Articles by Andrew Woodman
PE-backed Metro Glass gains 5.9% on NZ debut
Shares in Metro Performance Glass - the New Zealand glassmaker whose backers include Crescent Capital, Anchorage Capital and Sankaty Advisors - gained 5.9% on its first day of trading following its NZ$244.2 million ($227 million) IPO.
KKR-backed Rundong Auto launches $138 HK IPO
Rundong Automobile Group, a Chinese car dealership company backed by KKR, has launched its Hong Kong IPO today with a view to raising up to HK$1.07 billion ($138.1 million).
India's Piramal forms $1b Infra platform with APG
Piramal Enterprises - the flagship business of Indian conglomerate Piramal Group - is teaming up with Dutch pension fund manager APG Asset Management to invest up to $1 billion in India infrastructure companies over the next three years.
China's JinkoSolar raises $225m from PE investors
China Development Bank International (CDBI), New Horizon Capital and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets - via the Macquarie Greater China Infrastructure Fund (MGCIF) - have invested $225 million in the downstream solar power project subsidiary of...
Japan game publisher 3rdKind raises $1m from VCs
Nippon Venture Capital (NVCC), early stage investor Global Brain Corp., and Japanese internet firm Adways have together invested $1 million in mobile games publisher 3rdKind.
Human Resources: Hiring for growth
When building the next Baidu or Facebook, finding the right team is as important as raising the next round of capital, if not more so. Early-stage investors can play an active role in the process.
EQT taps mobile professional growth
As wealth among the Gulf states has has grown so has the demand for better healthcare. According to a recent report by Dubai-based Alpen Capital, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) healthcare market will be worth $69.4 billion by 2018 - up from $39.4...
PEP sees sweet exit on Griffin's Foods
When Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) first came to acquire New Zealand-based snacks producer Griffin's Food in 2006 at an enterprise valuation of NZ$385 million (then $240 million), it represented the classic carve-out opportunity. The company - famous...
Blackstone to invest up to $800m in Tamarind Energy
Blackstone has made a commitment to invest up to $800 million in Malaysia-based oil and gas exploration and production start-up, Tamarind Energy, alongside management. The investment is being made via the GP's energy investment unit, Blackstone Energy...
India's Flipkart raises a record $1b from VC backers
Indian e-commerce firm Flipkart has raised $1 billion from new and existing backers in what is one of the biggest funding rounds raised by an e-commerce company globally and the single largest round by an internet company in the country.
Arbor leads $3.3m Series A round for Japan e-payments service
Arbor Ventures has led a $3.3 million Series A round for Exchange Corporation (ExCo), the Japanese start-up behind e-commerce payment and instant credit service Paidy, with participation from CyberAgent Ventures and Recruit Strategic Partners. Exisiting...
Bain sells Japan's Bellsystem24 stake to Itochu
Bain Capital has sold a 49.9% stake in Bellsystem24 Holdings to trading house Itochu Coporation for an undisclosed amount.
Shares in PE-backed Healthscope climb 5.2% on ASX debut
Shares in Healthscope,the Australian hospital operator backed by TPG Capital and The Carlyle Group, rose 5.2% to A$2.21 at the end its first day of trading yesterday following the largest Australian IPO in four years.
Apax invests $83.2m in India NBFC Cholamandalam
Apax Partners is investing INR5 billion($83.2 million) in Cholamandalam Investment & Finance (CIF), a non-banking finance company (NBFC), in exchange for potential 8% stake.
Apis Partners to launch Asia, Africa fintech fund
Newly-created private equity firm Apis Partners has launched its first growth capital fund targeting financial technology (fintech) investments in Asia and Africa.
NAB offloads $1b UK loan portfolio to Cerberus
The National Australia Bank (NAB) has agreed to sell a GBP625 million ($1 billion) portfolio of mostly distressed UK property loans to New York private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.
Sequoia, Mayfield lead $16m investment in India's Knowlarity
Sequoia Capital and Mayfield Advisors have invested $16 million in India's Knowlarity Communications, a cloud telephony and call handling solutions provider.
Global Brain, others lead $4m Series C round for Japan photo app
Japanese early stage investor Global Brain Corp. has joined Energy and Environment Investment and publishing firm Kodansha to invest JPY400 million (about $4 million) in Toyko-based Mind Palette, the start-up behind fashion-focused photo sharing app Snapeee....
WH Group sets terms for HK IPO to raise $2b
WH Group, the Chinese pork producer backed by investors such as CDH Investments and Goldman Sachs, has set terms for a revised Hong Kong IPO that will raise up to HK$15.9 billion ($2.05 billion).
EQT buys HK compliance and integrity service provider Dataflow
EQT Partners has acquired a majority stake in Dataflow Verification Services, an immigration compliance and credential verification service provider based in Hong Kong, via its EQT Mid Market Fund.
TPG, Carlyle to price Healthscope IPO at upper-end of range - report
TPG Capital and The Carlyle Group are to price shares in Australian hospital chain Healthscope at A$2.10 a share - the upper-end of the target range, generating A$2.25 billion ($2.12 billion).
Founders Fund, Shasta Ventures back Australia's Canva
Founders Fund and Shasta Ventures have led a $3.6 million round of funding for Canva, an Australian website that allows amateur designers to create polished web graphics using drag-and-drop tools.
Shunfeng commits $74m in Japan power project PE fund
Hong Kong-listed solar cell manufacturer Shunfeng Photovoltaic International has commited JPY7.5 billion ($74 million) to an unnamed Japanese solar power-focused fund.
Baring Asia buys stake in TA-owned Cath Kidston
Baring Private Equity Asia has acquired a substantial stake in UK lifestyle retailer Cath Kidston from existing majority shareholders TA Associates and company management.