Funds
Abu Dhabi's Invest AD targets $400 million
Abu Dhabi's Invest AD is seeking to raise $400 million for its second fund targeting opportunities in Middle East and North Africa, with up to $325 million drawn from third party investors.
Alibaba's Ma plans to form fund
Jack Ma, founder, chairman and CEO of Alibaba.com, one of the largest B2B online marketplaces in China, and PRC celebrity netrepreneur, reportedly is planning to form a $200 million VC fund for investing in Chinese companies.
CalPERS could cut forecast projections
In an unprecedented move by the US’s largest pension fund, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) may lower the projected rate of return for all stocks, bonds and other holdings from 7.75% to 6%.
Spring Capital announces second close, deal
Spring Capital Asia, the independent Greater China private equity firm formed by former JAFCO Head of North Asia Vincent Chan, has announced a $184 million second close of its debut Spring Capital Asia Fund, plus an investment in a wind power company...
Blackstone secures three LPs for RMB fund
US investment giant the Blackstone Group has reportedly secured three investors for its first RMB fund; one of them reportedly the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the PRC’s fast-growing national pension fund.
China Everbright to partner on new energy RMB fund
China Everbright Ltd. and four local enterprises from Jiangyin city in Jiangsu province in eastern China, plan to launch an RMB3 billion ($ 440 million) fund focused on new energy projects and resources.
CalPERS plans to reduce relationships
Major US LP the $203 billion California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) is planning to reduce its number of GP relationships, in a bid to improve returns and cut costs.
MGPA first fund wound up
Macquarie Global Property Advisors (MGPA), the private equity real estate investment group launched by Australia’s Macquarie has wound up its debut $480 million Global Fund I, launched in 1999 targeting Europe and Asia.
Aureos plans Singapore office, citing tax, costs, regulation
Aureos Advisers, also known as Aureos Capital, the emerging markets-focused private equity investor, is apparently opening a new Asian head office in Singapore, in a move partly driven by high taxes, regulatory burden and heavy costs in the UK.
Desai quits E&Y to raise ENAM infra fund
Jayesh Desai, hitherto senior partner and National Director for Infrastructure, Real Estate and Government at Ernst & Young in India, is leaving E&Y to join brokerage and asset management group ENAM, where he will launch an infrastructure fund.
Carlyle partners with Fosun for RMB fund, JV
The Carlyle Group has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Fosun Group, the largest privately-owned investment conglomerate in China, to enhance their investment activities in the Greater China market. Both firms will jointly sponsor and manage...
Rho Ventures gets Effective in Oz
New York and Palo Alto-based VC investor Rho Ventures has made a $4 million Series A investment in Australia's Effective Measure, a startup developer of measurement solutions for online audiences.
Pantheon cites 'ownership culture' in sale to AMG
Pantheon Ventures, the London-headquartered international fund of funds manager, and longstanding pioneer of investment in Asian GPs, gave AVCJ some further insights into its recently-announced $775 million cash sale by Russell Investments to NYSE-listed...
CIC commits $1.5 billion to secondaries
China’s $300 billion sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corporation (CIC), has forayed into the fast-developing secondary market by investing $1.5 billion in total in three specialist secondary funds in the West.
Unison resets controls, salaries
After the tragic incident last year when one of its former partners died just after an official investigation, Japanese buyout firm Unison Capital is planning to move forward by strengthening its internal control systems to prevent any misconduct by its...
Private equity and corporate power
From time to time, all kinds of interesting documents cross our desks at AVCJ. One such recent one was a fundraising proposal from a prominent, high-profile and rapidly expanding Asian branded business, seeking to raise a follow-on private equity fund...
Religare buys into Northgate
Religare Enterprises, the Indian financial services group, has announced an investment in US private equity fund-of-funds firm Northgate Capital, for a reported 60% controlling stake in the firm's management company.
Gulf Capital closes second fund oversubscribed
MENA private equity pioneer Gulf Capital has closed its second fund, GC Equity Partners II, at $533 million, the Middle East's largest closing for 2009.
ADB plans cleantech fund
The Asian Development Bank reportedly plans to raise at least $100 million in a private equity fund for investing in developers of advanced clean energy technologies in Asia Pacific.
Temasek appoints ex-SGX Hsieh as CEO's advisor
Singapore SWF Temasek Holdings has appointed former Singapore Exchange CEO Hsieh Fu Hua as a special advisor to its incumbent CEO Ho Ching.
Spain reinserts EU AIFM draft restriction
Spain, recently replacing Sweden in the presidency of the European Council, has reinstated the restrictive Article 35 provision in the draft EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) rules, which would restrict non-European managers from marketing...
ARC, Dalian launch maiden RMB fund
Dalian, a major city in northwestern China, will establish its first joint private equity fund with ARC China, a wholly-owned foreign enterprise focusing on investing in China's domestic consumption-oriented companies.
SBI plans second cleantech fund
Japanese financial services group SBI Holdings plans to raise ¥30 billion ($332 million) for a second venture fund with a special focus on Asia’s clean technology sector, forecasting an expected IRR of 25-30%.
Intel Capital, CIC agree cooperation
Leading US corporate VC Intel Capital has announced a joint innovation investment initiative with PRC SWF the China Investment Corporation (CIC).