North Asia
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.
CyberAgent Ventures backs Vietnam food review site
CyberAgent Ventures has made an undisclosed commitment to Vietnamese food review site, Foody. The venture capital arm of Tokyo-based internet firm CyberAgent made the investment through its CA Asia Internet Fund I, a Southeast Asia-focused VC vehicle.
Lone Star starts arbitration proceedings against Korean government
Lone Star Funds has initiated arbitration of its claim for damages suffered as a result of alleged unlawful intervention by the Korean government with the private equity firm’s rights as a major shareholder in Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) and other companies...
AVCJ at 25: Turning points
To mark the 25th anniversary of Asian Venture Capital Journal, we highlight five key phases in the development of asset class in Asia and talk to the individuals involved. Two of the phases are births – of a sort – and the other three are crises,...
Nomura launches private equity index
Japanese investment bank Nomura claims to have launched the world's first daily investable private equity index.
Carlyle to list Chimney in December
The Carlyle Group is to sell part of its stake in Japanese restaurant chain operator Chimney through an IPO in December, its third attempt to list a Japanese asset this year.
MBK’s Coway deal revived after court approval
MBK Partners’s acquisition of a significant minority stake in water purifier manufacturer Woongjin Coway appears to be back on track after a South Korean court approved the KRW1.2 trillion ($1.1 billion) deal. The deal was put on hold last month after...
PE & PR: Private equity’s public face
Private equity is more entrenched and better understood in some Asian markets than others. What do the various stakeholders - entrepreneurs, government, media, public - make of the asset class?
Asia fundraising: Emerging LPs
Led by a clutch of sovereign wealth funds, Asia’s emerging LPs are looking to boost their alternatives exposure. Fund managers in search of allocations must find out what makes these institutions tick
Paul Hastings opens Seoul office
Paul Hastings has opened an office in Seoul, its 20th location globally. It follows a number of international law firms in setting up a presence in South Korea.
South Korea VC: State subsidies
South Korea’s venture capital industry is the fourth-largest in the world thanks to generous government support. But is this support helping or hindering the development of self-sustaining investment ecosystem?
Japan's CyberAgent invests in Taiwanese start-up
CyberAgent Ventures has invested $500,000 in Polydice, the Taiwanese start-up behind recipe-themed social network iCook.tw
Carlyle to buy Diversey Japan from Sealed Air
The Carlyle Group has agreed to by Japanese sanitation business Diversey Japan from the Sealed Air Corporation for JPY30 billion ($377 million).