Australasia
Portfolio: CHAMP Private Equity and Accolade
For a long time the UK and Australia operations of US wine giant Constellation Brands had been a drain on the parent company. Nevertheless, CHAMP Private Equity saw the potential for a category leader
Chile's Grupo Arcano to invest $100m in Australian start-ups
Chilean private equity firm Grupo Arcano plans to invest up to $100 million over the next two years in Australian start-ups.
Australia's VentureCrowd partners with Sydney Angels
VentureCrowd - an Australian equity crowdfunding platform - has formed a partnership with angel investor group Sydney Angels in order to allow start-ups to tap new sources of capital.
KKR consortium buys GE’s Australia consumer finance unit
A consortium comprising KKR, Värde Partners and Deutsche Bank has agreed to buy GE Capital’s Australia and New Zealand consumer lending unit for an enterprise valuation of A$8.2 billion ($6.3 billion).
Australia’s IFM in $5.7b US toll road deal
Australian fund manager IFM Investors has agreed to pay $5.7 billion for a 66-year concession on a US toll road that crosses northern Indiana. It filed for bankruptcy last year due to heavy debts and low traffic volumes.
PEP to buy Kerry Group's Australian bakery unit
Australian GP Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has agreed to acquire Pinnacle, the Sydney-headquartered bakery unit of Irish food giant Kerry Group.
Australian LPs sacrificing higher returns due to fee concerns - AVCJ Forum
Australians are missing out on higher returns on their retirement savings as a result of superannuation funds’ preoccupation with the fees charged by private equity managers and their reluctance to participate in the asset class, industry participants...
PE-owned AWAS to sell aircraft to Macquarie
AWAS Aviation Capital, which is owned by Terra Firma Capital Partners and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), will sell an operating lease portfolio of 90 aircraft to Australia's Macquarie Group.
Exit timing, operations key to high-value Australia deals - AVCJ Forum
Acquiring a company at a high valuation means a PE firm has to draw more deeply on its operational expertise to turn a profit, but it is equally important to maximize returns by getting the exit timing right.
Sydney launches financial technology start-up hub
Sydney has launched a hub for financial technology start-ups, supported by initial funding of A$2 million ($1.6 million) from a string of Australian banks, property and technology firms in collaboration with the New South Wales government.
KKR's Australia head Justin Reizes retires
Justin Reizes, head of KKR Australia, has retired after spending more than 15 years with the company, leading some of the GP's biggest deals in both Australia and New Zealand.
PEP exits the last of its stake in Australia's Veda
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has sold all of its remaining 20% stake in Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed credit-checking firm Veda Group for A$382 million ($301 million).
Navis agrees Domestic Group medical equipment unit carve-out
Malaysia-based GP Navis Capital Partners has agreed to buy Domestic Medical Division (DMD), the cold chain medical equipment unit of Sweden's Domestic Group. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Accel, Matrix invest $111m in NZ accounting software firm
Accel Partners, and existing investor Matrix Capital, have together invested NZ$147.2 million ($111 million) in New Zealand-listed accounting software developer Xero.
Australia buyouts: Downsizing
Bain Capital has completed two buyouts in Australia in the last five years. The first was a classic large-scale affair as accounting software firm MYOB was acquired from Archer Capital and HarbourVest Partners for around $1 billion in 2011. Three years...
Australia mid-market: Squeezed middle
Several Australian superannuation funds are eschewing commitments to smaller domestic GPs because they have to deploy a larger quantum of capital. If more follow suit, what does it mean for the middle market?
LP Interview: SunSuper's Michael Weaver and HOSTPLUS' Neil Stanford
Michael Weaver, private markets manager at SunSuper, and Neil Stanford, investment manager for private equity at HOSTPLUS, discuss portfolio composition and performance.
Australia mining: Panning the value stream
In the midst of the commodities downturn GPs are still finding deals in mining services, although volatility can play havoc with execution. Better value might be found upstream, if you know where to look
Q&A: Pacific Equity Partners' Simon Pillar
Simon Pillar, managing director at Pacific Equity Partners (PEP), on the prospects for buyouts in Australia, selling assets to strategic buyers in Asia, and evolving LP attitudes towards co-investment.
Australia VC: Policy permutations
Plans to reinstate tax breaks for Australian start-ups that issue share options to staff rather than pay sizeable salaries has cheered VC investors. They are generally positive about the government role in fostering innovation
Australia drafts new rules for VC investor visa scheme
The Australian government plans to change the current rules for its Significant Investor Visa (SIV) program as part of efforts to boost the availability of capital for local start-ups.
Australia's QIC raises an initial $528m for global infrastructure fund
QIC, an investment manager controlled by the Queensland government, has secured initial commitments of $528 million from four institutional investors for a global infrastructure fund.
Australian infrastructure: Greenfield gambit
Sydney's cross city tunnel entered voluntary administration in September 2013 after failing to refinance its debt. The project launched eight years earlier but slipped into insolvency in 2006 due to low traffic volumes.
Australian biotech start-up raises $20m Series B round
Vaxxas, an Australian biotechnology start-up developing a novel vaccination platform, has raised a A$25 million ($20 million) Series B round of funding from a group of new and existing investors led by OneVentures.