Regions
Private equity-backed SF Express lists in Shenzhen
China’s largest express delivery services provider SF Express, which is backed by several PE investors, has completed a backdoor listing in Shenzhen that values the business at RMB43.3 billion ($6.6 billion).
Kickstart, BPI invest in Zalora Philippines alongside parent
Kickstart Ventures and BPI Capital have joined their parent Ayala Group to buy a 49% stake in the Philippines business of online fashion retailer Zalora.
K2 Global raises $183m for US-Asia VC fund
K2 Global has raised $183 million for its debut venture fund, which aims to promote cross-border development in Asian and US technology start-ups.
China P2P car rental site Atzuche raises $58m Series C
Atzuche, a Shanghai-based peer-to-peer (P2P) car rental start-up, has completed a RMB400 million ($58 million) Series C round of funding.
Soft middle: Australia's underserved lower middle market
Fewer GPs are targeting Australia's lower middle market as a result of increasing fund sizes and the difficulties local LPs have writing small-ticket checks. The arrival of new PE firms is encouraging, but they aren't necessarily positioned to fill this...
Oaktree merges Fitness First Asia with Navis-owned gym business
The Hong Kong and Southeast Asia business of Fitness First, which is controlled by Oaktree Capital Management, has agreed to merge with Celebrity Fitness, a Southeast Asia gym operator owned by Navis Capital Partners.
Cost conundrum: Super funds, fees and private equity
Australian regulators want greater consistency in how superannuation funds report costs and fees to members. While sound in principle, the draft measure is problematic in practice, especially for private equity
IDG Capital invests in CreditEase's insurance unit
CreditEase Insurance Agency, an insurance unit of China’s CreditEase Wealth Management, has raised RMB80 million ($12 million) from investors including IDG Capital through a private placement on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ).
AirTree leads $19m investment in Australia's Prospa
AirTree Ventures has led a A$25 million ($19.2 million) investment in Australian financial technology company Prospa.
Permira-owned Sushiro targets $728m Japan IPO
Sushiro Global Holdings, a sushi restaurant chain majority-owned by Permira, is looking to raise up to JPY82.4 billion ($728 million) through an IPO in Tokyo.
US materials group gets $15m for China, Korea push
A group of investors including GSR Ventures has committed $15 million to C3Nano, a US-based supplier for the touchscreen and digital display industry looking to expand its footprint in China and Korea.
Hong Kong AR player Banuba raises $5m
Banuba, a Hong Kong-based developer of technologies for augmented reality (AR) mobile applications, has raised $5 million from VP Capital and Larnabel Ventures.
Shanda leads $5.6m round for Indonesia's Nida
Indonesian hotel reservation services provider Nida Rooms has raised a $5.6 million Series A round of funding led by China’s Shanda Group.
China healthcare platform Anxin Doctor raises $29m
Beijing-based Anxin Doctor, a mobile app focused on pediatric and women's healthcare, has completed a RMB200 million ($29 million) Series B round of funding across two tranches.
Australia mining: Desert stirrings
A stronger commodity price environment has spurred some opportunistic private equity investment in Australian mining services, but caution remains the mantra in this industry of capricious value drivers
China's Ant Financial invests $200m in Kakao payment unit
Ant Financial, the financial services affiliate of China’s Alibaba Group, has agreed invest $200 million in a dedicated mobile finance platform that will soon be launched by South Korean internet giant Kakao Corp.
PE investors join $1.53b financing round for Baidu’s iQiyi
China’s iQiyi.com, a video-streaming platform majority-owned by search giant Baidu, has raised $1.53 billion from a group of private equity investors through the sale of convertible notes.
IFC set for $60m investment in SE Asian medical player
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, has proposed a commitment of $60 million to IDS Medical Systems, a Hong Kong-based healthcare industry supplier for Southeast Asia.
China’s Meituan-Dianping launches $436m consumer fund
Meituan-Dianping, a China-based online-to-offline (O2O) services platform created through the merger of two rival groups, has launched a RMB3 billion ($436 million) fund that will make early-stage consumer sector investments.
ChrysCapital raises $600m for seventh India fund
ChrysCapital has closed its seventh India fund with more than $600 million, beating its target.
Australia aged care: The golden years
Australia’s aged care segment continues to appeal to private equity investors. But GPs must be wary of the challenges posed by the government’s unique stake in the market
Q&A: Adamantem Capital's Anthony Kerwick & Rob Koczkar
After more than 25 years between them at Pacific Equity Partners, Anthony Kerwick and Rob Koczkar departed in 2014 to pursue other opportunities. They have now joined forces as Adamantem Capital
The hybrids: GPs seek to work with Australian family offices
Australia’s lower middle market is rich in investment opportunities but underpenetrated by private equity. Local family offices are increasingly keen on participating, although in their own way
Singapore's Temasek opens San Francisco office
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has opened an office in San Francisco, expanding its US presence following the establishment of a New York office in 2014.