North America
Hony supports $505m take-private of Simcere Pharmaceutical
Hony Capital is backing a $505 million management buyout of Chinese drug developer Simcere Pharmaceutical Group. It takes the number of take-private deals involving US-listed Chinese companies to 13, according to AVCJ Research.
Brookfield among suitors for CapitaLand's Australand - report
Canadian private equity firm Brookfield Asset Management is said to be among several investors targeting real estate developer Australand Property Group.
KPCB, IDG-Accel invest $10m in China's EntreMed
KPCB China and IDG-Accel China have agreed to invest $10.7 million in EntreMed, a clinical-stage pharma company that develops drugs in the US and China for global release.
CapitalAsia backs Canadian copper miner
CapitalAsia has agreed to invest $1.2 million in Toronto-listed copper miner Cadillac Ventures via the Sino-Canada Natural Resources Fund.
Australia's Pacific Road in Canadian resources deal – report
Australian private equity firm Pacific Road Capital Partners is investing A$10 million ($10.2 million) in coal mining firm CoalMont to fund its mining project in Canada.
RRJ, Blackstone boost holding in Cheniere Energy
RRJ Capital and GSO Capital, The Blackstone Group’s credit arm, have bought the bulk of $372 million in shares issued by Cheniere Energy Partners, a limited partnership that controls America’s fire liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant.
Deloitte sued over US-listed ChinaCast Education
Deloitte is being sued by a group of US investors over its auditing role at ChinaCast Education Corp. The Chinese company, which was backed by VC investors in its early years, went public in the US via a reverse merger in 2007 but has since been de-listed....
Virginia pension fund backs Fortress' Japan distress vehicle
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) has committed to $50 million to Fortress Investment Group’s Japan Opportunity Fund II, a distress-focused vehicle that closed last December at its hard cap of JPY130 billion ($1.65 billion).
Australia's AMP Capital invests $100m in US wind energy project
AMP Capital has injected $100 million in Capistrano Wind Partners, a large-scale wind energy project developer in North America, alongside a consortium of infrastructure investors. AMP made the commitment on behalf of a large Australian superannuation...
Zhongpin delays take-private deal, drops go-shop provision
Zhongpin, the NASDAQ-listed Chinese pork producer that is subject to a PE-backed management buyout bid, has amended the deal to allow more time for completion and prevent directors from sourcing competing offers. The valuation of $502 million is unchanged....
Canada's OMERS targets Australia
Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (OMERS), one of Canada’s big three pension funds, plans to increase its exposure to Australia through investments in infrastructure and natural resources.
Australia's Hastings adds to North America team
Australian infrastructure investor Hastings Funds Management has appointed Irene Mavroyannis as executive director with responsibility for business development in the US and Canada. She will join the existing investment team in New York.
3SBio board agrees to CITIC PE-backed buyout
The board of NASDAQ-listed Chinese biotechnology firm 3SBio has agreed to a privatization bid tabled by Jing Lou, its CEO, and CITIC Private Equity. The deal values the company at $340 million.
New York State Teachers shuffles PE, real estate heads
New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) has appointed John Virtanen as managing director for private equity. He moves over from the system’s property portfolio, which will now be overseen by David Gillan.
SFERS hires New York State Common's Art Wang
San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System (SFERS) has appointed Art Wang as managing director for private markets, with responsibility for private equity, real estate and real assets. He joins from New York State Common Retirement Fund (NYSCRF) where...
PSERS to invest in Morgan Stanley PE Asia's fourth fund
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) has received a commitment of up to $100 million for its fourth fund from Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS). The pension system previously invested in global funds launched by Morgan...
Summit Partners to invest $25m in The Iconic
Summit Partners is expected to invest $25 million into Australian fashion online retailer, The Iconic.
Samsung Ventures invests in Fixmo
Samusung Venture Investment Corp, the venture capital unit of Samsung Group, has invested in Canada's Fixmo, a mobile security solutions firm. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Temasek not interested in Silver Lake's Dell deal – report
Temasek Holdings is apparently not interested in joining a Silver Lake-led consortium that is looking to privatize Dell. Media reports have claimed that the Singapore sovereign wealth fund is one of a number of potential investment partners Silver Lake...
Massachusetts pension fund appoints PE head
The Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Board (MassPRIM) has appointed Michael Bailey as senior investment officer and director of private equity. The post was previously held by Wayne Smith, who departed in July 2011.
CalPERS sees 12% return on PE investments in 2012
The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), the biggest pension fund in the US, reported a 12.24% return on its private equity investments in 2012, compared with a sector benchmark of 28.45%.
EMPEA's Alexander to join Abraaj
Sarah Alexander, CEO of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA), has agreed to join The Abraaj Group as a managing director. EMPEA’s executive committee has recommended that Jennifer Choi, currently vice president of industry and external...
Wanxiang-backed fund exits D&R to strategic buyer
Summit Strategic Investments, a private equity fund controlled by Chinese auto parts manufacturer Wanxiang Group, has exited US-based D&R Technology to CTS Corporation.
LPs on Asia: The risk factor
Proximity is reassuring. It shouldn't be surprising that a corporate governance scandal in Asia triggers concerns among institutional investors in North America who are far removed from the information flow and first hear the news via newspaper headlines...