Advisory
Fund admin: In house or out?
Asian private equity is becoming institutionalized, with increasingly sophisticated and international LPs asking GPs to bulk up their back office capabilities. Third-party administrators sense an opportunity
State Street opens Shanghai office
State Street has opened an office in Shanghai to provide fund administration, accounting and related services to private equity, real estate and hedge fund clients with business development initiatives in China.
Weil hires Asia fund formation lawyer from Kirkland & Ellis
International law firm Weil has appointed Albert Cho as a partner in its private funds group in Hong Kong. He joins from Kirkland & Ellis, where he served as a partner in both the New York and Hong Kong offices.
Kroll in tie-up with India's BMR
Global advisory firm Kroll has formed an alliance with India's BMR Advisors to offer investigative and due diligence services in the country.
BNRI agrees tie-up with China resources advisory firm
Barclays’ global resources-focused PE platform, Barclays Natural Resource Investments (BNRI), has formed a strategic partnership with Beijing-based corporate advisory firm Ilex Partners to develop its business in mainland China.
China due diligence: Playing it safe
The catalogue of deals gone bad in China is long and undistinguished. Private equity firms, and the third-party advisors that work with them, are rethinking their approach to due diligence
PE sees shift in due diligence focus to management - AVCJ Forum
Private equity advisory firms are placing greater emphasis on management integrity as they seek to refine the due diligence process for portfolio companies, say industry participants.
Blackpeak adds to Japan team
Blackpeak Group, an Asia-focused strategic advisor to corporate and investment clients, has appointed Kohtaro Miyagi as a senior consultant, based in Tokyo.
Asia fundraising: Size matters?
While a select group of GPs are able to raise large funds at short order in Asia, the small and mid-cap space is hollowing out. It is in parts cyclical and a function of broader changes in the post-financial crisis LP base
Alvarez & Marsal opens Korea office
Turnaround management and business advisory specialist Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has opened an office in Seoul and appointed Jay Kim as managing director to lead its business activities in South Korea.
Proskauer adds to Asia funds group
Global law firm Proskauer has appointed Lynn Chan as a consultant to the private investment funds group, working out of Hong Kong. She was previously a counsel in the investment funds practice at O’Melveny & Myers in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Duff & Phelps appoints new head of China investment banking
Financial advisory and investment banking firm Duff & Phelps has appointed David Lu as managing director and head of its investment banking practice in China. Lu joins from Cowen Group, where he was head of Asia investment banking. He previously held...
Burden of compliance
Alternatives fund managers have a mountain to climb, but they are confident of reaching the summit. This, broadly speaking, is the conclusion drawn from State Street's recent global manager survey, in which the regulatory obstacles facing the industry...
A&M launches India transaction advisory practice, hires Vikram Utamsingh
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), a consultancy specializing in performance improvement and turnarounds, has expanded its India business with the launch of a dedicated transaction advisory practice. The new practice will be led by Vikram Utamsingh, formerly of...
Proskauer boosts China fund formation capabilities
Global law firm Proskauer has recruited Yong Ren to its private investment funds group as a partner. He previously worked at Mayer Brown and, before that, at Ropes & Gray and Simpson Thacher.
Walkers adds to Hong Kong investment funds group
Walkers, a global law firm specializing in offshore services, has appointed Mark Cummings as counsel in its investment funds group in Hong Kong. Cummings, who joins the firm from Appleby, advises private equity and hedge fund managers on establishing...
Cogent adds to Shanghai team
Cogent Partners has appointed Dominik Woessner as a director in its Shanghai office. He has relocated from the secondary market-focused firm’s London office as part of ongoing efforts to develop its footprint in Asia.
Veronica John joins placement agent Diamond Dragon
Veronica John, previously a senior advisor to Vietnam-focused private equity firm Mekong Capital, has joined placement agent Diamond Dragon Advisors as a senior advisor based in Singapore.
Alvarez & Marsal appoints Asia forensic, disputes services head
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), performance improvement, turnaround and business advisory services provider, has appointed Keith Williamson as Asia leader of its global forensic and dispute business in Hong Kong and China.
Orrick strengthens Japan M&A, PE practice
Orrick has appointed Edward S. Johnson as a partner in its M&A and private equity practice in Tokyo. He joins from Paul Hastings, where he previously served as managing partner of the Tokyo office.
King & Wood Mallesons merges with SJ Berwin
King & Wood Mallesons and London-based SJ Berwin will merge to form a single law firm valued at $1 billion. With over 2,700 lawyers in more than 30 countries, the combined entity is expected to be one of the 25 largest law firms in the world.
Kroll boosts China investigations practice
Kroll Advisory Solutions has hired Peter Glanville as an associate managing director in its Greater China investigations and disputes practice. He joins from Deloitte where he was a senior member of the forensic accounting team.
Rich man’s game: The cost of fundraising in Asia
Asian GPs and fund lawyers are struggling with a demand-supply imbalance. LPs are negotiating more and conceding less - but for all that managers say fundraising costs are going up, lawyers say fees are going down
CITIC Capital’s Yichen Zhang joins EMPEA board
Yichen Zhang, chairman and CEO of CITIC Capital, has joined the board of directors at the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA). He will also sit on the organization’s Asia Council.