Investments
Healthcare-focused Essex Woodlands opens Shanghai office
Essex Woodlands, the Silicon Valley-based healthcare investor, has opened an office in Shanghai as it looks to deepen its exposure to one of China’s fastest-growing sectors. David Yang and Scott Barry, both managing directors with the firm, will run operations...
Billabong receives $555m buyout offer - UPDATE
Billabong International has received a A$527 million ($555 million) buyout offer from Paul Naude, a director at the firm, with US-based Sycamore Partners participating as a cornerstone equity investor.
Hony invests in China International Marine Containers
Hony Capital has secured a 5.16% stake in China International Marine Containers (CIMC), the state-owned container producer that intends to shift its listing from China's B-share market to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Insurance Australia sells UK business to Aquiline Capital
Insurance Australia Group has agreed to sell its UK business – Equity Red Star – to Aquiline Capital Partners for GBP87 million ($140 million). The transaction is scheduled for completion before June 2013.
PE-backed Bharti Infratel IPO oversubscribed
The $830 million IPO of Bharti Infratel, the Indian telecoms infrastructure subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, was oversubscribed by investors on Thursday. The intended flotation – which has been mooted for more than a year – will be the country’s largest in...
Advantage Partners in possible Sanyo acquisition - report
Panasonic may sell its Sanyo digital camera unit to Advantage Partners by the end of March.
Carlyle plans partial exit from Kaisa – report
The Carlyle Group is reportedly selling part of its holding in Hong Kong-listed Chinese real estate developer Kaisa Group for up to $67 million.
GCS Capital finalizes Dexia asset management deal
GCS Capital has agreed to buy Dexia asset management (DAM) business shortly after entering into exclusive negotiations with the Belgo-French financial group. The Hong Kong-based private equity firm has also signed a strategic partnership agreement with...
Actis exits hotpot chain Xiabu Xiabu to General Atlantic
Actis has exited Chinese hotpot chain Xiabu Xiabu to General Atlantic after an investment period of four years.
2012: That was the year that was
The broad trends and particular highlights of private equity fundraising, investment and exit activity in Asia
Predictions for 2013
Growth capital, buyouts, public and private exits, secondaries and new frontiers – private equity professionals from Asia and beyond predict the future
Headland offers toymaker succession solution
Big eyed and rosy cheeked, Kong Suni the potty-training baby doll is the must-have toy in South Korea this year. Her ability to eat, fill her diaper and pass wind has attracted headlines both home and abroad. The doll is a creation of South Korean firm...
Primus co-founder in aircraft leasing club deal
During a week in which it emerged that Primus Financial Holdings was no more, two of its co-founders reemerged in new guises. First, Dexia announced that it was in exclusive negotiations with GCS Capital, a financial services-focused PE firm run by GuocangHuan,...
Standard Chartered-backed Malakoff to list in 2013
Malakoff, the Standard Chartered Private Equity-backed power unit of Malayasian building firm MMC Corporation, has outlined plans for an IPO in 2013.
Sutherland Global Services to acquire Apollo's PE-backed BPO arm
Sutherland Global Services, a US-based business process and technology management services, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Apollo Health Street (AHS), Apollo Hospitals’ healthcare business process outsourcing (BPO) arm. The company is part-owned...
PE-backed Chinese consortium to buy AIG's aircraft leasing business
A Chinese consortium including a fund run by Wing-fai Ng, one of the co-founders of now-defunct Primus Financial Holdings, has agreed to buy up to 90% of International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) from American International Group (AIG). It is the...
Norwest Venture Partners invests $6m in Indian IT firm Attune
Norwest Venture Partners has invested INR326 million ($6 million) in cloud-based IT product company Attune.
CNEI leads $20m Series B for Juxin International Leasing
China New Enterprise Investment (CNEI) has led a Series B round of financing for Chinese specialty leasing company Juxin International Leasing. The investors acquired a 12.1% interest in Juxin for $20 million.
Singapore travel website gets seed funding from TNF, SingTel Innov8
Singapore-based online travel booking site Flocations has raised $570,000 seed funding round led by TNF Ventures and including SingTel Innov8, the corporate venture arm of SingTel – and angel investor Ben Ball.
Partners Group raises $2.6b for global secondaries fund
Partners Group has closed its latest secondary fund at the hard cap of EUR2 billion ($2.6 billion) and expects to deploy a higher proportion of the corpus in Asia than for previous vehicles as the region’s private equity market matures. The vehicle was...
Composition Capital invests in four Asian projects
Composition Capital Partners has invested in four projects in Macau, Taiwan and Malaysia through its local joint venture partners. The property-focused investor has also exited a Tokyo office development within a year of acquisition.
CNEI leads $23m investment in China Dadi Chemical
China New Enterprise Investment (CNEI) has led a $23 million round of funding for China Dadi Chemical, a leading industrial salt and salt chemicals producer. Korea Development Bank was a co-investor in the deal.
Headland completes $55m buyout of South Korea's YoungToys
Headland Capital Partners has a acquired a 96.5% stake in South Korean toy manufacturer YoungToys for KRW60 billion ($55 million). It is the 10th investment from Headland Private Equity Fund 6.
Standard Chartered PE commits $37m to India's Sparkle Ocean
Standard Cartered Private Equity (SCPE) has purchased a minority stake in Hyderabad-based port and operations and management company Ocean Sparkle for INR2 billion ($37 million).