Industry
Foreign RMB funds suffer from LP access troubles
With state-backed firms hesitant to commit and wealthy individuals unreliable, overseas private equity firms face a long slog to raise their renminbi funds
CVC-backed Nine in talks to sell magazine business – reports
CVC Capital Partners-owned Nine Entertainment has held talks with Seven West Media over the potential sale of its ACP magazines division. The funds raised would help pay down some of the beleaguered company’s A$2.7 billion ($2.8 billion) in senior debt...
Temasek backs US online ad startup
Temasek Holdings has led a $30 million round of investment in Marin Software, a San Francisco-headquartered advertising management platform. The company has now attracted more than $80 million from VC and PE backers.
VSG to facilitate LP direct investment in India
VSG Capital Advisors, a new investment bank, has been established in India to advise on domestic and cross-border deals. The move comes at a time when pension funds and sovereign wealth funds are tipped to raise their direct investment allocations to...
SEC inquiry targets PE asset valuation mechanisms
Private equity firms have been asked to disclose to US regulators information on how they value assets, as well as on areas including fundraising and fund formation, as part of an informal inquiry into the industry. The Securities and Exchange Commission...
COLI, ICBC raise $230m for second China property fund
China Overseas Land & Investment (COLI) and ICBC International Investment Management have raised $230 million in initial capital for their Harmony China Real Estate Fund II. The vehicle's full target is $500 million.
L Capital invests in Chinese fashion company - updated
L Capital Asia, the private equity unit of multinational luxury giant LVMH, has invested $200 million in Trendy International Group, a Chinese casual-wear company, contrary to an earlier report in the South China Morning Post that put the price at $2...
L Capital expands China portfolio with $2b investment
L Capital Asia, the private equity unit of multinational luxury giant LVMH, has reportedly purchased a 10% stake in China fashion company Ochirly for US$2 billion. It is another indication of the brand’s ambition to expand its portfolio in the world's...
Chinese government backs Sino-Hollywood movie fund
The Chinese government will support a new private equity fund set up to finance movie co-productions with foreign players in China. It is the first-ever state-backed film investment fund.
NEA hires Carmen Chang as advisor
Venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has appointed Carmen Chang to the role of special senior advisor. Chang joins NEA from US law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR).
CalSTRS considers separate accounts strategy
California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) is considering making separate account commitments to private equity firms. A similar strategy has already been employed by other pension funds like Texas Teachers’ Retirement System and New Jersey...
CDC appoints ex-Actis partner head of direct investment
CDC Group, the UK development finance institution that targets private equity investments in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, has appointed Mark Pay to head up its direct investments division. Pay is rejoining the group, having departed in 2004 as part...
KKR-backed MMI plans $300m high-yield bond issue
MMI International, a KKR portfolio company, plans to issue a $300 million high-yield bond to refinance debts incurred through its 2007 buyout. The move indicates that non-traditional funding channels are opening up for private equity firms at a time when...
CIC, Sinopec commit $300m to Sunshine Oilsands IPO
China Investment Corp (CIC) and China Petrochemical Corp. (Sinopec) are among three cornerstone investors to pledge $350 million to Sunshine Oilsands' Hong Kong listing. The news comes a few days after the company said it would postpone its IPO to allow...
Australian private equity continues to outperform stocks
Australian private equity continues to outperform the country’s stock markets, according to a research demonstrated by the Australian Venture Capital Association (AVCAL).
Actis launches tool to assess impact of energy investments
Emerging markets private equity firm Actis has unveiled a tool for assessing the sustainability of its energy investments. It aims to capture the key drivers that build value and pinpoint where improvements could be made.
PE financing: Lagging leverage
Spooked by wider economic issues, European banks are pulling back from the leveraged buyout market. This presents a further challenge to private equity firms already adjusting to tighter financing conditions
Ownership issues trouble state-backed PE firms
Chinese private equity firms that count government-related entities among their shareholders face uncertainty over their financial obligations to the state
Slow progress for foreign RMB funds
Renminbi-denominated private equity funds have been one of the most important trends in the last few years. The market has grown tremendously with more than US$24 billion being raised in 2011 alone. Most of this capital has gone to local firms, especially...
Elara Capital to launch India-focused healthcare fund
Elara Capital, a UK-based financial services company, is in talks with a counterpart in Dubai with a view to launching a private equity fund that will target healthcare investments in Asia and Africa. India will be a particular area of focus given Elara’s...
Political risk tempers LP appetite for Southeast Asia
Insurgent groups and corrupt governments are every investor’s worst nightmare. For those private equity firms operating in the Philippines and Indonesia, they’re also a reality.
Beacon India acquires 1.3% stake in PE-backed construction firm
Beacon India Private Equity Fund, a $200 Million Indian growth capital vehicle, has acquired a 1.3% stake in NCC, a listed construction and infrastructure enterprise backed by The Blackstone Group and ChrysCapital Advisors. The transaction is worth INR216.4...
Sun Media, Harvest Fund to create $800m media fund
Chinese television production firm Sun Media Group has teamed up with Harvest Fund Management to create an $800 million private equity fund that will back local movies.
PICC rolls out $158m industrial fund
The People's Insurance Company of China is reportedly setting up an industrial fund - the name of which suggests it will focus on the defense sector - worth RMB1 billion ($158 million) under its affiliate PICC Capital Investment Management.