Industry
VIDEO: CNEI's Xiaoyang Yu
Xiaoyang Yu, founding partner of growth-focused China New Enterprise Investment (CNEI), says that crowding and a lack of transparency are among the key challenges facing the private equity industry in China. She insists that, when it comes to due diligence,...
Abraaj Capital targets Southeast Asian natural resources
Abraaj Capital plans to invest part of its latest $2 billion fund in Southeast Asian natural resources, with a particular focus on copper and tin mines in Indonesia as well as ancillary services tied to mining or agriculture.
Lilliput seeks out-of-court settlement with Bain, TPG
Lilliput Kidswear is seeking an out-of-court settlement with investors Bain Capital and TPG Capital, having taken legal action earlier this month to prevent the private equity firms from exiting the company in response to a corporate governance scandal.
Eaton Vance targets US loans through Australian fund
Eaton Vance Corp. aims to raise $1 billion in the next two to three years for an Australian fund targeting US leveraged loans. It will primarily look to secure capital commitments from Australian pension funds.
Voting opens for the 2011 AVCJ Awards
We are happy to announce the nominee shortlist for 2011 AVCJ Private Equity and Venture Capital Awards. Relying on submissions from across the PE community and the expertise of our select panel of industry judges, five nominees have been chosen in seven...
CalPERS to appoint CFO, place limits on staff departures
The California Public Employee Retirement System will introduce a CFO position and toughen the timelines for when board members and staff can move to certain other jobs. The provisions, aimed at improving accountability, are included in new legislation...
Blackstone announces 3Q loss on drop in valuations
The Blackstone Group posted a loss of $341.9 million in the third quarter compared with a $339.3 million profit a year earlier. The disappointing results came as the private equity firm saw an 11% drop in the value of its buyout holdings amid ongoing...
Hana denies asking Lone Start to cut KEB sale price
Hana Financial Group has denied reports that it had asked Lone Star to cut the $4.16 billion acquisition price for Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) by one fifth. It was claimed that the US private equity firm responded by threatening to walk away from the deal...
Milestone Capital approached with merger, buyout offers
Milestone Capital Advisors is considering a merger or buyout that has the potential to be the largest transaction ever seen in India’s private equity industry. It comes two months after Ved Prakash Arya, Milestone’s founder and CEO, died in a freak...
Q&A: Sanjiv Kapur of Wolfensohn India Advisors
Sanjiv Kapur, managing director of Wolfensohn India Advisors, explains how private equity firms can keep their investors and their investment professionals happy
EQT, TPG funds reflect Asia’s PE power
Asia's growing significance in the private equity world was further confirmed in two separate fundraising events last week. First in Europe, where EQT Partners announced that Asia Pacific LPs were responsible for nearly one quarter of total commitments...
Northern Light eyes healthcare sector
Healthcare will be a stronger area of focus for Northern Light Venture Capital’s third US-dollar fund, which last week achieved a final close of $400 million.
China exits: How much longer can the pre-IPO party last?
Chinese private equity funds that were drawn into the market by high public exit valuations are being given pause for thought. It represents a tipping point for Shenzhen’s ChiNext and SME Boards
CDH invests in Chinese appliance maker Midea
CDH Investments has teamed up with an investment unit of ICBC International Holdings to buy a 15.3% stake in Midea Group, a leading Chinese household appliance manufacturer.
Towers Watson hires professionals from Squadron, Navis
Professional services provider Towers Watson has appointed Richard Tan and Agnes Lee as senior private markets consultants in Hong Kong. As part of the company’s private markets research team, they will focus on helping private equity firms and other...
Japanese industries see post-earthquake renewal - AVCJ Japan
Japan’s private equity industry is anticipating greater changes in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Affinity picks up 70% stake in Australia’s Primo Smallgoods
Affinity Equity Partners has finalized its acquisition of Australian meat products firm Primo Smallgoods in a deal that values the company at A$740 million ($758 million). Previous reports suggested that the valuation was at least A$900 million.
Macquarie, SBI target second India infrastructure fund
Macquarie Group and State Bank of India (SBI) are targeting $1-1.5 billion for their second India-focused infrastructure fund. Plans for the new vehicle come as the first fund, SBI Macquarie Infrastructure Trust, which closed in March at $1.2 billion,...
Lone Star has six months to reduce KEB stake
Lone Star may have no more than six months to reduce its stake in Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) to 10% or lower after Korea’s Financial Services Commission said Monday that it had begun the process of ordering a divestment. The move comes in response to...
Corporate Japan urged to look overseas – AVCJ Japan Forum
The need for Japanese companies to expand overseas into fast-growing Asian markets emerged as a key theme on the opening day of the AVCJ Japan Forum, which takes place today and tomorrow in Tokyo.
WL Ross struggles to raise new fund
WL Ross & Co. has cut its target for its latest fund to $2-2.5 billion, having raised little more than one tenth of the $4 billion it set out to attract last year, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.
Accountants to be investigated over Lilliput allegations
India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs is investigating the role of Ernst & Young (E&Y) and its member firms in the alleged accounting problems at Lilliput Kidswear. It wants to establish if there was any conflict of interest.
SEC approves Volcker rule as market watchers express concerns
Concerns are being raised that the Volcker rule, which limits bank exposure to asset classes such as a private equity, will be postponed or weakened by lobbyists and that some forms of proprietary trading will be exempted completely. The rule was approved...
TPG targets up to $5b for Asia-focused fund
TPG Capital is reportedly raising the largest Asia-focused fund since the onset of the global economic crisis, targeting $4-5 billion.