Funds
Partners Group in Asia
Overweight on the region – with care
Awards finalists – the people’s choice
This year's list of finalists for the AVCJ Asian Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards, released for public voting this week, was the result of the first ever open call for nominations in the Awards’ ten-year history.
Marcel Erni of Partners Group
The question of GPs’ long-term experience in Asia is among LPs’ biggest concerns, says Founder and Vice Chairman of Partners Group Marcel Erni, adding that funds are largely still looking to prove that their model can work in “difficult cycles.”
CDH-backed Chinese education group Xueda files for NYSE IPO
Xueda Education Group, one of the largest providers of primary and secondary school tutoring services in China, and a portfolio company of CDH Investments, will debut on the NYSE.
Steamboat invests China's Gridsum Technology for online analytics
Steamboat Ventures, the Walt Disney-affiliated VC firm, has led a Series A funding round for Gridsum Technology, a Beijing-headquartered online web, video and search analytics company, for an undisclosed amount.
Liang Meng, DE Shaw & Co.
The Managing Director and CEO of the group’s Greater China business talks about the firm’s approach to private equity investing, stemming from its alternative investment pedigree.
The business of venture
Asia’s corporate VCs on their performance – and results
Shanghai QFLP program for non-Chinese RMB LPs approved
The pilot Qualified Foreign Limited Partners (QFLP) guidelines floated in Shanghai to allow international LPs to invest into Shanghai-incorporated RMB-denominated private equity funds have been approved by China’s central financial regulators, according...
GSR's Fong made HYSTA Investor of the Year
Kevin Fong, US-based Special Advisor for China/US VC investor GSR Ventures and former Mayfield Fund MD, has been named the inaugural "Investor of the Year" by the Hua Yuan Science and Technology Association (HYSTA), a leading Chinese American VC and entrepreneur...
Huawei's Chee leaves to form new China SME fund Junsan
Jonathan Chee, former head of the Principal Investment unit at PRC telecoms major Huawei Technologies, has resigned to launch a new fund, Junsan Capital, focused on growth and late-stage investments in China SMEs.
Hopu split reports denied
Reports and market talk of a split at the top of Hopu Investment Management, the $2.5 billion China-linked private equity and multi-strategy investment group, have been denied by sources close to the firm, which in fact appears to be nearing the threshold...
Nautiyal-backed Redwoods Capital plans $50 million India real estate fund
Indian asset management firm Redwoods Capital, founded by the former head of BNP Paribas India’s real estate business Anuj Nautiyal, is set to raise a domestic real estate fund with a preliminary target of $50 million.
SVB Finanical Group opens Beijing office
SVB Financial Group, the parent of Silicon Valley Bank, has opened an office in Beijing, to provide VC investors and hi-tech companies with advisory services including arranging RMB loans with local partners.
Harjit Bhatia forms Asia Growth Capital Advisors with ex Credit Suisse India, Southeast Asia team
Asian private equity veteran Harjit Bhatia has recently reemerged as Chairman and CEO of Asia Growth Capital Advisors, a private equity firm he founded along with his ex-partners at Credit Suisse Private Equity Asia.
Partners Group loses Cai as head of China
Fund of funds Partners Group has confirmed that Linda Cai has left her position as Head of China, and that she will be replaced by Zhao Peng, with other reports indicating that Cai resigned up to three months ago, with her next move still unknown.
WI Harper bolsters advisory board with Investcorp's Tung
The founding partner and Chairman of the Technology Investment Committee of Investcorp, Savio Tung, has joined the advisory board of Chinese expansion and early growth stage private equity firm, WI Harper, the firm announced.
Australian private equity: Behind the numbers
Lower numbers mask resurgence
Sequoia, SIG, Walden investee Le Gaga files for NASDAQ IPO
Le Gaga Holdings Ltd., a Chinese greenhouse vegetable growing company headquartered in Hong Kong, has filed for an IPO on NASDAQ, seeking to raise some $100 million.
Lone Star may invite MBK into KEB
Lone Star Funds may be in discussion with MBK Partners to sell a 25% stake in its investee Korea Exchange Bank, as Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) continues due diligence on Lone Star's 51.02% stake in the business, according to reports.
Placement agents in a new place?
Asia Pacific placement post the GFC
Sequoia India invested $16 million in biopharmaceutical play Celon Labs
Sequoia Capital India has invested INR70 crore ($16 million) in Celon Labs, a Hyderabad-based biopharmaceutical company with established brands in oncology, critical care and gynaecology.
India's GVK Power said still in talks with SCPEL, TPG
GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd., an arm of Indian conglomerate GVK, is continuing talks with TPG Capital, Standard Chartered Private Equity Ltd. (SCPEL) and Morgan Stanley's infrastructure fund to invest some $250-300 million for up to 30% of its Mumbai...
Khosla to reuse SKS IPO profits in poverty fund for India, developing markets
Vinod Khosla, veteran VC with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and his own Khosla Ventures, is planning to use some of his $117 million personal gains from the July NSE IPO of SKS Microfinance in a new VC fund to support businesses focused on poverty...
Brightrust PE Japan plans to debut fund of funds
Brightrust PE Japan Co., a Tokyo-based private equity firm, is planning to raise as much as JPY20 billion ($241.8 million) for its debut fund of funds, which will focus on investing in buyout opportunities with a special interest in the small-to-mid-cap...