Fundraising
Hong Kong's Aquitaine to begin fundraising
Aquitaine Investment Advisors, a Hong Kong-based alternative investment manager, has begun fundraising for its new Crescent fund, a pan-Asian private equity vehicle with target size of $200 million, which will focus on acquiring controlling stakes in...
Shanghai licenses Fosun-Carlyle RMB fund
The Carlyle Group and Fosun Group have obtained a business license from the Shanghai Administration of Industry and Commerce (SHAIC) to operate their JV Fosun-Carlyle (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund, which is now officially allowed to make investments...
Ex Och-Ziff, Goldman MD Yu plans Themes China fund
Frank Yu, formerly an MD with Och-Ziff Capital Management and also with Goldman Sachs, is reportedly planning to raise a $500 million China-focused first fund for his own private equity startup, Themes Investment Partners.
CITIC and Fubon form new leasing company
Taiwan's Fubon Venture Capital and CTTIC Asset Management have jointly establishment a leasing company in China, representing the first cross-Taiwan financial partnership after the recent memorandum of understanding on cross-Strait cooperation in financial...
Carlyle partners with Fosun for JV, RMB fund
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.
Religare-backed Northgate said readying fifth fund
US private equity fund-of-funds firm Northgate Capital, recently invested by Indian financial services group Religare Enterprises, is reportedly readying its fifth investment vehicle, Northgate Capital V LP.
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%.
Temasek issues $1.4 billion in bonds
The recent move by Singapore SWF Temasek Holdings to issue S$2 billion ($1.42 billion) in bonds could have meaningful implications for other major groups considering debt issuance.
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.
Evercore buys Neuberger placement group
US boutique investment bank Evercore Partners has announced the acquisition for an undisclosed sum of the Private Funds Placement Group of $173 billion asset manager Neuberger Berman, formerly the asset management arm of Lehman Brothers.
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...
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.
Industry Q&A: Matthew Arkinstall, Greenpark Capital
Matthew Arkinstall, Investment Director at leading secondaries specialist Greenpark Capital, gives his view of the current investment environment in Australia.
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...
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.
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.