Australasia
Asia's middle market: Lost in space
Growing fund sizes in certain Asian markets are redefining what constitutes a middle-market GP. Are these managers evolving alongside the opportunity set or careering dangerously outside of their sweet spot?
Australian online tutoring start-up gets $14m Series A
Cluey Learning, an Australian start-up that provides personalized online tuition services for elementary through high school students, has raised A$20 million ($14 million) in Series A funding from Allectus Capital and Thorney Investment Group.
Unilever Ventures backs Australia skincare brand
Unilever Ventures, the VC arm of consumer goods giant Unilever, has provided an early-stage round of undisclosed size to Australian skincare brand Dr Roebuck’s.
Australia's OneVentures hits $32m first close on venture debt fund
Australia’s OneVentures has reached a A$45 million ($32 million) first close on a venture debt fund touted as the first of its kind in the country.
LP interview: HESTA
As demand for private equity grows among institutional investors globally, HESTA is focusing on building its internal unlisted assets expertise to connect with potential fund managers on their own terms
Bain & Co appoints new SE Asia, Australia heads
Bain & Company has named new managing partners for its businesses in Southeast Asia and Australia. The appointments come a month after the consulting firm announced a new Asia Pacific head.
Deal focus: Airwallex plots Asia payments expansion
Airwallex recently became Australia's newest unicorn following a $100 million Series C round, but the company's growth is largely based on an understanding of Chinese demand. Regional expansion is now the priority
Fund focus: Hostplus’ diversification drive
Australia's Hostplus partners with Natixis-backed Flexstone Partners for an investment program focused on backing middle-market US managers
Australia's Airwallex achieves unicorn status
Australian financial technology company Airwallex has received a $100 million Series C round led by DST Global at a valuation of more than $1 billion.
CHAMP PE buys Australian defense sector supplier
CHAMP Private Equity is set to become the first Australian GP to invest in a company with significant exposure to the local defense sector, following an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Marand Precision Engineering.
Australia's Hostplus establishes US emerging managers program
Australian superannuation fund Hostplus has launched an investment program focused on middle-market US private equity managers with Flexstone Partners, a PE unit of Natixis.
Australia’s BGH closes in on Navitas buyout
Australian education services provider Navitas has agreed to a A$2.1 billion ($1.5 billion) buyout offer from BGH Capital, AustralianSuper, and Rod Jones, the company’s co-founder and CEO.
GP profile: Allegro Funds
The first 15 years of Australia’s Allegro Funds have been marked by a series of changes both to the firm and its market. Adapting to meet them has proven to be one of the turnaround specialist’s greatest strengths
M12 leads Series B for Australian training platform
M12, the VC arm of Microsoft, has led an approximately $21 million Series B round for GO1, an Australian workforce services technology start-up focused on corporate training.
Australia's King River launches debut VC fund
Newly established Australian venture capital firm King River Capital has confirmed the launch of its debut fund and two initial investments.
UK-based CD Capital acquires Australia's Verdant Minerals
CD Capital, a natural resources and mining-focused private equity firm based in the UK, has agreed to acquire Australian mining operation Verdant Minerals in a deal that values the company at A$40.5 million ($28.6 million).
Australian LPs struggle to recruit PE talent - AVCJ Forum
Recruitment is the biggest challenge for Australian institutional investors as they look to deepen their participation in private equity, senior executives told the AVCJ Australia & New Zealand Forum.
LPs question fees on long-dated PE funds – AVCJ Forum
Funds that are structured to hold assets for extended periods make sense – given the increasing number of companies that want to delay going public or avoid it altogether – but fees remain an issue, institutional investors told the AVCJ Australia...
Australian LPs strengthen GP ties through co-investment - AVCJ Forum
Australian LPs want to establish deep relationships with portfolio GPs – where they can play an additive role in the investment management process – and see co-investment as one of the best ways of achieving this.
Australia's Future Fund recruits Alicia Gregory as PE head
Australia’s Future Fund has appointed Alicia Gregory as its new head of private equity. She currently occupies the same position at MLC, operator of the country’s largest retail superannuation fund.
KKR-owned AVC backs Coles' Australia liquor retail business
KKR-owned hospitality venue operator AVC has agreed to invest A$200 million ($141 million) in a joint venture with the liquor business of Australia supermarket Coles.
Salesforce launches $50m Australia VC fund
US-based enterprise software giant Salesforce has launched a $50 million venture capital fund focused on Australian technology start-ups.
Australia cross-border: Fool me once
Asian markets continue to represent an attractive destination for Australian PE-backed companies, but investors will need to show increasingly skeptical buyers that their cross-border plans have borne fruit
Australia financial regulation: Compliance conundrum
Proposed reforms could redraw Australia’s financial services landscape as tougher regulatory requirements see banks back away from certain areas. PE investors want to pick up the pieces