Australasia
Goldman names Hui head of Asia Pacific ex-Japan merchant banking
Stephanie Hui has been named head of Goldman Sachs’ merchant banking operations for Asia Pacific ex-Japan as part of a management reshuffle following the departure of three senior partners from the firm. She will report to Andrew Wolff, who is moving...
OneVentures backs Paloma Mobile with $1.5m
Australia-focused venture capital firm OneVentures has led a $1.5 million Series A round of funding for Paloma Mobile, a developer of smartphone services for emerging markets.
PE firms consider bid for Australian packaging firm – report
The Blackstone Group, KKR and The Carlyle Group are said to be in talks with banks over a bid for Australian packaging company Pact. The deal could value the firm at as much as $1.4 billion.
Landman to head up BlackRock’s Australia alternatives unit
Andrew Landman, CEO of Ascalon Capital, will join BlackRock as head of alternatives in Australia.
Qantas appoints Macquarie to defend against PE bids
Qantas Airways has hired Macquarie Group to set up an internal team “to advise on the defense against potential private equity bids,” a company spokesman has confirmed. The news prompted an 11% spike in the airline’s share price to A$1.08 during...
Maui Capital closes fund at $190m hard-cap
Maui Capital has closed its Aqua fund at its hard-cap of NZ$250 million ($190 million). The New Zealand-based private equity firm had to turn away some larger investors.
Carlyle, Apollo miss out as Brambles cancels $2b asset sale
ASX-listed Brambles has announced that it has canceled it plans to raise cash by selling Recall, its information management business. The 10-month process was called to a halt because of low offers from potential buyers, which included a number of private...
Hawkesbridge backs Colemans
Australian private equity firm Hawkesbridge has acquired a stake in Australian fencing infrastructure firm the Colemans Group.
Blackstone, Morgan Stanley buy Lloyds Australia loans for $621m - report
Blackstone and Morgan Stanley have bought 34% of a A$1.9 billion portfolio of distressed property loans for A$640 million ($621 million), from a unit of Lloyds Banking Group in Australia.
Australia's ASX may join bid for PEP’s Link - report
Australia's bourse operator ASX may join the auction for Link Market services, the share registry owned by Pacific Equity Partners (PEP), in a deal that could be worth as much as $1.36 billion. If the transaction goes through, it would be Asia’s biggest...
Australia offers residency for VC investors
The Australian government has announced plans to offer permanent residency to those who invest $5 million in domestic venture capital funds. It is expecting the most interest in the incentive to come from Asia – or more specifically, China.
Australia’s NAB pulls out of private equity
National Australia Bank (NAB) is winding down its private equity unit a matter of months after the division suffered an A$25 million write-down on its investment in electronics retailer WOW Sight & Sound.
Lazard-backed Hastie Group enters administration
Hastie Group, the Australian engineering company backed by Lazard, has entered into voluntary administration after recapitalization talks failed. It comes after recapitalization talks failed due to “accounting irregularities” led to a profits charge...
Asahi says it paid too much for PE-backed Independent Liquor
Asahi Group is re-examining the terms of its NZ$1.5 billion ($1.27 billion) acquisition last year of Independent Liquor from Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and Unitas Capital, suggesting there were differences in understanding between the buyer and sellers...
Crest Capital acquires 51% of Australia’s Questus
Singapore-based Crest Capital Asia has agreed to recapitalize Western Australia’s Questus in exchange for a 51% stake in the investment company.
VIDEO: Advent Private Capital's Rupert Harrington
Western Australia is the country's fourth-largest state by population but the richest by natural resources and this has seen it emerge as the primary source of economic growth. This shift in momentum from east coast to west – coupled with the cyclical...
PE-owned oOh!Media tipped to buy Ten’s outdoor ad business
Australia’s Ten Network Holdings has entered into exclusive negotiations with a bidder for its outdoor advertising business, Eye Corp. The company didn’t disclose the identity of the bidder, but it is thought to be oOh!Media Group, which was bought...
PEP seeks buyers for Link Group – report
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has reportedly begun the auction process for Link Group, which could sell for as much as A$1.4 billion ($1.4 billion), including debt. It is poised to be Asia’s biggest private equity exit of the year.
Ironbridge targets $1b for Fund III, invests $95m in dental business
Australian private equity house Ironbridge Capital has said it will target up to A$1 billion ($1 billion) for its third fund, for which it will begin fundraising in the second half of this year.
AMP Capital acquires Australian schools project for $232m
Asset manager AMP Capital has received approval to acquire the South Australian Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) project for an enterprise value of $232 million.
FX hedging: Know your risk
Private equity firms are hedging the currency risk of their investments in Asia Pacific longer and later in the investment cycle than ever before
Sentient closes fourth fund at $1.3b
The Sentient Group, a private equity firm that focuses on the global metals, minerals and energy sectors, has closed its fourth fund on $1.3 billion.
TPG, Carlyle sell Healthscope pathology assets for $100m
TPG Capital and the Carlyle Group have sold the New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australian pathology businesses of their portfolio company, Healthscope, for A$100 million ($100 million). The buyer was pathology and radiology group Sonic Healthcare.
KKR ends takeover talks with Pacific Brands
Melbourne-based underwear manufacturer Pacific Brands said on Tuesday that a takeover from parties including KKR is unlikely in the near term.