Investments
Singapore's Asian Agri Capital to raise $100m for palm oil investment
Asian Agri Capital, a Singapore-based early-stage plantation investor, is looking to raise $100 million to invest in palm oil and other tropical commodities in Southeast Asia and Latin America, Bloomberg reported.
PE invests $100m in India's food industry in H1
Private equity has invested more than $100 million in India’s food service industry in the first half of 2011, the Franchise India and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced.
Australian tax authorities win right to pursue TPG over Myer
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) was won court orders to help it trace overseas funds that were distributed following TPG’s IPO exit from Myer, The Australian reported.
Qantas dismisses private equity takeover talk as speculation
Australian airline Qantas said Wednesday that it had received no approaches from prospective buyers but acknowledged rumors that private equity firms are interested in the business. "As far as we are concerned there is no formal or informal bid on the...
BofAML to retain at least 5% of its CCB holding
Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) has agreed to extend its partnership with China Construction Bank (CCB) until the at least the end of 2012. Zhang Jianguo, president of CCB, said the US bank, which currently has a 10% stake in the Chinese lender,...
Osakakoshinko accepts Tasumi Shokai buyout offer
Osakakoshinko, a listed Osaka-based real estate developer and manager, has accepted a tender offer made by Tasumi Shokai, an Osaka logistics company. Tasumi Shokai already owns 73.17% of Osakakoshinko.
Apollo may exit Parallel Petroleum to Korea's Samsung C&T
Apollo Global Management could be on course to exit Parallel Petroleum after South Korean trading firm Samsung C&T said it was interested in purchasing the US asset. The deal is slated to be worth about KRW1 trillion ($919.6 million), Reuters reported,...
SingTel Innov8 participates in Sentilla's $15m Series C round
SingTel Innov8 Ventures, the venture arm of the SingTel Group, has participated in a $15 million Series C round of financing launched by California-based Sentilla Corporation, a leading provider of IT infrastructure software. Other participants include...
Reliance Communications again seeks PE buyers for tower unit
Reliance Communications is courting private equity firms and strategic investors as it seeks to sell its 95% stake in tower unit Reliance Infratel. The company has hired UBS to arrange a sale and is looking to recoup $5 billion for the asset, Reuters...
Bain emerges as winner in MYOB auction
Bain Capital is to acquire Australian business software maker MYOB from Archer Capital and HarbourVest Partners for approximately A$1.2 billion ($1.3 billion). It outbid private equity rival KKR and UK software maker Sage, which was earlier said to be...
GCM eyes failed Incubator Bank of Japan
GCM, a Tokyo-based investment bank formed by former Sanwa bankers, is reportedly in bidding for the bankrupt Incubator Bank of Japan. It is competing with AEON Bank, a banking unit of AEON Group, for the asset.
Rabo Private Equity tipped to exit Indian edible oils producer
Rabo Private Equity is set to exit its stake in Indian edible oils producer Geepee Agri Private as Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) closes in on an acquisition of the company. Sources familiar with the situation told The Times of India that the US food processing...
Nirvana Venture Advisors backs YourNextLeap.com
Nirvana Venture Advisors has contributed an undisclosed amount to the Series A round of financing for YourNextLeap.com, an Indian internet start-up that acts as a career counselor for students. The company, which was only founded 10 months ago, will use...
Temasek affiliate part-exits Shin Corp holding
An affiliate of Temasek Holdings has sold 7.9% of its stake in Thai telecom company Shin Corp. Cedar Holdings, which is 49% owned by the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund, raised THB9.126 billion ($305 million) through the sale of 253.3 million shares...
Lombard exits Thai mall developer for 7.1x return
Lombard Investments has exited its stake Thai shopping mall developer Central Pattana via a sale to local and institutional investors, earning $170 million, or a 7.1x return on its $24 million investment.
Sage set to acquire PE-owned MYOB
UK software maker Sage is believed to have acquired Australian accounting software company MYOB from private equity owners Archer Capital and HarbourVest Partners, beating Bain Capital and KKR, sources close to the auction tell AVCJ.
Warburg Pincus, KPCB inject $100m in Chinese fashion retail site
Warburg Pincus and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) will jointly invest $100 million in Xiu.com, a Chinese e-commerce fashion site, Bloomberg reported, citing an emailed statement sent by the company.
SABMiller launches hostile takeover bid for Foster's
SABMiller has launched a hostile takeover bid for Foster’s, worth A$9.5 billion ($10 billion), after the Australian brewer refused to negotiate on its initial proposal two months ago. SABMiller said Wednesday that it would put its A$4.90 per share cash...
Bright Food reaches agreement on Manassen purchase
China’s Bright Food Group has agreed to buy a 75% stake in Manassen Foods, which is majority-owned by CHAMP Private Equity. The size of the deal was not specified, but sources told Reuters that it values the Australian company at more than A$500 million...
Infinity-backed fund invests in China's Asymchem Laboratories
An Infinity Group-backed fund that targets the biomedical industry has committed RMB90 million ($14 million) to a RMB250 million round of financing launched by Tianjin-based Asymchem Laboratories.
Asahi to buy Independent Liquor from PEP, Unitas for $1.25b
Asahi Group will buy New Zealand beverage group Independent Liquor from Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and Unitas for NZ$1.5 billion ($1.25 billion). The Japanese firm’s Australian subsidiary plans to buy all outstanding shares in Flavoured Beverages Group,...
PE-backed Just Dial targets $79m IPO
Indian search engine Just Dial is planning a INR3.6 billion ($79 million) IPO that will allow its private equity backers to make full or partial exits. A draft prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Board of India indicates that offering will...
PE and the debt crisis: Coping with chaos
Private equity investors, accustomed to 5-7 year horizons, shouldn’t be overly concerned by short-term fluctuations in the public markets. It is a reassuring boilerplate statement, but given the volatility of the last fortnight, perhaps it is easier said...
Covalent partial-exit marks end of an era
The name Toshiba Ceramics is firmly rooted in the golden age of Japanese private equity. In 2006, The Carlyle Group and Unison Capital bought the company from Toshiba Group for JPY91 billion ($774 million at the time) in what was one of the most expensive...