LPs
IFC to support Brummer’s second Bangladesh fund
International Finance Corporation (IFC) plans to invest up to $20 million in Frontier Bangladesh II, a $100 million fund being raised by Swedish alternative asset manager Brummer & Partners.
LP interview: Oregon State Treasury
Andy Hayes, PE investment officer at the Oregon State Treasury (OST), has been managing his fund’s Asian investments for nearly six years. The role is as much about networks as it is know-how
Japanese banks commit to CVC's fourth Asia fund
CVC Capital Partners has received $100 million in commitments from Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (SMTB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for its fourth Asia fund, which is expected to close above its $3.5 billion hard cap.
NZ Super commits $250m to KKR energy investments
New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZ Super) has committed up to $250 million to oil and gas investments in North America through a partnership with KKR.
Australia’s Ironbridge drops staple from LP secondary exit deal
Ironbridge Capital has dropped its proposed stapled secondary transaction that would have allowed investors to exit or rollover their positions into a new vehicle with the option of making a commitment to a new primary fund. AVCJ understands the deal...
Korean sovereign fund KIC appoints new CIO
Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) has appointed Heung-Sik Choo, formerly director general at Bank of Korea’s reserve management group, as its new CIO. He replaces Dong-Ik Lee, who resigned in January.
Australian LPs still struggling with co-investment - AVCJ Forum
Australian LPs are increasingly keen on direct investment for the most part alongside portfolio GPs but not all groups are able to build and retain the resources required to participate effectively.
Australian super funds warn of regulatory impact on PE - AVCJ Forum
Australian superannuation funds that are not facing imminent payout deadlines remain committed to private equity, although managers say the more complex regulatory environment can hinder their approach to the asset class.
LP interview: Munich Private Equity Partners
Munich Private Equity Partners set up its first overseas office in Shanghai to demonstrate a commitment to Asian managers, with China at the fore. It is now seeking out local champions
GPIF joins DBJ, OMERS to invest up to $2.7b in infrastructure
Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), has formed a partnership with Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) and Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) to jointly invest in infrastructure assets.
CalPERS CIO Joseph Dear dies following cancer battle
Joseph Dear, chief investment officer at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), has died. Dear had been battling prostate cancer and last summer stepped back from his role to undergo treatment.
Q&A: HarbourVest's Sebastiaan van den Berg
Sebastiaan van den Berg, managing director and head of Asia at HarbourVest Partners, discusses his expectations for Australian deal flow, best practice for IPO exits, and co-investment opportunities
Australian pension funds: Indecent disclosure?
The Australian government is expected to halt and wind back superannuation fund disclosure requirements that go beyond global norms. Industry participants are hopeful for the best, but mindful of the worst
Q&A: HESTA's Andrew Major & QIC's Marcus Simpson
Andrew Major, general manager for investments at HESTA and Marcus Simpson, head of global private equity at QIC, share their views on PE performance and where the best investment opportunities lie
Chinese insurers approved to commit more to private equity
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) has raised the cap on insurers’ exposure to publicly traded companies and private equity to 30% of total assets.
CalPERS lowers investment risk, trims PE allocation
California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), the largest public pension fund in the US with more than $277 billion in assets, will reduce its target allocation for private equity from 14% to 12%. The move is part of a broader effort to...
ESG: Nice guys finish last?
Responsible investment has is now a priority for many institutional LPs. GPs might recognize the importance of environmental, social and governance principles in this context, but acting on them can be challenging
Adveq in $200m Australia almonds play
Adveq’s real assets division has completed the purchase of 18,000 hectares of almond orchards in Australia for A$211 million ($200 million) from commodities conglomerate Olam International. Municipal Employees’ Retirement System of Michigan and Danica...
LP interview: Axiom Asia
Axiom Asia has followed a consistent approach in backing small to mid-market country funds in the Asia Pacific region. Chihtsung Lam, the firm’s co-founder and managing partner, explains the strategy
Partners Group, Mizuho target Japanese pension funds
Partners Group has reached a deal with Mizuho Financial Group (MFG) to jointly develop and distribute global private equity and infrastructure products to Japanese pension schemes.
A new constituency
As one GP now puts it, sovereign wealth funds "are now the 1,000-pound gorilla in the room."
Asia, Middle East LPs help Affinity to $3.8b close on Fund IV
Affinity Equity Partners has reached a final close of $3.8 billion on its fourth pan-Asian fund, with investors from Asia and the Middle East accounting for a larger share of the corpus than their North American counterparts.
Big brother: Japan's government LPs
The government is becoming an increasingly significant LP in Japanese private equity funds. Smaller GPs can’t live without it but there are wider concerns about sustainability and long-term economic impact
An issue of GP sustainability
Amongst the key issues raised at our AVCJ Forum last November was the fact that many Asian private equity firms lack a long-term business model for both their investments and themselves. This issue will become increasingly important as the industry continues...