Industry
Northstar's Bert Kwan launches PE business with BDA
Bert Kwan (pictured) has left his role as a managing director with Southeast Asia-focused Northstar Group to launch an investment platform with M&A advisory firm BDA Partners that will initially concentrate on Vietnam.
Caldera signs up French anchor LP for Southeast Asia fund
Caldera Pacific, a consumer-focused Southeast Asian private equity firm, has secured $250 million in commitments for its debut fund, with France-based investor Argenthal coming in as an anchor LP.
East Ventures appoints Indonesian politician as advisor
Indonesia’s East Ventures has appointed Triawan Munaf (pictured left), a former member of President Joko Widodo’s cabinet, as a venture advisor.
AVCJ Awards 2019: Fundraising of the Year - Mid Cap: ChrysCapital Partners
ChrysCapital Partners completed a quickfire fundraise with the support of a handful of big-ticket LPs. The India-focused firm is now eyeing up bigger-ticket deals
ADB launches venture arm
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a VC arm focused on climate change-related technologies and women’s empowerment in the region.
Blackstone to launch second Asia fund in 2020
The Blackstone Group expects to return to market in 2020 with its second dedicated Asia private equity fund, less than two years after closing the debut vehicle.
India's JSW Ventures seeks $50m for second fund
A corporate venture capital unit of India's JSW Steel is looking to raise INR3.5 billion ($50 million) for its second fund, with a first close scheduled within a fortnight.
MBK wins US pension support for Asia fund
MBK Partners has picked up commitments from New York State Common Retirement Fund (NYSCRF), New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS), and Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) for its fifth North Asia fund.
AVCJ Awards 2019: Firm of the Year - Mid Cap: Centurium Capital
China-focused Centurium Capital has enjoyed a productive 12 months, closing its debut US dollar fund, deploying most of the capital, and securing an early liquidity event
AVCJ Awards 2019: Fundraising of the Year - Venture Capital: A91 Partners
A91 Partners’ spinout from Sequoia Capital showcases the deepening networks of the Indian VC space and hints that more ecosystem growth is yet to come
Northstar seeks $800m for Southeast Asia fund
Northstar Group, a Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm that counts Indonesia as its core market, is looking to raise $800 million for its fifth fund, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Fund focus: Baring sees stability in scale
Jean Eric Salata, CEO of Baring Private Equity Asia, argues that a $6.5 billion fund is not too large for Asia – he wishes he’d raised more – and explains why size increasingly represents a competitive advantage
AVCJ daily bulletin returns January 29
AVCJ's daily bulletin will take a short break for the Lunar New Year holiday. Publication will resume on January 29.
Warburg Pincus returns $2b from China portfolio in 2019
Warburg Pincus generated distributions of $2 billion from its China investments last year, a record annual total for its local operation.
SDG-focused platform to pump $500m into emerging markets
Several public sector organizations have committed $500 million to six funds managed by Bamboo Capital Partners under a new investment platform dedicated to achieving the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Profile: Joy Capital's Erhai Liu
First at Legend Capital and now at Joy Capital, Erhai Liu has demonstrated a knack for spotting emerging technology trends in China and helping founders navigate the challenges of entrepreneurialism
Vietnam's Mekong appoints new partner
Vietnam-based Mekong Capital has named Nguyen Thi Minh Giang (pictured, third right) as a partner with responsibility for talent and culture. It brings the number of partners at the firm to four.
Fund focus: Lexington targets growing Asia secondaries market
Having closed its ninth fund at $14 billion, Lexington Partners is hunting for assets in a secondary market that is becoming ever larger and diverse. Asia is on the agenda, whether it’s GP-led restructurings or LP portfolios
Ares takes controlling stake in Asia's SSG
Ares Management has agreed to buy a controlling stake in SSG Capital, an Asia-focused credit and special situations fund manager with approximately $6.2 billion in assets under management, including $3.9 billion in dry powder.
4Q analysis: On trend
The last three months of 2019 were consistent with the preceding nine as pan-regional fundraising remained weak and exits continued to disappoint. Only investment rebelled against the status quo
MassMutual establishes second VC fund for Southeast Asia
US-based Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) has established a second venture capital fund for Southeast Asia with a corpus of $100 million.
Baring Asia closes Fund VII at $6.5b
Baring Private Equity Asia has closed its seventh fund with commitments of $6.5 billion. It is the fourth-largest pan-Asian private equity vehicle ever raised.
India's Wipro Ventures raises $150m for second global fund
Wipro Ventures, a venture capital investment arm of the eponymous Indian enterprise software provider, has raised $150 million for its second fund.
Ex-GE Capital executives target $300m for Asia credit fund
Sammasan Capital, a credit investment firm established by two former executives with GE Capital in Asia, is looking to raise up to $300 million for its debut fund.