Funds
Apollo gets hold of Holdfast
Leading Wall Street alternatives giant Apollo Global Management is taking on board Grant Kelley and the entire team of his own real estate platform Holdfast Capital, as part of creating a new Asian entity, Apollo Global Real Estate Management, Asia Pacific...
Philip Bilden of HarbourVest Partners
Philip Bilden, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at influential fund of funds HarbourVest Partners, talks about the firm's investment strategy and the relative attractions of different regional markets.
BTS targets new $150 million Indian clean energy fund
BTS Investment Advisors, a private equity fund jointly headquartered in Zurich and Mumbai, will raise a new $150 million fund focused on the clean energy space.
Religare's Chakraborty leaves for Oman's Kitara Capital
Amitabh Chakraborty, formerly head of equity research at Religare Securities, has reportedly quit the leading Indian brokerage to join Kitara Capital, an arm of the Sultanate of Oman’s Ajit Khimji Group, as MD and CIO.
BoA will retain Merrill Asia property funds
Bank of America is no longer selling Merrill Lynch's $2.65 billion Asian property fund business, which the US bank had originally planned to divest among other non-core businesses following its acquisition of Merrill at end 2008 during the financial crisis....
Jonathan Zhu of Bain Capital
Jonathan Zhu, Managing Director at Bain Capital Asia, speaks about the firm's position on control and minority stakes, Bain Capital's market entry strategy, and the firm's plans for investing in 2010.
New Horizon rumored at $1 billion
Co-founded by the Chinese Prime Minister’s son, Wen Yunsong, PRC-focused private equity fund New Horizon Capital is fundraising for its third fund, originally targeting $500 million but now rumored to be looking at hitting the $1 billion mark.
First Eastern launching Dubai fund
Victor Chu’s First Eastern Investment Group is planning a $250 million private equity fund to focus on investments in Dubai, aiming to assist local businesses starved of capital since the Gulf economy’s sudden collapse.
India's SMS GupShup shop gets $12 million VC investment
Globespan Captial Partners, a US IT-focused firm, Charles River Ventures, a US early stage venture firm and Helion Venture Partners, an India-focused venture firm, jointly injected $12 million into SMS GupShup, India's largest social network operator....
Istithmar's Jackson resigns
David Jackson, hitherto CEO of Dubai World investment division Istithmar World, has stepped down, with Istithmar CIO Andy Watson taking his place.
To market, to market, to market we go
Last year, in the first half of 2009, private equity fundraising fell 60-70% according to various estimates. This year, executives in private equity all seem to be racking up the air miles, on a mission to convince LPs around the world that they have...
Darby Overseas invests $33.5 million in PECH
Darby Overseas Investments, the private equity and mezzanine arm of Franklin Templeton Investments, has provided a $ $33.5 million senior secured convertible loan to PECH Holdings, a PRC alternator maker.
PEP powers up control
At first glance, Australian private equity major Pacific Equity Partners’ (PEP) determined takeover bid for Australian renewable energy company Energy Developments (ENE) – even though it has recently expanded its shareholding to more than 50% after buying...
Cohen at the gates of the China Club
One of the iconic figures of private equity’s LBO glory days in the 1980s, and co-star of Barbarians At The Gates, Peter A. Cohen, former chairman and CEO of Shearson Lehman Hutton, was in Hong Kong this week on behalf of his new firm, Cowen Group, and...
Carlyle's BJ RMB MOU breaks cover
The Carlyle Group’s recent announcement of its MOU with the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work, a division of the Beijing municipal government, to form a Beijing-based RMB fund, the Carlyle Asia Partners RMB Fund, has attracted considerable attention...
Carlyle promotes for prospects in Asia
The Carlyle Group has made a number of key senior promotions in its Asia Pacific team, part of a global round of 33 elevations across the group announced this month.
Mount Kellett said retrenching
Mount Kellett Capital Management, the special situations fund founded by former Goldman Sachs proprietary investment star Mark McGoldrick, has reportedly cut the headcount in its 30-person Hong Kong office by up to one third, with most or all of these...
Japan's venture market depressed
The Japan Venture Capital Association has reported that venture capital investment made in 2009 fell by about 40% to ￥37.8 billion ($417 million) over 472 deals from one year ago, an even more marked sharp drop compared with 2007, when VCs invested about...
Aditya Birla makes $248m first fund close
Mumbai-based Aditya Birla Private Equity, a subsidiary of Indian multinational conglomerate Aditya Birla Group, has raised INR6.75 billion ($148 million) for the first close of its debut fund from domestic LPs, as well as $100 million from its parent...
Carlyle to get Buy The Way?
The Carlyle Group has emerged as one of the potential bidders in the final round of the auction of Buy The Way, a South Korean convenience store chain owned by Asia-focused private equity fund Unitas Capital.
Chongqing fund hits hot sector in China – education
Chinese investment firm Huiou (Chongqing) Equity Investment Co. has launched the Education Equity Investment Fund, claimed to be China’s first education-focused fund, aiming to raise RMB5 billion ($735 million) for pre-IPO investments in the sector.
Ant seeks foreign LPS
Japanese private equity firm Ant Capital Partners is aiming to raise ￥20 billion ($219 million) for its new buyout fund Catalyzer series No.4, from overseas as well as local LPs.
Lunar Capital triples up
Shanghai-headquartered private equity firm Lunar Capital Management has raised $150 million for its third fund, Lunar Capital Partners III, after fundraising started last autumn.
Korean government backs local venture
Korea Venture Investment Corporation (KVIC), a South Korean government-backed fund of funds, and Korea’s Small & Medium Business Administration, have jointly raised KRW200 billion ($178 million) for their new vehicle, first launched a year ago.