North America
Hillhouse, FountainVest agree $1b Zhaopin take-private
Hillhouse Capital and FountainVest Partners, along with Australia’s Seek International, have agreed to buy US-listed Chinese recruitment website Zhaopin in a deal that values the company at $1.01 billion.
US PE firm sells Reliance Home Comfort to HK tycoon Li Ka-Shing
US-based PE firm Alinda Capital Partners has agreed to sell Canadian heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) firm Reliance Home Comfort to Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-Shing’s Cheung Kong Property Holdings (CKP) for C$2.8 billion ($2.1 billion).
Oceanwide, IDG Capital complete purchase of International Data Group
China Oceanwide Holdings has completed its acquisition of International Data Group (IDG) and now holds a 90% stake in the target’s operating business, with IDG Capital owning the remaining 10%.
B Capital leads $25m Series C for India's Icertis
B Capital Group - a VC firm launched by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin - has led a $25 million Series C round for Icertis, an India and US-based company that provides cloud-based contract management software.
Blackstone sells SeaWorld stake to Chinese trade buyer
The Blackstone Group has agreed to exit theme park operator SeaWorld by selling a 21% stake to Zhonghong Zhuoye Group – a Chinese real estate developer with an interest in leisure and tourism – for about $449 million.
VCs invest $75m in US-New Zealand aerospace player
US venture capital firms Data Collective and Promus Ventures have joined a number of existing investors in a $75 million Series D funding round for US and New Zealand-based aerospace company Rocket Lab.
500 Startups opens Australia office
US-based early-stage investor 500 Startups has agreed to establish its Australian headquarters in Melbourne after receiving financial support from the state government of Victoria.
B Capital adds investment partner
B Capital Group has hired former Eight Roads Ventures managing director Kabir Narang as an investment partner in Singapore.
Euronet challenges Alibaba's acquisition of PE-backed MoneyGram
US payment services company Euronet Worldwide has extended a buyout offer worth about $2 billion for NASDAQ-listed MoneyGram, contesting a bid made earlier this year by Alibaba Group’s PE-backed affiliate Ant Financial. The pending sale will provide an...
PE and smart manufacturing: Intelligent designs
The emergence of internet-connected manufacturing has created a new investment area that will impact adjacent sectors and even entire economies for decades to come. PE is among the early movers
Platinum to buy Staples' Australia, New Zealand business
US-based private equity firm Platinum Equity has agreed to buy the Australia and New Zealand businesses of business products supplier Staples.
Brookfield to acquire SunEdison's yieldco platforms
Canada's Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to buy two energy platforms operated by US-based renewable energy producer SunEdison, including one with over half its total capacity in Asia.
Formation Group closes debut US-Asia fund at $357m
Formation Group, a Silicon Valley and Asia-focused venture capital firm established by Brian Koo (pictured), co-founder of Formation 8, has closed its debut fund at $357 million.
US online lender SoFi raises $500m to expand in Australia
US online lender and financial services company SoFi has secured a $500 million Series F funding round led by Silver Lake for an expansion effort into Australia.
Ex-HarbourVest Asia head withdraws candidacy for US navy secretary
Philip Bilden, the former Asia head of HarbourVest Partners, has withdrawn himself from consideration to be US navy secretary, citing potential conflicts with his family’s business interests.
K2 Global raises $183m for US-Asia VC fund
K2 Global has raised $183 million for its debut venture fund, which aims to promote cross-border development in Asian and US technology start-ups.
VCs commit $60m to US VR firm for Asia push
Several Asian VC investors have joined a $60 million Series D round for US-based virtual reality (VR) and digital cinematography technology developer Lytro to support its expansion into Asia.
Softbank to buy US-listed Fortress for $3.3b
SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire Fortress Investment Group – which manages $36.7 billion in alternatives – for approximately $3.3 billion in cash. It puts the Japanese company on course to become one of the world’s largest asset managers.
Alibaba's Ant Financial to buy THL-backed MoneyGram
Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL) will exit US-listed MoneyGram following an agreement to merge the money-transfer services provider with Ant Financial, a PE-backed online financial services affiliate of Alibaba Group, in a deal that values the business at...
Secondary volumes decline in 2016 – survey
Global secondary market volume reached $42.15 billion last year, failing to eclipse the consecutive record annual totals of $49.3 billion and $49.6 billion in 2014 and 2015, according to Setter Capital.
Ex-HarbourVest Asia head nominated for US navy secretary
President Donald Trump has announced that Philip Bilden, who previously led the Asia operation of HarbourVest Partners, will be his nominee for US navy secretary.
Deal focus: Innotech realizes global ad tech ambitions
Chinese captive private equity unit Innotech Capitals has secured its first acquisition in the US, picking up data aggregation platform Ad-Juster with a view to supporting its expansion in China
Horizons invests $23m in US auto group's China push
Horizons Ventures - an investment firm controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing - has led a $23 million round for a Chinese business development effort by US-based automotive technology company Divergent 3D.
Australian analytics start-up Local Measure raises $3.4m
Local Measure, an Australian analytics technology provider servicing the tourism industry, has raised $3.4 million for an expansion effort that will include opening new offices in Los Angeles and Dubai.