Regions
Hong Kong tax: Still no certainty
The Financial Services Development Council has criticized Hong Kong's tax exemption for offshore PE funds - and with good reason. It remains to be seen if regulators have the will to respond the group's proposals
Goldman, Tennenbaum acquire Singapore's Conergy
Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Tennenbaum Capital Partners have acquired Conergy Asia & ME, the Singapore-based Asia Pacific branch of global solar power developer Conergy.
GIC leads $220m Series D for China’s Dianrong
Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform Dianrong.com has raised a $220 million Series D round led by Singapore’s GIC Private.
Creador invests in Malaysian bakery chain
Creador has invested MYR57 million ($13.3 million) in Bake With Yen (BWY), a Malaysian baking and confectionery ingredients supplier.
Deal focus: Liulishuo bridges the learning gap
China's Liulishuo wins $100 million in funding for an adult-focused education app that uses artificial intelligence to bring customized teaching solutions to English language learners
Blue Lake reaches $120m first close on China VC fund
Blue Lake Capital, a China-focused VC firm led by two former GGV Capital and Sequoia Capital executives, has reached a first close of more than $120 million on its second early-stage fund. The full target is $200 million.
Eight Roads, F-Prime invest $25m in India's PlasmaGen
Indian biopharmaceuticals company PlasmaGen BioSciences has raised a $25 million funding round led by Eight Roads Ventures.
IDFC acquires India solar portfolio
IDFC Alternatives has acquired a portfolio of solar power assets in India from US-based renewable energy developer First Solar Group.
Warburg Pincus to buy stake in Chinese mutual fund business
Warburg Pincus is set to acquire Société Générale's (SocGen) 49% interest in Fortune SG Asset Management, a Sino-foreign mutual fund joint venture with China’s Baosteel Group.
CMIA, Malaysian asset manager acquire Muslim-focused app
CMIA Capital Partners and Malaysia-based Affin Hwang Asset Management have acquired Bitsmedia Holdings, best known for operating an app that provides Muslims with accurate prayer times.
Deal focus: KKR hits the gas on Korea auto carve-out
KKR has backed two divisions of Korea's LS Group - worth a combined $940 million - giving it exposure to an established auto parts business and a division that could prosper on the back of the electric car boom
Japan VC: Culture club
The Cool Japan policy aims to internationalize a large but lagging economy beyond its manufacturing roots. Venture capital will be the key to reimagining unique overlaps of culture and technology
Secondary buyouts: Peer to peer
Maligned by some investors, sponsor-to-sponsor deals are gradually becoming more prevalent in Asia as the private equity industry matures. What is the early verdict?
India's Snapdeal calls off merger with Flipkart
Indian online marketplace Snapdeal has called off a planned merger with rival Flipkart and will pursue a restructuring plan to allow it to survive as an independent entity. Both companies have substantial PE and VC backing.
Jafco buys back $577m in shares from investors
Japanese venture capital firm Jafco has agreed to buy back JPY63.8 billion ($577.4 million) worth of shares from its major shareholders, including Nomura Holdings.
China First Capital to acquire Korean online education platform
Hong Kong-listed investment group China First Capital plans to acquire 54% of SJW International, a Korea-based online video English training platform, for about $135 million.
Singapore's Prestellar raises $100m VC fund
Prestellar Ventures, a Singapore-based GP backed by two Nepalese companies as well as Indian microfinance institution Satin Creditcare and India-focused investor Frontline Strategies, has raised a $100 million fund.
J-Star completes Japanese veterinary bolt-on
J-star has acquired Japanese veterinary chain VIS Corporation for an undisclosed amount in a bolt-on to existing portfolio company JVCC.
Fosun, Sanyuan to buy margarine maker from European GP
Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group has teamed up with Beijing Sanyuan Foods to buy French margarine maker St Hubert from Montagu Private Equity for EUR625 million ($734 million).
I Squared agrees $1.9b deal for Hutchison's fixed-line business
Infrastructure specialist I Squared Capital has agreed to buy the fixed-line telecom business of Hong Kong’s Hutchison Telecommunications, which is controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, for approximately HK$14.5 billion ($1.85 billion).
SAIF India raises $350m for third fund
SAIF India has raised $350 million for its third fund aimed at investments in both public and private companies at varying stages of development.
China’s Xiaomi confirms $1b debt deal
Chinese PE-backed smart phone maker Xiaomi has raised a new $1 billion loan to support global expansion and the build-out of its offline retail network.
PennSERS commits $100m to Asia Alternatives
Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System (PennSERS) has extended its long-standing relationship with Asia Alternatives, allocating $50 million to the firm’s latest fund-of-funds product and a further $50 million to a separate account.
Expedia invests $350m in Indonesia's VC-backed Traveloka
Expedia has paid $350 million for an unspecified minority stake in Traveloka, an Indonesian online travel services company backed by a number of venture capital firms.