GPs
CLSA closes third Japan fund at $400m hard cap
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has become the seventh private equity firm to close a Japanese mid-market fund since the start of the year, hitting the hard cap of $400 million for its third vehicle.
Iron Pillar reaches $20m first close on debut fund
Indian venture capital firm Iron Pillar Capital Management has reached a first close of INR1.3 billion ($20 million) on its debut India fund.
Polaris closes fourth Japan fund on $665m
Polaris Capital Group has hit the hard cap of JPY75 billion ($665 million) for its fourth Japan fund, becoming the third Japanese mid-market GP to announce a final close in the space of a week, and the sixth since the start of the year.
CVC appoints Sumitomo Mitsui executive as Japan president
CVC Capital partners has named Nobuaki Kurumatani, a former executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, as the president of its Japan operations.
J-Star raises $291m for third Japan fund
J-Star has closed its third Japan-focused buyout fund at the hard cap of JPY32.5 billion ($291 million), having launched the vehicle last summer with a target of JPY30 billion.
Private to public: Indonesia taps PE talent for government
Saratoga Capital's Sandiaga Uno is the latest Indonesian PE professional to enter public service following his election as deputy governor of Jakarta. This trend is a function of a relatively shallow talent pool
Fund focus: ClearVue brings consumer clarity
Having raised $362 million for its second fund, and diversifying its LP base in the process, Chinese GP ClearVue Partners has proved there is appetite for consumer sector specialists that have the right skill sets
ClearVue raises $362m for China consumer fund
ClearVue Partners has closed its second China consumer-focused fund at $362 million, having received commitments from institutional LPs including several global fast-moving consumer goods companies.
Integral closes third Japan mid-market fund at $670m
Integral Group has closed its third Japan mid-market buyout fund at the hard cap of JPY73 billion ($670 million), with domestic LPs accounting for approximately three quarters of the corpus.
Indonesia's GP landscape: Slim pickings
While the number of GPs active in Indonesian venture capital has mushroomed in recent years, there has been no change on the private equity side. The market suffers from talent and perception issues
India, UK launch $620m green infra PE fund
The governments of India and the UK have launched a private equity fund with a target of GBP500 million ($620 million) to invest in sustainable infrastructure projects in India.
Indonesia VC: Corporate kingpins
The corporates and family groups that dominate Indonesia’s economy are becoming increasingly active in the VC space. To independent GPs, they are more friend than foe, but agendas and approaches vary
WL Ross backs joint venture to acquire China steel assets
WL Ross & Co, the private equity firm founded by recently appointed US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, has announced its first China investment in over five years, backing a joint venture to acquire steel industry assets in the country.
IFC set to re-up as LeapFrog seeks $800m for Fund III
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, has proposed an investment of up to $25 million in LeapFrog Investments’ emerging markets-focused third fund, which is targeting as much as $800 million.
Dragon Capital sets up microfinance business in Myanmar
Vietnam-based private equity firm Dragon Capital has made its first investment in Myanmar, teaming up with a local strategic partner to seed a Yangon-based microfinance services business.
Banyan raises $725m across US dollar, renminbi funds
Banyan Capital has raised more than RMB5 billion ($725) million across two China-focused venture capital funds – one US dollar-denominated and the other in renminbi.
The devil you know: PE and Southeast Asian entrepreneurs
Due to a shortage of companies in Southeast Asia that have proved themselves capable of working private equity, when GPs identify a group they like it is not uncommon for them to work together more than once
Pay rises level off in Asian private equity - survey
The increases in private equity compensation seen at all levels in recent years appear to be abating, with only about one third of industry professionals reporting a jump in base salary in 2016 over the previous year.
Japan's Tokio Marine closes Fund V at $466m
Tokio Marine Capital has reached a final close of JPY51.7 billion ($466 million) on its fifth Japan mid-market fund on the back of strong support from domestic LPs, notably regional banks.
Asia fundraising: Retail channels
Private equity firms keen to diversify their LP bases are looking to establish relations with Asia’s high net worth segment, and the private banks and wealth managers who facilitate access to this community
KKR secures $5.8b first close on third Asian fund
KKR has reached a first close of just under $5.8 billion on its third pan-Asian fund. The vehicle has an institutional hard cap of $8.5 billion, with a further $700 million in commitments from the firm’s balance sheet and management team.
China distress investor DCL launches debut US dollar fund
DCL Investments, a China-focused distressed debt and special situations manager set up by former executives at CDH Investments and Shoreline Capital, is targeting around $300 million for its first US dollar-denominated fund.
Japan's IMJ Investment rebrands as Spiral
Japanese GP IMJ Investment Partners has spun out from its corporate parent and changed its name to Spiral Ventures.
India's Intex launches VC fund, backs local mobile player
Indian electronics manufacturer Intex Technologies has launched a technology-focused venture capital fund and made its first investment in online media platform Rooter.