Funds
Founder of Australia’s Seek plans PE platform
Paul Bassat, co-founder of Australian job search site Seek, is looking to set up a private equity platform with Tony Holt, who recently left his position as a senior managing director with Macquarie Group in Hong Kong.
TPG hires Credit Suisse’s Francis Woo for Southeast Asia – report
TPG Capital has reportedly hired Francis Woo as a principal for its Southeast Asia team. He was previously director and co-head of corporate finance for Southeast Asia at Credit Suisse.
VenturEast hires ex-DFJ partner to run India seed fund
India-focused VC firm VenturEast has hired Sateesh Andra, formerly a partner at Draper Fisher Jurvestan, to head up its seed-stage technology fund. His remit is to create a Silicon Valley-like incubation ecosystem and help companies tap into global venture...
Greenpark promotes Daniel Green to CIO
Greenpark Capital has promoted Daniel Green to CIO. He joined the firm in 2001 and was previously an investment director, serving on the secondary specialist’s executive team and investment committee.
Moogwi Kim leaves Asia Alternatives
Moogwi Kim, an investment associate at fund-of-funds Asia Alternatives, has left the company. He plans to spend a year studying in France and Singapore before returning to the market in 2014.
Shenzhen Capital, New Margin fund Chinese sex toy retailer – report
Shenzhen Capital and New Margin Ventures have reportedly provided RMB300 million ($47.4 million) in Series A funding to Adam & Eve, a Chinese sex toys retailer. The company claims to be the first in its segment to receive approval from the State Food...
NVP, Sequoia lead Series A round for India’s Capillary Technologies
Norwest Venture Partners (NVP) and Sequoia Capital have led a $15.5 million Series A round of funding for Capillary Technologies, an India-based cloud computing services provider. Existing investor Qualcomm Ventures also participated.
CDH Investments targets $2b buyout fund – report
China's CDH Investments is reportedly targeting as much as $2 billion for its latest fund, joining a host of PE players seeking to raise multi-billion dollar vehicles in the region.
China, India companies beat PE to Digital Domain assets
China’s Galloping Horse Film and India’s PE-backed Reliance MediaWorks have teamed up to acquire assets from Digital Domain Media Group, the distressed Hollywood special effects company, for $30.2 million. The Sino-Indian joint venture easily outmatched...
Indiareit raises $46m for India redevelopment fund
Indiareit Fund Advisors, a real estate investor backed by Indian entrepreneur Ajay Piramal, has raised INR2.5 billion ($46 million) for a fund targeting redevelopment projects in Mumbai. The firm expects to reach a final close of up to INR5 billion in...
Carlyle cautious on China prospects
William Conway, co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, has said the private equity firm is less confident about its prospects in China due to slowing economic growth and increased competition.
CVC’s Australia head resigns
CVC Capital Partners’ Adrian MacKenzie, the managing partner responsible for investments in Australia, has resigned. The move comes as the private equity firm prepares to write off almost the entire A$1.9 billion ($1.97 billion) in equity that was pumped...
China’s fund-of-funds experiment
China has started to witness the emergence of renminbi-denominated fund-of-funds, but only a few institutional and individual investors appreciate their investment philosophy
Carlyle names Robert Mancini co-head of infrastructure fund
The Carlyle Group has appointed Robert Mancini from Goldman Sachs as managing director and co-head of its global infrastructure fund. He will work alongside founding co-head Robert Dove and is expected to start the new role by year-end.
MGPA reaches first close on real estate fund
The latest fund being raised by MGPA marks a departure from the investment firm’s previous real estate vehicles. MGPA Asien Spezialfonds, which announced a first close on EUR85 million ($111 million) last week, represents the firm’s first so-called...
Tsinghua’s TEEC raises $1.4m for US-China angel fund
Tsinghua Entrepreneurs & Executive Club (TEEC), a group set up by VC-oriented alumni of China’s Tsinghua University, has raised $1.4 million for its second angel investment fund. The vehicle launched in June and has a final target of $8 million.
VC specialist Wilson Sonsini expands Hong Kong presence
Wilson Sonsini, a Silicon Valley-based law firm with strong ties to the venture capital industry, has added a Hong Kong law capability to its China offering and hired a new partner to build out its operations in the territory. Khoon Jin Tan will work...
Affinity launches $3.5b pan-Asia fund - report
Affinity Equity Partners is reportedly looking to raise up to $3.5 million for a new pan-regional vehicle. The firm – which was founded by former UBS Asia chairman KY Tang – has given MVision the mandate as placement agent.
MBK targets $2.25b for fund III
MBK Partners has launched its third buyout fund with a target of $2.25 billion, AVCJ has been told. It is the latest in a string of large-cap pan-regional funds to enter the market, joining the likes of KKR, TPG Capital, The Carlyle Group and RRJ Capital.
Yahoo Japan launches VC fund - report
Yahoo Japan has joined the corporate venture capital club by launching a JPY1 billion ($12.8 million) fund. It will principally target start-ups in the smart phone, internet advertising and cloud computing spaces.
India’s DesiCrew raises $1.3m from VC players
DesiCrew Solution, a rural business process outsourcing (BPO) service provider, has raised INR70 million ($1.3 million) in a Series B round from social investment manager responsAbility and Ventureast Fund Advisors India. The capital was channeled through...
Carlyle offers LPs quick exit route from Asia fund
The Carlyle Group has introduced a liquidity mechanism for its latest Asia buyout fund that facilitates the exit of LPs that want to sell their positions in the vehicle, industry participants tell AVCJ. The private equity firm has used a similar mechanism...
Motilal Oswal PE to set up real estate fund
Motilal Oswal Private Equity is planning to set up a real estate fund worth up to INR6 billion ($108 million). The fund will tap both institutional investors and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).
Global buyout firms see rich pickings in Japan – AVCJ Forum
The scope for private equity buyouts in Japan is widening due to falling public market valuations and clear opportunities for value-add within portfolio companies, according to panelists at the AVCJ Japan Forum, which opened in Tokyo on Thursday.