Articles by Andrew Woodman
Caffeinated returns: Private equity's coffee shop craving
Private equity is already leveraging the growing popularity of coffee shops across Asia. But where is the next frontier – and is it all about the coffee?
Providence ups stake in India's Hathway Cable & Datacom
Providence Equity Partners has increased its stake in Indian cable and broadband operator Hathway Cable & Datacom by injecting INR1.5 billion ($25.1 million) alongside the promoter.
Standard Chartered, IL&FS-backed Ramky Enviro in Australian acquisition
Ramky Enviro Engineers (REEL), an Indian waste management company backed by Standard Chartered and IL&FS Investment Managers, has agreed to acquire Australian environmental engineering and petrochemical services provider Enviropacific Services .
Pearson, Village Capital to fund Indian education start-ups
Pearson - a UK education company which owns the Financial Times and publishers Penguin Random House - has teamed up with social investor Village Capital to set up a business incubator for Indian education start-ups.
Australian regulator declines PE request to delay Billabong deal
The Australian Government Takeover Panel - the country's takeover regulator - has declined a request from Oaktree Capital Management and Centerbridge Partners to delay a A$395 million ($359 million) refinancing deal for surf-wear company Billabong International....
ADB-backed infra fund to invest $85m in Philippines wind farm
The Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure (PINAI) fund, a vehicle partly financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and managed by Macquarie Infrastructure Management Asia, is investing up to $85 million in the country's first ever wind...
Oak Capital invests $6.6m in Japan's K-Lab
Japan's Oak Capital Corp. has invested JPY650 million ($6.6 million) in online mobile game designer KLab.
Globis, KDDI invest $2.6m in Japanese how-to site
Globis Capital Partners and the KDDI Open innovation fund have led a JPY270 million ($2.6 million) investment in Nanapi, a Japanese website offering everyday how-to advice. This is the second round of investment for Globis which previously backed the...
Australia's PushStart closes accelerator program
PushStart, an Australian firm that offers mentoring to early stage Australian tech startups, has shut down its accelerator program.
McDonald's picks IDG's Nguyen to bring brand to Vietnam
McDonald's has appointed Henry Nguyen, managing partner at IDG Ventures Vietnam, to assist the burger chain in taking its brand into the country for the first time ever.
Japanese mobility chair firm raises $1m VC round
Whill, a Japanese startup which has designed a type of electronic mobility chair, has received JPY100 million ($1 million) in funding from a group of venture capital investors including Itochu Technology Venture, 500 Startups and Sun Bridge Global Ventures....
Billabong strikes $331m refinancing deal with Altamont, Blackstone
Australian surf wear company Billabong has a reached an agreement with US private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners and Blackstone Group's credit arm GSO Partners for a A$395 million ($331 million) refinancing package.
J-Star reaches $205m final close in Fund II
Japanese mid-market buyout firm J-Star has reached at JPY20.4billion ($205 million) final close on its second buyout fund.
India's FlipKart shops a $200m round
Indian e-commerce is in a state flux. While penetration is still relatively low compared to developed nations - just one in 10 Indians has access to the internet - the industry was worth $14 billion last year and growing rapidly. Competition for wallet...
Ant Global Partners' $150m secondary fund targets Greater China, Japan
Ant Global Partners (AGP) - the international investment arm of Japanese PE firm Ant Capital Partners - is targeting $150 million for a new secondary fund focused on Greater China and Japan.
EXS Capital leads $37m investment in Vietnam RE developer
EXS Capital has led a $37 million investment in Vietnamese real estate developer Son Kim Land (SKL). Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Fatfish acquires 65% of Indonesian auto insurance portal RajaPremi
Singapore-based tech investor Fatfish Internet has acquired Indonesian car insurance price comparison site RajaPremi.com, marking its first foray into the country. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Spreadtrum accepts sweetened Tsinghua Unigroup buyout offer
Spreadtrum Communications, a Chinese mobile chip manufacturer backed by New Enterprise Associates (NEA), is to be acquired by Tsinghua Unigroup after the buyer increased its offer. The merger - which will now go to a shareholder vote having received board...
Toho Bank, Yamada Business Consulting establish $10m VC fund
Japan's Fukushima-headquartered Toho Bank has established a JPY1 billion ($10 million) venture capital fund, along with Tokyo-based Yamada Business Consulting, to provide early-stage capital to Japanese businesses.
J-Star, supply chain fund back Tokai Trim
Japanese mid-cap buyout firm J-Star has joined the Supply Chain Support Fund (SCSF) - a vehicle backed Japan Auto Parts Industries Association and Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) - in investing around JPY1-2billion ($10-20 million) in auto parts firm...
Zhejiang ZF invests in Canada's Empire Industries
Zhejiang ZF investment (ZZG) has invested in Empire Industries - a steel fabrication company in Canada - via a $3m private placement.
Fidelity Japan leads $3m round for e-ticketing start-up PeaTiX
Fidelity Japan has led a $3 million Series A round for Japanese e-ticketing startup PeaTiX. The company provides an online platform for event organizers, allowing them to manage ticket sales.
Swedish asset manager backs $120m Philippines fund
Swedish alternative asset manager Brummer & Partners is backing a PHP5 billion ($120 million) Philippines-dedicated private equity vehicle known as the Navegar Fund.
Ex Indonesia: Investing at SE Asia's edges
Indonesia is the poster child of Southeast Asian private equity but competition is intense and valuations are rising. What can investors expect from less-tapped markets such as Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam?