Funds
Wilshire woes
Dennis Tito, founder of Wilshire Associates, reportedly paid at least $12 million and possibly up to $20 million for an eight-day stay in orbit at the International Space Station and in transit, courtesy of MirCorp.
New Horizon closes Fund III
New Horizon Investment Advisors, the Beijing-headquartered growth capital GP set up in 2005 as a JV between Temasek Holdings and SBI Holdings, has closed its New Horizon Capital III fund at $750 million, Jianming Zou, a director at New Horizon, confirmed...
CalPERS to commit $1.3 billion to infra
Leading US LP the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) is to commit some $900 million to infrastructure GPs and invest $400 million directly, according to an internal statement to its investment committee.
Babson to form mezz team for Asia
Babson Capital Management, the US investment advisor claiming to manage some $100 billion of assets on behalf of global institutions, has announced the formation of a team to invest in mezzanine debt opportunities in Asia Pacific.
UBS mulls RMB fund
Although there has not as yet been formal confirmation, reports suggest that Swiss banking giant UBS is now in talks with the Beijing municipal government regarding setting up a renminbi-denominated private equity fund.
Kleiner, Sherpalo partly exit Info Edge
Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers and Sherpalo Ventures have reportedly sold some 4.08%, almost their complete stake, in Info Edge, the company behind Indian job search website Naukri.com.
UK's PSource plans China infrastructure fund
PSource Capital, a London-based alternative fund management and consulting firm, plans to form a China-focused infrastructure fund with seed capital of several hundred million dollars, committed by an unidentified Chinese investor.
Pru Property appoints new Asia head
Prudential Property Investment Managers, part of the asset-management unit of UK-based insurer Prudential PLC, has appointed Scott Girard, the current CIO of Prudential Investment Management, as its new Asia CEO.
New US rules may affect foreign funds
A new US law, the “Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act of 2010,” just signed by US President Barack Obama, could drastically affect non-US financial institutions and private equity funds, as well as US LPs and family offices investing into them,...
Sequoia's Sabharwal back to ICICI Bank
Rajiv Sabharwal, recruited in 2009 to Sequoia Capital India as an Executive Director, is now reportedly rejoining his old company, ICICI Bank, as a senior GM and head of the lender's retail operations.
Riverside promotes Feiglin to partner
The Riverside Company has announced the promotion of Simon Feiglin, hitherto a principal focused on the firm's Asia funds, to Partner.
Second 3i infra fund within 12 months: Ahuja
Speaking to media in India, Anil Ahuja, head of 3i Asia, has said that the leading London-headquartered private equity group will commence fundraising for its second Indian infrastructure fund within the next 12 months.
New Horizon closes Fund III
New Horizon Investment Advisors, the Beijing-headquartered growth capital GP set up in 2005 as a JV between Temasek Holdings and SBI Holdings, has closed its New Horizon Capital III fund at $750 million, a New Horizon director confirmed to AVCJ.
Chuo Mitsui plans $1.6 billion real estate business
Japan's Chuo Mitsui Trust & Banking Co. reportedly is planning to launch a real estate fund platform, targeting office and residential assets in Tokyo.
India moots energy fund
According to an Indian government official, India may consider deploying some of its $254 billion in foreign exchange reserves into an SWF to support its state-connected businesses in acquiring energy assets.
Hu move highlights Goldman's role
The news that Dr Fred Hu, Managing Director and Chairman of Greater China at Goldman Sachs, is retiring from the star investment bank after only two years in his current role, reportedly with plans to launch his own private equity fund, underlines the...
Fleming, Iglesias leave Wilshire in Tokyo, Canberra
Grant Fleming, the long-serving Managing Director of Wilshire Private Markets in Tokyo, and Ovidio Iglesias, Senior MD with Wilshire in Australia, have left the $6 billion fund-of-funds, the latest in a series of senior departures from Wilshire including...
Elevar closes new "poverty" fund
Seattle and Banglalore-based investment management company Elevar has announced the closing of a new "poverty-focused" growth capital fund at $70 million, and seeking to invest in microfinance institutions and other poverty-related platforms in India,...
Ramnath attracts CPP IB
Leading North American LP the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has reportedly decided to commit $100 million to the new private equity firm, Multiple Alternate Asset Management, launched by former ICICI Venture MD and CEO Renukah Ramnath.
Green investing: The other side of the summit
COP15 may not yet have forged a future-proof global greenhouse gas reduction regime; but some still see it as an important step forward – and promising opportunities are budding in the green sector, especially in Asia.
Industry Q&A: Stephen Greer, Oaktree Capital
Stephen Greer, former founding CEO of Hartwell Pacific and now Senior Advisor to Oaktree Capital, talks to AVCJ’s Paul Mackintosh
ADIA Review reveals views, not value
Leading Middle East SWF the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has released its first ever Annual Review, of its operations for 2009, giving a clear view of its dispositions and its priorities as it takes a view on particular investment areas and asset...
Fundraising: Coming back slowly
AVCJ’s latest soundings from the industry indicate that fundraising, long cited as the third shoe waiting to drop [sic.] as investments and exits regionwide recover post the GFC, may not be reviving as robustly as some had hoped.
Hopu as advisor in CNOOC Bridas deal
Leading private equity and multi-strategy investor Hopu Investment Management has reportedly been retained in its first advisory mandate: supporting Bridas Energy Holdings of Argentina in a $3.1 billion JV with China's China National Offshore Oil Corp....