MENA
QIA recruits Asia-focused portfolio manager from CPPIB
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has recruited Nicholas Low, previously an Asia-focused investment professional at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), to work on its global venture and growth funds platform.
Gulf gambit: Asia GPs court Middle East LPs
As the Middle East becomes a focal point for private equity fundraising globally, Asia-based managers hope that macro trends work in their favour. Being the right size and the right strategic fit also helps
GP profile: Square Peg Capital
Square Peg Capital came of age at the same time as the Australian and Southeast Asian VC ecosystems, straddling the two with a toehold in Israel. The idea was to think big, not get big. It’s doing both
Saudi Arabia's PIF backs China e-sports platform
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has invested USD 265m in China’s VSPO, an e-sports broadcaster and events promoter formerly known as VSPN.
Alibaba-backed eWTP pursues $1bn in VC fundraise
EWTP Arabia Capital, an investment arm of the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) backed by Alibaba Group and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has raised nearly USD 1bn for an Asia-Middle East fund.
Aramco backs Japan drone start-up
Saudi Arabia’s Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, has invested USD 14m in Japanese drone maker Terra Drone on the back of a JPY 8bn (USD 62m) Series B round.
Dalma Capital buys Singapore's Global CIO Office
Dalma Capital Group, a Dubai-headquartered alternative investment management platform, has agreed to buy The Global CIO Office, a Singapore-based outsourced CIO business that primarily serves family offices.
Korea's Bespin Global gets $100m Series D
Korea-headquartered cloud services company Bespin Global has raised a USD 100m Series D round led by a unit of Emirates Telecoms Group.
KKR, Mubadala form $1b Asia credit partnership
KKR and Mubadala Investment – a sovereign investor controlled by the government of Abu Dhabi – have established a partnership through which they will co-invest in performing credit opportunities across Asia Pacific.
Saudi Arabia's Sidra targets Asia, teams up with BlackRock
Sidra Capital, a Saudi Arabia-based alternative asset manager, has teamed up with BlackRock to offer shariah-compliant private equity opportunities in Asia Pacific.
TPG, Temasek invest $136m in India's Dr Agarwal’s
TPG Growth and Temasek Holdings have invested a combined INR 10.5bn (USD 136m) in Indian eyecare chain Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, setting up an exit for ADV Partners.
Q&A: Gulf Capital's Richard Dallas & Shantanu Mukerji
Richard Dallas, a senior managing director at Gulf Capital, and newly appointed Asia head Shantanu Mukerji on using Singapore as a regional hub, cross-border expansion, and why a dedicated regional fund is unlikely
Gulf Capital opens Singapore office
Abu Dhabi-based Gulf Capital has opened a Singapore office and appointed Shantanu Mukerji as its first on-the-ground private equity managing director in Asia.
Korea's IMM leads $64m round for vertical farming company
Korea’s IMM Investment has led a $64.5 million round for Abu Dhabi-based vertical farming company Pure Harvest Smart Farms as part of an Asian expansion
Tiger Global leads $144m round for India's DealShare
Tiger Global Management has led a $144 million Series D round for Indian social e-commerce start-up DealShare.
China's Crystal Stream backs Egypt e-commerce platform
Chinese VC firm Crystal Stream Capital has doubled down on a Middle East and Africa strategy with participation in a $40 million investment in Egyptian logistics start-up MaxAB.
China's MSA Capital backs Saudi B2B start-up
China’s MSA Capital has joined a $30.5 million round for Saudi Arabian B2B services marketplace Sary as part of a deepening Asia-Middle East agenda.
GP profile: Samena Capital
Conservative yet contrarian, Samena Capital has carved its own path prioritizing patience, trust, and transparency. A younger generation of leadership is guiding entry into a new digital landscape
Japan's Samurai Incubate raises Africa fund
Japanese venture capital firm Samurai Incubate has closed its second Africa-focused fund above target at just over JPY2.02 billion ($18.6 million).
Media SPAC legitimizes MENA for Asia investors
The imminent US listing of a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) media app via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) is helping legitimize the region for Asian private equity.
Asia-Middle East: Bridge builders
Back-and-forth investment and business building between Asia and the Middle East is a fertile theme for private equity. Such activity appears set to steadily increase rather than boom
India's PolicyBazaar raises $75m for Middle East expansion
PolicyBazaar, India’s largest insurance comparison portal, has raised $75 million from US-based Falcon Edge Capital for a Middle East expansion.
Shariah investors in PE: Tailored exposure
Employees Provident Fund’s $600 million shariah-compliant co-investment mandate suggests increasing institutional appetite for Islamic finance solutions in private equity. Is the industry ready?
Israel's OTV raises $170m, plans Asia expansion
OTV, an Israeli VC firm focused on digital health, has closed its latest fund at $170 million, opened a China office, and appointed a new head of Asia to spearhead an expansion in the region.
