Articles by Susannah Birkwood
Valar leads $1.2m round for Australian IT start-up
Valar Ventures, the venture capital firm run by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, has made its first investment in Australia, leading a $1.2 million round for IT start-up ScriptRock.
New software helps LPs with benchmarking
EFront has launched an LP-focused performance and risk optimization solution that allows users to generate their own custom-weighted benchmarks.
Creador takes proprietary route to MNC IPO
One of the biggest criticisms leveled at private equity firms that anchor IPOs is that LPs expect them to do proprietary investments. When Saban Capital and Creador Capital performed the anchor role for MNC Skyvision’s $228 million offering earlier this...
Profile: Squadron Capital's Anand Prasanna
Anand Prasanna has gone from learning about business in the backwaters of southern India to working for Squadron Capital, one of Asia’s leading indigenous fund-of-funds. He also makes angel investments
Red Fort to raise $500m for third fund - report
Red Fort Capital Advisors is reportedly planning to raise $500 million next year for its third Indian real estate fund.
Navis sells Nirula's to Indian trade buyer
Malaysia-based private equity firm Navis Capital Partners has sold its 100% stake in Indian restaurant chain Nirula's Corner House to hotel and real estate group A2Z Excursions.
TLG Capital bets on Myanmar cruise company
UK private equity firm TLG Capital is reportedly planning to establish a company that will operate cruises in Myanmar, investing via its holding in Compagnie Fluviale du Mekong, one of Cambodia's oldest river cruise businesses.
Identifying good GPs is biggest LP challenge in SE Asia - AVCJ Singapore Forum
Finding the right fund manager is the greatest challenge facing LPs investing into Southeast Asia, according to panelists at the AVCJ Forum in Singapore on Thursday. The second greatest challenge is ensuring they remain the right managers.
Cornerstone investors: Public market props
Weak investor sentiment means that many Asian IPOs need cornerstone investors to cover part of the offering and provide momentum. Why are private equity firms getting in on the action?
Ropes & Gray to open office in Seoul
US-headquartered law firm Ropes & Gray has announced that it will open an office in Korea. The firm has become the first foreign practice to gain permission from Korea’s Ministry of Justice to establish a presence in the country.
Bain, GIC in $2b joint bid for Genpact stake - report
Bain Capital has reportedly teamed up with the Government of Singapore Investment Corp. (GIC) to formulate a joint bid for a 41% stake in Indian business process outsourcing (BPO) company Genpact.
India PE lawyer joins Dacheng Wong Alliance
India-qualified corporate lawyer Yang Yen Thaw has joined Dacheng Wong Alliance, the Singapore joint venture between China’s Dacheng and Singapore’s Wong Alliance.
Unison launches $104m offer for South Korea's Nexcon
Japanese private equity firm Unison Capital has launched a KRW119.8 billion ($104 million) tender offer for Nexcon Technology, a manufacturer of products for lithium-ion secondary batteries.
HAPE clinches $12m FastTrack buyout
Harbert Australia Private Equity (HAPE), a unit of America’s Harbert Management Corp (HMC), has acquired a majority stake in recruitment and payroll software provider FastTrack.
Australian state launches $200m cleantech program
The Australian government has launched a $200 million merit-based grants program designed to encourage businesses to find innovative ways of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.
SE Asia media peaks PE's interest
A year ago, global private equity firms stopped ignoring Southeast Asia’s media industry and put the sector on their priority list. What changed?
Saban, Creador anchor $228m MNC Skyvision IPO
Saban Capital Group and Creador Capital have acted as anchor investors in the IPO of MNC Skyvision, the largest pay TV company in Indonesia. The company, which began trading on the Indonesia Stock Exchange on Monday, raised IDR2.15 billion ($228 million)...
Matrix India sets up seed program
Matrix Partners India has established a new program to support entrepreneurs at the seed phase in the internet and mobile sectors across multiple stages of their businesses.
MBK beaten by Lotte in $1.1b Hi-Mart take-private
MBK Partners has officially been beaten to the punch in its attempt to privatize Hi-Mart, as Lotte Shopping signed a deal to acquire the South Korean electronics retailer for KRW1.25 trillion ($1.1 billion).
3i India completes investment in Supreme Infrastructure
3i India has completed its minority investment in a portfolio of four road companies held by Supreme Infrastructure India (SIIL), a Mumbai-based infrastructure company.
IDFC-backed Green Infra seeks $200m in funding - report
Green Infra, the Indian clean energy producer backed by IDFC Private Equity, a wholly-owned unit of India's Infrastructure Development Finance Company, is reportedly seeking to raise $200 million in funding.
VC-backed Yatra bolts on Travelguru
Yatra, the Indian digital travel services operator backed by VC firms including Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), has acquired Travelguru, a hotel distribution network owned by online travel agency Travelocity.
TPG exits Taishin Financial for $182m
TPG Capital sold its entire 7.8% stake in Taiwanese lender Taishin Financial for around $181.5 million after the Taiwan market closed on Wednesday.
IVCA expresses concern over proposed tax law changes
The Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (IVCA) has expressed its concern that the draft guidelines on India’s proposed anti-avoidance legislation are too vague.