North America
Secondaries: Bifurcation point
More LP interests in Asian funds are coming onto the secondary market, but the region remains the industry’s future rather than its present. Which investors will be around to witness it coming to bloom?
OTPP loses head of Asia fund investments
Alison Nankivell has left her role as head of Asian fund investments at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) for a job with Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
Japan's Rakuten acquires VC-backed video site Viki
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has acquired Viki, a VC-backed global video streaming platform.The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Japan's Rakuten leads $23m Series B round for e-commerce app Slice
Rakuten Group - Japan's largest e-commerce firm - has led a $23 million financing round for the Silicon Valley-based start-up behind online shopping app Slice.
American Capital exits Miami flight school to Japan's ANA for $79m
American Capital has exited its majority stake in the Miami-based Pan Am International Flight Academy to Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) for $79 million, claiming a compound annual rate of return of 16% over the lifetime of the investment.
Profile: 500 Startups' Dave McClure
A Silicon Valley veteran of nearly 25 years standing, 500 Startups founder Dave McClure has worked for PayPal and sold a software firm to Intel. Now he is bringing his own brand of angel investing to Asia
Singapore's Temasek exits Cheniere Energy
Temasek Holdings has halved its stake in Cheniere Energy, taking advantage of a spike in the US liquefied natural gas (LNG) company’s shares. The Singapore fund sold 9.2 million shares in the second quarter of 2013 at a valuation of $257 million.
China's 58.com plans for $100m IPO in the US - report
Chinese venture capital-backed local classifieds website 58.com intends to raise at least $100 million through a US IPO later this year.
Clearlake Capital buys Australia-based auto interiors firm
Clearlake Capital Group, the Los Angeles-headquartered PE firm, has made its first investment in Australia, buying Elders’ automotive business for A$69 million ($62 million), including debt. The divestment allows Elders to become a pure-play rural and...
Founder of VC-backed ShopClues faces US charges
Sandeep Aggarwal, founder of VC-backed Indian e-commerce site ShopClues, has been arrested in the US in connection with the SAC Capital Advisors insider trading investigation. He is charged with passing confidential information to a trader concerning...
Asia Pacific Capital completes $25m Series C round for Ciris Energy
Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific Capital (APC) has invested $15 million in Ciris Energy, a US company that converts coal to natural gas, concluding a $25 million Series C round of investment.
Zhejiang ZF invests in Canada's Empire Industries
Zhejiang ZF investment (ZZG) has invested in Empire Industries - a steel fabrication company in Canada - via a $3m private placement.
SEC removes PE general solicitation ban
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has voted to remove the longstanding ban on general solicitation by private-issuers, opening a path for private equity firms to speak publicly about their fundraising efforts and engage more freely with...
Japan, Canada pension fund consortium makes first investment
A consortium of Canada's Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement Scheme (OMERS) and a group of Japanese pension funds led by Mistubishi Corp. has made its first investment in Midland Cogeneration Venture (MCV), a gas power plant in the US. The details...
Friend or foe? Chinese M&A in the US
Chinese companies are keen to acquire assets overseas and the US is a popular target. Success hinges on satisfying regulators, appeasing politicians and persuading sellers of their ability to execute transactions
Sun Capital exits US-based ASB to Japan's Lixil
Sun Capital Partners has exited its stake in American Standard Brands (ASB), a US maker of bathroom and kitchen fixtures, to Japanese toilet manufacturer Lixil Corp. for $542 million. The deal values the 138 year-old firm at around $342 million and includes...
PEP-owned American Stock Transfer refinances debt – report
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) is said to have tapped the US markets to refinance $480 million in debt held by portfolio company American Stock Transfer (AST). This is the third time in less than two months that firms owned by the Australian GP have completed...
TIAA-CREF merges property business with Henderson to boost Asia exposure
TIAA-CREF has merged its real estate business with that of London-based manager Henderson Global Investors in order to broaden its global portfolio and gain better Asia exposure in particular.
Japanese, Chinese VCs provide $4.4m round for social site Muzy
The Silicon Valley-based venture capital arm of Japanese telecoms giant NTT Docomo, Docomo Capital, and Recruit Strategic Partners - the corporate VC arm of Japanese internet company Recruit Holdings - have teamed up with Chinese entrepreneurs to invest...
Tencent leads $150m financing round for Fab.com
Chinese internet group Tencent has led a $150m round of investment for US online design store Fab.com, in a fourth round of financing which is yet to close. The deal values the company at $1 billion, not including new capital raised.
Fidelity leads Series B round for India's Cloudbyte
Fidelity Growth Partners India has led a $4 million Series B round of investment in Cloudbyte, a company which provides cloud-storage solutions for online applications. Existing investors Nexus Venture Partners and Kae Capital also participated.
CalPERS CIO Joseph Dear scales back responsibilities
Joseph Dear, chief investment officer at California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), has given up some of his duties at the pension fund as he undergoes treatment for prostate cancer.
Oregon Investment Council backs Morgan Stanley, RRJ funds
Oregon Investment Council (OIC) has committed $75 million to Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia’s (MSPEA) fourth pan-regional fund. The vehicle, which reached a first close of $750 million towards the end of last year after less than six months in the...
Japan's Marubeni scales back deal for PE-owned Gavilon
Marubeni has scaled back its offer for General Atlantic-owned US grain trader Gavilon by $1 billion after cutting the company's energy trading arm out of the deal.