Investments
Cogent adds to Shanghai team
Cogent Partners has appointed Dominik Woessner as a director in its Shanghai office. He has relocated from the secondary market-focused firm’s London office as part of ongoing efforts to develop its footprint in Asia.
TPG invests $23m in Sutures India
TPG Growth has acquired a minority stake in Bangalore-based surgical equipment maker Sutures India for INR1.45 billion ($22.9 million).
Fosun buys 35% stake in Italian luxury menswear brand
Fosun International, China’s largest privately-owned conglomerate, has agreed to buy a 35% stake in Italian menswear brand Caruso. Much like Fosun’s investments in other foreign brands, the plan is to support Caruso’s expansion in China.
Shunwei backs China child education app
Beijing Shunwei Venture Capital, founded by super angel investor Lei Jun, has committed a Series A round of funding for Babybus.com, which develops educational apps for children. Details of transaction were not disclosed but the investment size is said...
PE-backed Endurance International to buy India's Directi
Endurance International Group, a US-based web hosting services provider controlled by Warburg Pincus and Goldman Sachs, has agreed to buy Indian online services firm Directi Web Technology for up to $110 million.
Shanghai Sinopharm PE invests in chemical firm Anhui Fulltime
Sinopharm Capital, a private equity arm of Chinese drug distributing conglomerate Sinopharm, has made a pre-IPO investment in chemical products manufacturer Anhui Fulltime Specialized Solvent & Reagent.
ADIA buys Australia hotel portfolio
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has bought Tourism Asset Holdings (TAHL), Australia’s largest hotel owner. The deal will see the Middle East sovereign wealth fund assume control of 31 Accor-operated properties in major cities.
Toshiba expands in India with 3i’s Vijai Electricals acquisition
Japan’s Toshiba Corporation will acquire the majority of Vijai Electricals’ electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) business for approximately $200 million. 3i bought a minority stake in Vijai for $25.8 million in 2006.
Australia's Wolseley targets $279m for Fund III
Wolseley Private Equity is targeting A$300 million ($279 million) for its third fund, which will invest in small to mid-size privately-owned businesses in Australia and New Zealand. The GP expects to see considerable opportunities in this space as founders...
Meridian Capital invests in China fashion app Ichuanyi
Meridian Capital has committed a Series A round of funding for Chinese fashion and clothing mobile app Ichuanyi.com. The investment size was not disclosed.
Battle of the strategics
We have grown accustomed to China’s incumbent internet giants engaging in M&A. Since 2010, the BATS – Baidu, Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings and Sina – have deployed around $6.5 billion (and that’s just disclosed transactions), eight times the...
Secondaries: Bifurcation point
More LP interests in Asian funds are coming onto the secondary market, but the region remains the industry’s future rather than its present. Which investors will be around to witness it coming to bloom?
SmartPay joins Ping An’s e-payment push
Ping An Insurance Group has taken the fight to Alibaba Group once before. In 2010 it bought an 80% stake in online grocery retailer Yihaodian and helped build the business into one of China’s leading B2C e-commerce players, finding space in the corner...
Navis in Australia demographics play
Australian politicians have long debated ways to enlarge the country’s tax base as they prepare for the economic ramifications of a spiraling dependency ratio. By 2050 there will be just 2.7 people of working age for each person aged 65 and over, compared...
Q&A: Jupiter Capital's Indika Hettiarachchi
Indika Hettiarachchi, director at Sri Lanka-based Jupiter Capital Partners, outlines why India’s economic troubles could help other South Asian countries get a bigger share of investment in the region
Sequoia invests $10m in China personal finance site
Sequoia Capital has committed a total of $10 million across two rounds of funding for Feidee.com, a Beijing-based personal finance management website.
COFCO PE unit to back Huishan Dairy IPO – report
The PE unit of Chinese food conglomerate COFCO will be among the cornerstone investors in milk producer China Huishan Dairy Holdings, which plans to list in Hong Kong in September.
Australia's BlueChilli targets $10m for angel fund
Australian venture firm BlueChilli is looking to raise a $10 million angel fund for early-stage tech investments.
Morgan Stanley PE Asia makes partial exit from Sihuan Pharma
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) will make a partial exit from Hong Kong-listed Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings, joining company management in selling a 6.8% stake via a block trade agreement.
CHAMP, Headland seek full acquisition of Miclyn Express Offshore
CHAMP Private Equity and Hong Kong's Headland Capital Partners have offered to buy the 24.8% of oil and gas services group Miclyn Express Offshore (MEO) they do not own for around A$150 million ($137 million).
Navis buys Australian childcare business from Wolseley
Navis Capital Partners has acquired Australian childcare services provider Guardian Early Learning Group from Wolseley Private Equity with a view to helping the 69-center chain double in size. The transaction value was not disclosed but sources indicate...
Standard Chartered PE raises stake in Fortis Healthcare
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has invested a further INR370.3 million ($5.7 million) to buy preferential shares in India’s Fortis Healthcare. It brings SCPE’s total investment into the company to approximately INR2.5 billion.
KKR leads race for Panasonic healthcare unit - report
KKR is said to have taken the lead in the bidding for a majority stake in Panasonic's healthcare unit - a potential $1.5 billion deal that would represent the firm's largest Japanese buyout to date.
Shenzhen Capital invests in China mobile app start-up ShareSDK
Shenzhen Capital Group has committed a Series A round of funding to ShareSDK, a Guangzhou-based mobile app service provider. Details of the investment were undisclosed.