LPs
Munich Private Equity Partners opens office in Shanghai
Munich Private Equity Partners (MPEP) has opened an office in Shanghai as it looks to increase investment allocations to Asian markets.
Ontario Teachers to up India exposure, back Kedaara Capital
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) plans to increase its allocations to India and Latin America in order to diversify its emerging markets exposure, which is currently more weighted towards China. The pension plan’s first India commitment was to Kedaara...
Endowments: Still gold standard?
North American endowments took a beating during the financial crisis and the recovery process has been slow. But they retain the ability to uncover high-quality GPs, in the US and beyond
Before going direct, go local
The way in which global buyout firms have built up their local expertise in Asia in recent years so as to compete more effectively with smaller regional and single-country funds is a clear reminder of the value of having people on the ground. Although...
Coller Barometer: Asia Pacific PE growth trend to continue
Global investors will continue to up their exposure to Asia-Pacific private equity over the next three years, according to the latest edition of Coller Capital’s Global Private Equity Barometer.
Illiquidity putting Japan pension plans off PE
The liquidity constraints of negative cash flows are making private equity less attractive for Japanese defined benefit pension plans, according to a new survey.
PennSERS commits $50m to Asia Alternatives' third fund
The Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System (PennSERS) has committed $50 million to Asia Alternatives' third fund-of-funds, which was launched early last year with a target of $1 billion. As of September 2011, it had attracted $375 million, according...
Rise of the China PIPE deal
It has taken Indian fund managers years to convince their LPs of the merits of PIPE deals, and efforts haven’t been wholly successful. The knee-jerk response, “Why should I pay you fees to invest in companies that I could just invest in myself?” had to...
Cathay Life Insurance invests $30m in KKR's Asian fund
Cathay Life Insurance has committed $30 million to KKR’s second pan-Asian fund, which has a target of $6 billion. Cathay Financial Holding, the Taiwan insurer’s parent company, announced the investment in a stock exchange filing dated June 11.
Blackrock hires Asia Pacific vice-chair
BlackRock has hired Philipp Hildebrand as vice chairman for Asia Pacific and EMEA. He will oversee the firm’s largest institutional client relationships in these regions.
China to expand insurers' investment scope
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) is likely to announce a new set of rules allowing insurers to expand their investment scope in order to diversify portfolios. As part of the move, the ceiling for domestic private equity investments will...
San Diego pension fund commits $50m to FountainVest
The San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA) has committed $50 million to FountainVest China Growth Capital Fund II. FountainVest Partners, set up by former Temasek Holdings executives in 2007, raised $950 million for its first vehicle...
NSSF to boost investment in PE funds
China's National Council for Social Security Fund (NSSF) will boost its commitments in private equity funds by more than 50% in 2012, in a move to enhance investment returns.
Vermont state pension funds commit $75m to HarbourVest
A HarbourVest Partners fund targeting Europe, Asia and emerging markets has received a $10 million commitment from the Vermont Pension Investment Committee (VPIC). It is part of a $75 million investment by the committee, which represents pension funds...
LPs raise concerns over GPs' ability to bring good returns - AVCJ China Forum
One of the key issues in China’s private equity space is whether GPs can maintain the robust returns they made in their previous investments amid quieter IPO markets and tightening regulations. LPs who participated in AVCJ China Forum 2012 continue to...
Indian family offices add to GPs' options
An increasing number of Indian PE firms are tapping local family offices for capital. Will this new wave of investors stick with the asset class in the long term?
Regional funds and global LPs
One week out of every month, a certain Asia-based fund manager embarks on a trip that takes in three board meetings in three different countries. At each hotel, a packet of documents awaits, which must be reviewed before each meeting. Once he returns...
VIDEO: HarbourVest Partners' Sebastiaan van den Berg
It is a well established trend that Australian LPs are increasingly looking to internationalize their private equity exposure, arguably at the expense of domestic GPs. Foreign investors looking to enter Australia are not deterred. Sebastiaan van den Berg,...
Partners Group adds to India direct investment capabilities
Partners Group has appointed Cyrus Driver as a managing director with the brief to strengthen the company’s direct investment activities in India. The move comes as Partners Group seeks to ramp up its direct investment capabilities across the region....
PE firms lag behind VCs in adopting social media
Venture capital firms have long embraced social media for everything from networking with entrepreneurs to sparking dialogue about industry trends. Why are private equity players so slow to join in?
ADIA hires Axa executive for emerging markets PE
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has poached Axa Private Equity COO Christophe Florin to head up its emerging markets private equity team. He led Axa’s Asian operations between 2005 and 2008.
CIC gets a further $50b from Beijing
China Investment Corp. (CIC) has secured an additional $50 billion in capital from the government, having already received a $30 billion late last year.
Comply or die? GPs, technology and reporting standards
Fund managers are dealing with the challenges of an increasingly demanding LP base. Asian GPs looking for institutional money must invest in compliance or rely on their track records to carry them through
Washington State Investment Board re-ups in FountainVest
Washington State Investment Board has committed $150 million to FountainVest China Growth Capital Fund II. FountainVest Partners, set up by former Temasek Holdings executives in 2007, raised $950 million for its first vehicle four years ago and is targeting...