Investments
Qatar sovereign fund buys $1.2b stake in Bharti Airtel
The Qatar Foundation Endowment will buy a 5% stake in Bharti Airtel for INR67.9 billion ($1.26 billion). It will purchase 199.8 million new shares issued by the India-based telecommunications provider at INR340 apiece.
OCBC takes part in $116m debt financing for Indonesian toll road operator
Singapore's Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) has completed IDR1.13 trillion (S116 million) in convertible debt financing for Indonesian toll road operator Baskhara Utama Sedaya (BUS).
Leopard exits Cambodia's Kulara Water
Leopard Capital has exited its entire investment in Cambodia's Kulara Water to the company's founding shareholder. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Carlyle-backed New Century refines Hong Kong plan - report
China’s New Century Hotel Group, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, plans to spin off its hotel business as a real estate investment trust (REIT) through a $300 million Hong Kong IPO. It earlier planned to list both the hotel and real estate...
Baring Asia-owned Nord Anglia completes WCL bolt-on
Nord Anglia Education, an international schools operator owned by Baring Private Equity Asia, has completed the bolt-on acquisition of WCL Group for $222 million. The deal strengthens Nord Anglia’s presence in North America and the Middle East, taking...
Infinity Group invests in China COFCO project
Infinity Group, the Israel-based private equity firm created by China Development Bank and Israeli conglomerate IDB Group, plans to invest up to RMB10 billion ($1.62 billion) in the Beijing Eco-Valley project created by food industry giant COFCO Group.
BootstrapLabs, MAD incubator launch SE Asia start-up accelerator
Malaysia-based MAD incubator has partnered with Silicon Valley-based BootstrapLabs to create a Southeast Asia-focused start-up accelerator.
OneVentures leads $1.1m round for Australia mobile video spin-out
Australian venture capital group One Ventures has led a A$1.1 million ($1.1 million) round of seed investment in Incoming, a mobile video start-up spun out of NICTA, a government-funded information and communications technology research company.
Hahn & Co. to buy stake in South Korea’s STX Energy - UPDATE
Hahn & Co. has agreed to buy a 43.15% stake in STX Energy, a subsidiary of beleaguered South Korean conglomerate STX Corp. AVCJ understands that the transaction a couple of months away from completion, and the terms could change pending the resolution...
Baring Asia in talks to buy stake in Lafarge India unit
Baring Private Equity Asia is in advanced talks with the Indian arm of French cement maker Lafarge for a minority stake in the unit.
Intel Capital-backed Aspeed goes public in Taiwan
Intel Capital completed its first portfolio IPO of the year as Aspeed Technology listed on Taiwan’s GreTai Securities Market on Tuesday.
Macquarie-owned Taiwan Broadband gathers investors for IPO
Eight cornerstone investors have been lined up to take nearly one third of pay-TV operator Taiwan Broadband Communications’ Singapore IPO. The offering will allow two Macquarie funds that own Taiwan Broadband to exit their holdings.
Something special
It wasn't long ago that Chinese GPs would turn their noses up at any suggestion of specialization. Buoyed by a flood of capital into private equity, the growth capital space morphed into a giant deal shop, with private equity firms pursuing several times...
CITIC, CDH exit early days China SOE buyout
Two facts worth noting about Chinese private equity: first, there is almost always a willing strategic buyer for a well positioned domestic business; second, the vast majority of PE investments are for minority stakes so if the entrepreneur has set his...
Creador brews 2x return on OldTown
Malaysia's OldTown White Coffee has unusual origins. The brand came into existence in 1999 as a range of pre-mix instant beverages, offering creamer, coffee and sugar in a single sachet. It was only in 2005 that the company decided to venture into the...
Chinese IPOs in the US: Green shoots
Online retailer LightInTheBox is seeking to become only the third Chinese company to list in the US in more than a year. But has investor sentiment emerged from its long winter?
CNEI secures 10.3x return on full exit from Liyuan Aluminum
China New Enterprise Investment (CNEI) has completed its exit from Jilin Liyuan Aluminum, one of the country’s leading aluminum extrusion product manufacturers, securing a 10.3x gross return.
India’s NSL Renewable Energy raises $60m round
A group of investors, including International Finance Corporation (IFC) and FE Clean Energy, has committed $60 million to the NSL Renewable Power Private, a subsidiary of NSL Group.
TPG increases stake in Indian bulk container manufacturer
TPG Capital has invested INR1.35 billion ($25 million) in Flexituff International through a subscription to foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCB), one month after buying a 5.34% stake in the company for INR270 million ($5 million)
Quadrant-backed Virtus Health launches IPO
Quadrant Private Equity-owned in-vitro fertilization (IVF) business Virtus Health launched its IPO road show on Monday. It is poised to be the largest equity offering since SCA Property in November last year and the biggest significant private equity-backed...
Australia’s IFM assumes control of Hastings PE fund – report
Australia’s Industry Funds Management (IFM) will reportedly assume control of Hastings Private Equity Fund II from Hastings Fund Management. According to AVCJ Research, IFM is among the LPs in the $180 million vehicle, which closed in June 2005 and...
Abraaj exits Thailand’s Unitrio to Japan’s NTT
The Abraaj Group has exited Thailand-based data center provider Unitrio Technology to NTT Facilities (NTTF), a unit of Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT).
Focus Media's PE-backed MBO clears final hurdle
Focus Media will be privatized next month after shareholders voted in favor of a private equity-backed management buyout that values the company at $3.7 billion. It is the largest buyout transaction ever completed in China.
Hong Kong's Hanhong to invest in Sprint Siberia energy project
Hong Kong-based Hanhong has agreed to invest $11 million in Australia’s Sprint Energy to support development of a project located in the Tomsk region of the prolific West Siberian Basin.