Australasia
KKR recruits fundraiser for Australia, New Zealand
KKR has hired Nicholas Hyde from IFM Investors as a managing director in its client partner group, with responsibility for fundraising and client relationships in Australia and New Zealand.
IAG invests in Australia agtech player
Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has made an investment of undisclosed size in local start-up Digital Agriculture Services (DAS) via its VC unit Firemark Ventures.
Bain confirms pursuit of Virgin Australia
Bain Capital is in the second round of bidding for Virgin Australia Holdings (VAH) and has pledged to give the beleaguered airline “a sustainable, long-term future.”
EQT faces legal action after scrapping NZ aged care deal
New Zealand retirement village operator Metlifecare has filed legal action aimed at forcing EQT Partners to fulfill an acquisition that it decided to terminate due to COVID-19.
Australia workforce training start-up Go1 gets $40m
Australian workforce training services start-up Go1 has raised a $40 million Series C round led by local strategic Seek and US-based Madrona Venture Group.
Deal focus: KKR’s Colonial First State breakthrough
Divestments of non-core assets by Australia's big four banks are keenly tracked by strategic players and financial sponsors. KKR's investment in Colonial First State represents the first PE deal of this nature
BGH submits revised offer for Australia's Village Roadshow
BGH Capital has been granted a four-week period of exclusive due diligence by Village Roadshow, having submitted a revised bid for the Australian cinema and theme park operator that is 40% lower than its original offer.
TA backs Australia's Honan Insurance
TA Associates has confirmed a growth investment of undisclosed size in Australian corporate insurance provider Honan Insurance.
QIC explores Virgin Australia bid
Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) has been asked by the state government, its ultimate owner, to explore a bail-out for beleaguered airline Virgin Australia Holdings (VAH).
KKR to buy majority stake in Australia's Colonial First State
KKR will buy a 55% stake in Colonial First State (CFS), the wealth management arm of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), in a deal that values the business at A$3.3 billion ($2.1 billion).
AirTree backs Australia property intelligence platform
AirTree Ventures has led a A$6 million ($3.9 million) Series A round for Archistar, an Australian online property platform that allows users to click on blocks of land and see what can be built.
Raphael Arndt becomes CEO of Australia's Future Fund
Raphael Arndt has been appointed CEO of Australia’s Future Fund, succeeding David Neal, who departed earlier this year to lead IFM Investors.
PEP looks to cut OPTrust into Zenith Energy deal
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) wants to bring OPTrust into its bid for Australia-listed off-grid power provider Zenith Energy after the Canadian pension fund built up a sizeable position in the company.
Australia SME lender Judo raises $147m
Judo Bank, a PE-backed start-up that provides loans to Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), has raised A$230 million ($147 million) from existing investors.
Asia private debt: Inflection point?
With other pools of capital running dry for many companies, private debt has become a more appealing proposition. Institutional funds have a chance to impose themselves on a bank-driven market
LP interview: Roc Partners
Having transitioned from a locally focused fund-of-funds into pan-Asian multi-strategy investor, Roc Partners is finding new ways to branch out in the current downturn
Australia's mid-market: The middlemen
Pure proprietary deals are a rarity in Australia’s mid-market. Most opportunities pass through a fragmented network of advisors, which means private equity firms must get noticed to stay relevant
Australia superfund withdrawals: Double trouble
Allowing cash-strapped superannuation members early access to their pension savings is seen as an essential COVID-19 relief measure. But it may not be conducive to a long-term investment mindset
Coronavirus & Australia VC: In SaaS we trust
Enterprise services start-ups with recurring revenue are well positioned, but mid-cap players could become vulnerable
Australia's Airwallex gets $160m Series D
The VC divisions of ANZ Bank and Salesforce have led a $160 million Series D round for Australian financial technology company Airwallex.
Blackstone-owned Burger King NZ enters receivership
The Burger King New Zealand franchise, which was acquired by The Blackstone Group for NZ$108 million ($86 million) in 2011, has been placed into receivership.
1Q analysis: Impact winter
As the coronavirus outbreak escalated into a global pandemic, what was a problem for China investors quickly spread into other geographies. Fundraising, investment and exits inevitably took a hit
Macquarie buys Asia data center player Airtrunk
Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets (MIRA) is leading a consortium to acquire an 88% stake in Asia-focused data center player AirTrunk at a valuation of A$3 billion ($1.9 billion).
TDM leads $35m round for Australia’s SafetyCulture
Australia’s TDM Growth Partners has led a A$60 million ($35 million) Series C round for SafetyCulture, a locally-based software provider for safety compliance inspectors.
