North Asia
Korea's EQ Partners supports ArcelorMittal deal – report
South Korean private equity firm EQ Partners is said to be part of the Asian consortium that has acquired a 15% stake in ArcelorMittal Mines Canada (AMMC) for $1.1 billion. Other investors include South Korean steelmaker Posco and Taiwan’s China Steel...
Taiwan's Chinatrust in talks to buy Tokyo Star Bank - report
Chinatrust Commercial Bank, one of Taiwan's largest commercial banks, is reportedly in talks to acquire Tokyo Star Bank for JPY50 billion ($582 million). Tokyo Star's shareholders, which include Lone Star Funds, have previously struggled to find interested...
Advantage Partners buys Sanyo's camera business
Advantage Partners has acquired Sanyo Electric’s digital camera unit. Panasonic, which took control of its former competitor in 2009 in a JPY400 billion ($4.6 billion) acquisition, said it chose to do business with Advantage because of the private equity...
Carlyle relists Chimney, completes partial exit
The Carlyle Group has completed a partial exit from Japanese restaurant chain Chimney having relisted the company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange three years after taking it private. It is the private equity firm’s first IPO in Japan this year, having abandoned...
Templeton fully divests second emerging markets fund
Franklin Templeton has exited all the investments held in its second emerging markets fund, which was established in 2005 and had a corpus of $132.5 million. The vehicle has generated a net IRR of 34.3% and a money multiple of 2.1x.
Fortress closes second Japan distress fund at $1.6b
Fortress Investment Group has closed its second distress fund, Fortress Japan Opportunity Fund II, at its hard cap of JPY130 billion ($1.65 billion). It is the successor fund to Fortress Japan Opportunity Domestic Fund (FJOF) which closed in June 2010...
Japan's Fuller gets $1.2m seed round
Japanese internet service provider ASAHI Net and m8 Capital, a London-based VC firm, are leading a JPY100 million ($1.2 million) round of seed funding for Japan-based start-up Fuller Inc.
Advantage Partners in possible Sanyo acquisition - report
Panasonic may sell its Sanyo digital camera unit to Advantage Partners by the end of March.
2012: That was the year that was
The broad trends and particular highlights of private equity fundraising, investment and exit activity in Asia
Headland offers toymaker succession solution
Big eyed and rosy cheeked, Kong Suni the potty-training baby doll is the must-have toy in South Korea this year. Her ability to eat, fill her diaper and pass wind has attracted headlines both home and abroad. The doll is a creation of South Korean firm...
Korean PE fundraising to surpass $7b in 2012
The aggregate amount of private equity funds raised in South Korea this year is set to surpass KRW8 trillion ($7 billion), a record high for the country.
Illinois Teachers commits up to $125m to MBK's third fund
Illinois Teachers' Retirement System has committed up to $125 million to MBK Partners III. The pension plan previously committed $25 million to the North Asia-focused private equity firm’s second vehicle in 2008.
Renesas sells $1.8b in shares to INCJ-led consortium
Ailing Japanese chip-maker Renesas will sell JPY150 billion ($1.8 billion) of new shares to a consortium led by government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ).
Fenox VC invests in Japan's Dream Link Entertainment
Silicon Valley-based Fenox VC has invested in Japanese flash animation studio Dream Link Entertainment (DLE).
Headland completes $55m buyout of South Korea's YoungToys
Headland Capital Partners has a acquired a 96.5% stake in South Korean toy manufacturer YoungToys for KRW60 billion ($55 million). It is the 10th investment from Headland Private Equity Fund 6.
Asia Awards: Firm of the Year – Bain Capital
In the past 12 months, Bain Capital has raised its second Asia fund, closed sizeable deals in Japan and India, and completed a strong China exit. Jonathan Zhu, a managing director at the PE firm, looks back and forward
Asia Awards: PE Professional of the Year – Roy Kuan
CVC Capital Partners has completed five investments and two exits in the last 12 months. Managing Partner Roy Kuan, who leads the Asia team, and colleagues Francis Leung and SigitPrasetya, discuss market trends
Iris Capital opens offices in Tokyo and Beijing
Iris Capital has opened offices in Tokyo and Beijing as part of an international expansion which also sees the French venture capital firm open three offices in North America.
Maine PERS commits $30m to Affinity's fourth Asia fund
Affinity Equity Partners has secured a $30 million commitment for its fourth pan-Asia fund from the Maine Public Employees’ Retirement Systems (Maine PERS). It was one of four investments, each of the $30 million that the $11 billion pension plan announced...
MBK reaches first close of $1.25b on Fund III
MBK Partners has reached a first close of $1.25 billion on its third buyout fund, industry sources have told AVCJ. The vehicle launched in September and has a full target of $2.25 billion. MBK declined to comment.
Baird appoints Satoshi Matsumoto as Japan-focused MD
Baird has appointed Satoshi Matsumoto to its investment banking group as managing director and director of Japan M&A.
CITIC Captial to acquire Japan's Polymatech
CITIC Capital Partners has agreed to acquire 100% of Polymatech, a manufacturer of polymer parts for the electronics industry, based in Fukushima.
Korean start-up accelerator appoints new GPs
Korean start-up accelerator SparkLabs has appointed Jay McCarthy and Awy Julianto as general partners. They are managing partner and general partner, respectively, at Singapore-based boutique M&A and financial advisory firm Pacific Advisors.
Japan's GPIF selects groups for PE feasibility study
Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) has chosen four companies to conduct feasibility studies for possible future investments in alternative assets, including private equity.