oversubscribed third Asia fund
Hony, Poly Capital to open VR cinemas with China's Digital Domain
China-focused private equity firms Hony Capital and Poly Capital have partnered with Digital Domain Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed digital visual effects and virtual reality (VR) technology developer, to establish a joint venture that will open VR theaters...
Tiantu re-ups in Chinese online grocer FreshMarket
China-based online grocery retailer FreshMarket has secured an extended Series C round of funding worth RMB290 million ($44 million) led by its existing investor Tiantu Capital.
TPG hires Chang Sun as China head
TPG Capital has appointed Chang Sun, who spent 20 years at Warburg Pincus in China before setting up agriculture-focused PE firm Black Soil, as its managing partner for China.
Seven Seas leads $54m round for China robot start-up
Seven Seas Partners, a Sino-US cross-border VC firm founded by a former executive at Tencent Holdings, has led a RMB350 million ($54 million) Series B round of funding for Roobo, a home service robot developer.
L Catterton Asia backs Korean eyewear brand
L Catterton Asia has led a consortium including Groupe Arnault - the family office of LVMH founder Bernard Arnault, which is one of the firm's LPs - to purchase a stake in Gentle Monster, a South Korean sunglasses and eyewear brand.
GPs must be selective in targeting Korea divestments – AVCJ Forum
Korea's push for chaebol reform is expected to create more PE investment opportunities as conglomerates are pressured to divest assets, but GPs told the AVCJ Korea Forum that they have to be careful in picking the right deals because asset quality varies.
China clothing rental site Yi23 raises $50m
China-based Yi23, a female clothing rental platform, has raised a $50 million Series C round of funding jointly led by Alibaba Innovation Ventures, SBCVC and Sequoia Capital.
Deal focus: Lock & Lock primed for regional expansion
Affinity Equity Partners is betting on Asian appetites for high-quality food containers in its acquisition of South Korea's Lock & Lock
Moving time: How VCs replace start-up CEOs
From Uber to Flipkart, there are high-profile examples of founders being replaced as CEOs of their start-ups. It isn’t common practice in Asia, and for reasons of corporate culture, this isn’t likely to change
Eight Roads launches $250m China healthcare fund
Eight Roads Ventures, the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International, has launched its debut China healthcare fund worth $250 million. All the capital comes from the firm's parent.
VCs back China smart vending machine operator
Citybox, a China-based smart vending machine operator, has secured a $15 million Series A round of funding from GGV Capital, Yunqi Partners, Blue Lake Capital and ZhenFund.
China’s Qingsong raises $129m early-stage tech fund
Qingsong Fund, a Chinese VC firm formed by Alvin Liu, an angel investor and co-founder of Tencent Holdings, has closed its third renminbi-denominated fund at RMB850 million ($129 million).
China cloud services provider Abcfintech raises $30m
Abcfintech, a China-based cloud services provider, has raised a combined $30 million through an angel round and Series A round.