Industry
Abe's third arrow is Japan PE's 'best-ever chance' - AVCJ Forum
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's third arrow of structural reform - and his ability to push it through - could present the best-ever opportunity for a resurgent Japan, industry participants say.
StepStone enters real estate space, targets Asia expansion
StepStone has moved into the real estate sector with the addition of executives from Clairvue Capital Partners. The new team has built portfolios in the US and Europe and plans to add professionals in Asia over the next 12 months.
Mandarin plans China expansion for Italian footwear textiles maker
Mandarin Capital Partners and Private Equity Partners have acquired control of Milan-based Industrie Chimiche Forestali SpA (ICF), which develops adhesives and special textiles for the footwear industry.
Ark Alternative hires Shunichi Umino to head LP relations
Japanese placement agent Ark Totan Alternative has hired Shunishi Umino as its head of financial institution sales.
Secondaries: Choice cuts
Secondary fundraising has reached new highs over the past year, signaling greater investor appetite for the asset class. What is driving the demand and who is likely to benefit?
Lightspeed China closes Fund II at $260m
Lightspeed China Partners has reached a final close of $260 million on its second China fund, exceeding the target of $220 million.
Warburg Pincus backs property developer Jinmao's HK IPO
Warburg Pincus has agreed to buy HK$77.5 million worth of shares in Chinese property developer Jinmao Investments’ Hong Kong IPO, which is targeting up to HK$3.39 billion ($437 million).
China's CIC promises better oversight after damning audit
China Investment Corp. (CIC) has said it will improve management of its overseas investments after China's National Audit Office (NAO) said mismanagement had led to losses.
PSERS re-ups as Orchid Asia seeks $750m for sixth China fund
Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) has committed up to $75 million to Orchid Asia’s sixth China fund, which has a target of $750 million.
VIDEO: Marcus Simpson of QIC
The relationship PE firms and large institutional investors has yet to settle down following the disturbance created by the global financial crisis, but fee discounts, co-investment and direct investment are here to stay, says Marcus Simpson, head of...
China's CIC to focus on food
China Investment Corporation (CIC), the country’s $650 billion sovereign wealth fund, wants to partner with governments, multilateral organizations and like-minded institutions to invest in agriculture assets.
CyberAgent launches $50m start-up fund
CyberAgent Ventures, the corporate VC arm the Japanese internet firm, has formed a new fund worth JPY5 billion ($49 million).
Creador Fund II to reach final close in August
India and Southeast Asia-focused GP Creador is set for a final close of $250 million on its second fund in August, having already raised $220 million.
Japan's public pension funds: Sleeping giants
Following concerns about performance and a government review of asset allocations, Japan’s public pension funds are prepping to enter private equity. But when will it happen and who stands to benefit?
Q&A: JBIC's Shigeki Kimura
Japan Bank for International Cooperation made its first commitment to a top-tier GP this year, backing CVC Capital Partners’ latest Asia fund. Managing Executive Officer Shigeki Kimura explains the group’s strategy
Japan outbound investment: Playing away
Emboldened by ample financing and the need to develop demand bases beyond a stagnating domestic market, Japanese companies are investing more overseas. Are they partner or competitor for private equity?
Japan renewables: Policy play
Japan’s response to the Fukushima nuclear crisis has been to draw up plans for the world’s biggest alternative energy market. Foreign investors see solar power as the surest route to sustainable returns
Q&A: Capital Dynamics' Kazushige Kobayashi & Tokio Marine's Soichi Sam Takata
Kazushige Kobayashi (pictured), managing director at Capital Dynamics, and Soichi Sam Takata, head of private equity at Tokio Marine Asset Management, discuss the implications of improving investor sentiment in Japan
Sequoia, TOM Group support HK P2P lender WeLab
Sequoia Capital and Asian billionaire Li Ka-Shing's TOM Group have invested $14 million in WeLab, the start-up behind peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform WeLend.hk, in a Series A round of funding .
China job site Zhaopin trading strongly after $75.7m US IPO
Chinese recruitment website Zhaopin is trading at around a 17% premium to its IPO price after raising $75.7 million through a US offering and receiving a parallel investment from Apax Partners.
OPIC backs Quadria healthcare fund, CX India mezzanine vehicle
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has made commitments to Quadria Capital South and Southeast Asia-focused healthcare fund and CX Partners’ India mezzanine fund.
Bain sues Big Four auditor over India kidswear deal
Bain Capital is taking legal action against EY – formerly Ernst & Young – in a US court, alleging that its now worthless investment in India’s Lilliput Kidswear was made on the basis of false financial statements that the accounting firm had audited....
Ex-Auda Asia head Pak-Seng Lai joins Vision Knight
Vision Knight Capital (VKC) has appointed Pak-Seng Lai, formerly head of Asia at Auda, as managing partner. He will join the China-focused private equity firm in July.
Permira holds $7.2b final close global Fund V
Permira has reached a final close on its fifth global buyout fund, Permira V, at the hard cap of EUR5.3 billion ($7.2 billion), less than the EUR9.6 billion raised by its predecessor.