Industry
Korea's NPS appoints new CIO
The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) has named Myun-Wook Kang, formerly CEO of Meritz Asset Management, as its new chief investment officer.
Taiwan regulator allows VC firms to list domestically
Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) has issued guidelines for Taiwan-based venture capital firms to pursue onshore IPOs.
IMJ targets $53m for Japan venture fund
Singapore-based IMJ Investment Partners has raised JPY2 billion ($17.7 million) for a venture capital fund that will back start-ups in Japan. The full target is JPY6 billion.
China tightens domestic private fund supervision
The Asset Management Association of China (AMAC), a self-regulatory organization for the PE industry set up by the securities watchdog, has tightened rules on domestic fund managers’ registration, with a view to cracking down on financial scams.
Australian senate committee to investigate Dick Smith demise
An Australian parliamentary committee will launch an inquiry into the collapse of listed domestic retailers following the demise of Dick Smith Electronics, which was previously owned by Anchorage Capital Partners.
Black Soil’s Chang Sun postpones China agri fundraise
Chang Sun, the former Asia managing director at Warburg Pincus who co-founded Chinese agriculture start-up Black Soil, has delayed plans to raise a $1 billion PE fund and will instead focus on individual deals.
AVCJ daily bulletin returns February 11
AVCJ's daily bulletin will take a short break for the Lunar New Year holiday. Publication will resume on February 11.
Prologis ups commitment to China logistics venture
Prologis, a global real estate investment trust (REIT), has announced an increase of $882 million in the equity commitment to the Prologis China Logistics Venture.
Japan Post Bank prepares for PE investment
Japan Post Bank plans to start making commitments to private equity funds in the first half of this year, according to Katsunori Sago, the bank’s vice president in charge of asset management.
China Everbright, Catalyst raise $200m for Israel fund
Catalyst CEL Fund, which is managed by Hong Kong-based asset manager China Everbright and Israel’s Catalyst Private Equity, has beaten its initial target of $200 million.
Made to measure: Customized co-investment
Growing appetite for co-investment among foreign and local institutions in Asia has given rise to a wider variety of advisors offering customized solutions to those with limited in-house resources
Hong Kong: Start-up central
Hong Kong ranks low in a new study of global start-up ecosystems, but has the potential to fly high. A mixture of policy, patience and positive attitude is required
India VC: Smooth waters ahead?
India’s government has made promising signals about its willingness to engage the venture capital community. GPs are optimistic, but reservations remain about the details
Fund focus: SBCVC moves with the times in China
Having raised $459 million for its latest venture capital fund, SBCVC is tracking the latest developments in China technology with a focus on robotics and advanced industrial applications
Innovation Works approved to list on China’s New Third Board
Innovation Works, a Chinese early-stage VC firm founded by ex-Google China head Kai-Fu Lee, has been approved to list on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), an over-the-counter (OTC) market also known as the New Third Board.
Hong Kong is world's fifth fastest-growing start-up ecosystem – study
Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem is expanding rapidly from a low base and was the fifth fastest-growing ecosystem globally last year, according to a new report.
EQT buys Hong Kong social compliance assessment business
EQT Partners has bought a majority stake in Hong Kong-based social compliance assessment and improvement service Elevate.
Sequoia closes fifth India fund at $920m
Sequoia Capital has closed its latest India fund – which has a minority allocation to Southeast Asia – at $920 million, comprising an $875 million institutional corpus and a GP commitment of $45 million.
Fund focus: New name, same agribusiness strategy
Following a spin-out from Cargill, the PE unit of Black River Asset Management has been renamed Proterra Investments Partners. The agriculture-focused remit is unchanged
Corstone closes $124m Korea fund
US-based private equity firm Corstone Capital has closed a South Korea-focused fund at KRW150 billion ($124 million).
Australia's Future Fund trims PE exposure
Australia’s Future Fund has lowered its private equity allocation slightly and boosted its cash holdings, reflecting concerns over increased risk due to changes in lending and public policy across markets.
Rakuten launches $84m Japan venture fund
Rakuten Ventures, the corporate VC arm of Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, has launched a JPY10 billion ($84 million) fund targeting start-ups in Japan.
Shanghai to compensate VCs for financial losses
The Shanghai government has proposed new measures to compensate early-stage investors’ for financial losses incurred by investing in local start-ups.
China Merchants Bank to invest in Didi Kuaidi
China Merchants Bank (CMB) has agreed to invest in Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Kuaidi, and to create a strategic partnership with the company as well.