Articles by Susannah Birkwood
PEP buys Nestle's ice cream business
Australian private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has bought the Peters Ice Cream unit of Swiss food giant Nestle.
PE and FATCA: Complain but comply
Asian GPs have lagged behind other regional institutions in getting to grips with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. The time has come to face the impact these rules could have on local firms
Gobi backs Singaporean cloud service provider
China-based venture capital firm Gobi Partners has injected S$1 million ($800,000) into Singaporean online games cloud service provider Corous360.
India to launch $360m pharma fund
The Indian government is contemplating launching an INR20 billion ($367 million) venture capital fund to invest in research and development (R&D) in the pharmaceutical sector.
MBK no longer in running for Korea's Hi-Mart
MBK Partners is no longer the preferred bidder for South Korean electronics retailer Hi-Mart, having walked away from the auction after due diligence uncovered a worse than expected decline in the business.
Herbert Smith, Freehills announce merger
International law firms Herbert Smith and Freehills have announced they will merge to become the largest fully integrated law firm in Asia Pacific.
Translink, Vangoo back Chinese mobile ad platform with $12m
Silicon Valley-based Translink Capital and Japan’s Vangoo Investment Partners have led a $12 million Series B round of funding for Chinese mobile-based advertising platforms Adwo.
Opportunities abound in aerospace and defense - study
Private equity investment opportunities abound in Asia Pacific’s aerospace and defense industries, according to analysis by research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.
Asian MNCs to accelerate overseas expansion - Towers Watson
Asian multinationals (MNCs) stand poised to accelerate their pace of global expansion through M&A activity in foreign countries, according to a new study.
Troutman Sanders opens Beijing office
Troutman Sanders has opened an office in Beijing, making it the law firm's third base in China since it entered the country in 1997. The office will led by Allen Shyu, formerly of Orrick.
Sequoia, SAP Ventures back Just Dial after IPO pulled
Sequoia Capital and SAP Ventures have invested INR3.27 billion ($57 million) in Indian listings provider Just Dial after the company’s IPO, scheduled for this month, was delayed until 2013.
Sinopharm Capital to launch $157m RMB fund
Sinopharm Capital, a subsidiary of drug distributing conglomerate Sinopharm, has launched an RMB1 billion ($157 million) fund that will invest in different segments of the healthcare industry.
Indian deal values increase in first quarter - PwC
The value of private equity deals in India jumped 57% during the first three months of this year compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a new report. The number of deals decreased 24% over the same period, however.
Indian microfinance: Back from the brink
The dust is finally starting to settle on the suicide scandals that rocked Indian microfinance in late 2010. Is the industry still an attractive proposition for private equity?
ASK Property closes $175m real estate fund
ASK Property Investment Advisors (ASKPIA), a subsidiary of financial services firm ASK Group, has announced a final close of its second real estate fund on INR10 billion ($175 million).
Coller Barometer: Asia Pacific PE growth trend to continue
Global investors will continue to up their exposure to Asia-Pacific private equity over the next three years, according to the latest edition of Coller Capital’s Global Private Equity Barometer.
ICICI Venture in second attempt to offload Updater Services
Indian investor ICICI Venture is attempting to exit its stake in Indian facilities management company Updater Services for the second time.
Carlyle seeks $1.9b Coates Hire refinancing
The Carlyle Group is in negotiations with banks to refinance the A$1.9 billion ($1.9 billion) in leverage used to purchase Australian equipment hire company Coates Hire.
KKR puts Bis Industries on the block
KKR has put its mining services and logistics business Bis Industries on the block. The Australian company has been valued at around $1.8 billion including debt.
PE-backed M&A picks up in second quarter
Private equity-backed M&A in Asia Pacific recovered during the second quarter of 2012, as deal value increased 32.9% to $5 billion from last quarter. This comes after consecutive quarterly decline since the start of 2011.
Partners Group exceeds $800m with real estate fund
Partners Group has closed its Global Real Estate 2011 program at more than $800 million.
Illiquidity putting Japan pension plans off PE
The liquidity constraints of negative cash flows are making private equity less attractive for Japanese defined benefit pension plans, according to a new survey.
Court allows Oak, Gobi to attach $60m in VisionChina assets
Oak Investment Partners and Gobi Partners' application to attach $60 million in assets they claim they are owed by VisionChina Media approved by a New York state judge.
Asiasons buys Australian pre-school show from CVC's Nine
Southeast Asian private equity firm Asiasons Group has acquired Australian pre-school television show Hi-5 from Nine Network Australia and Southern Star Entertainment. Nine Network is owned by the debt-laden Nine Entertainment Group, which is backed by...