Advisory
Asian GPs slow implementation of ESG policies - survey
Asia-based private equity firms are assigning more dedicated resources to environment, social, and governance (ESG) programmes, but policy changes have slowed in the past 12 months, in part due to concerns raised internally and by LPs, according to a...
Reed Smith hires Sidley Austin's Asia fund formation leader
Reed Smith has recruited Han Ming Ho, previously co-head of the Asia investment funds practice at Sidley Austin, as a partner in its global corporate group.
Family offices: A role for Hong Kong?
Hong Kong’s package of incentives for family offices is intended to redress a balance that has swung in favour of Singapore. Geopolitics is dampening its competitive advantages
Cybersecurity: PE urged to go post-quantum
Private equity firms with masses of information, long histories, and long futures will be vulnerable to code-cracking quantum computers perceived as lurking on an inevitable near-term horizon
Generative AI in due diligence: Crunching new numbers
Private equity is rediscovering artificial intelligence as a due diligence tool in the wake of ChatGPT. Data security, legal, and technical risks have curbed uptake somewhat, less so for venture
Allegro buys PwC's Australia government consulting business
Turnaround specialist Allegro Funds has agreed to acquire PwC’s public consulting business in Australia, which is dealing with the fallout from a tax leak scandal. The sale price is AUD 1 (USD 0.66).
Monument joins forces with secondaries advisor Mozaic
Placement agent Monument Group has merged with Mozaic Capital Advisors, a US-based boutique advisory firm focused on secondary transactions, following an eight-year strategic partnership.
Japan's Mizuho to buy M&A advisor Greenhill
Boutique investment bank Greenhill, arguably best known in private equity for advising on LP and GP-led secondary transactions, has agreed to an acquisition by Japan’s Mizuho Financial Group.
Jefferies hires Dennis Kwan to lead Asia secondaries advisory
Dennis Kwan, formerly of Chinese private equity firm Harvest Investments Management and placement agent MVision, has joined boutique investment bank Jefferies to lead secondaries coverage in Asia.
BDA recruits Asia secondaries specialist
BDA Partners, a global boutique investment bank that focuses on Asia, has entered the private capital advisory (PCA) space with the appointment of secondaries specialist Dominik Woessner.
Put a bow on it: India draws funds to GIFT City
India has created an onshore jurisdiction with offshore characteristics to lure country funds currently domiciled in Singapore and Mauritius. Does GIFT City have staying power?
Goodwin adds investment funds partner in Singapore
Goodwin Proctor has recruited Matthew Nortcliff as a partner in its investment funds practice in Singapore, adding headcount to an office that opened towards the end of last year.
Allegro agrees take-private of Australian law firm
Allegro Funds has agreed to acquire Slater & Gordon, a Melbourne-headquartered law firm that trades on the Australian Securities Exchange, at a price that equates to a market capitalisation of around AUD 77.6m (USD 52.3m).
Alvarez & Marsal expands PE coverage in Australia
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has appointed Timo Schmid as a managing director and head of its newly established private equity performance improvement practice in Australia and New Zealand.
Bain & Co appoints new Asia PE practice co-head
Bain & Company has named Sebastien Lamy, who has been with the firm for over 20 years and most recently focused on Asia infrastructure investment, as co-head of its regional private equity practice.
Labour shortages: Tales from north and south
Australia and Japan are facing extreme labour shortages. In the former, GPs can survive on policy support and emergency manoeuvres. In the latter, fundamental strategy shifts are a more immediate imperative
Allen & Overy adds fund formation partner in Shanghai
Allen & Overy has strengthened its Asia Pacific funds and asset management group with the appointment of Daisy Qi as a partner based in Shanghai.
Campbell Lutyens recruits Suvir Varma as Asia chairman
Suvir Varma, formerly head of Bain & Company’s financial investor practice in Asia Pacific, has been appointed chairman for Asia Pacific at placement agent Campbell Lutyens.
Q&A: Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s Patrick Reid
Patrick Reid, a UK-based managing director for alternatives distribution management at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, plots the future of themes around secondaries, longer holds, and hybrid approaches to PE
LPs’ ESG checklists get ever more intricate – AVCJ Forum
LPs want more nuanced emissions measurement from their portfolio managers, the AVCJ ESG Forum heard.
GP selection: Discriminating customers
Sizeable LPs are hardening their criteria for fund commitments in reaction to a tougher investing environment. But going with fewer, deeper relationships is an uphill climb
Q&A: Mayer Brown's Soumitro Mukerji
Soumitro Mukerji, a partner in the banking and finance practice at Mayer Brown in Singapore, explores potential drivers of increased fund finance activity in Asian private equity
ICI signals growing climate agenda in Asia PE
Initative Climat International (ICI), a private equity community dedicated to stemming global warming, has launched an Asia Pacific chapter, signalling a growing regional commitment to climate issues.
Ex-EQT partner wins funding for Asia ESG services platform
Tak Wai Chung, who until early last year was a Singapore-based partner at EQT, has secured funding for a pan-Asian platform that will provide software solutions to corporates that need to meet environment, social, and governance (ESG) requirements.