Regions
Innovation Works’ Kai-Fu Lee diagnosed with cancer
Kai-Fu Lee, founder and CEO of Innovation Works and former head of Google Greater China, has been diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
ADB to invest $245m in Pakistan’s power sector
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will invest $245 million to improve Pakistan’s power distribution systems. The capital, structured as a loan, is the third tranche of the bank's Power Distribution Enhancement Investment Program.
ADIA buys Australia hotel portfolio
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has bought Tourism Asset Holdings (TAHL), Australia’s largest hotel owner. The deal will see the Middle East sovereign wealth fund assume control of 31 Accor-operated properties in major cities.
Toshiba expands in India with 3i’s Vijai Electricals acquisition
Japan’s Toshiba Corporation will acquire the majority of Vijai Electricals’ electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) business for approximately $200 million. 3i bought a minority stake in Vijai for $25.8 million in 2006.
Orion Partners to launch $250m Japan care homes fund
Hong Kong-headquartered Orion Partners, formerly known as Ajia Partners, is looking to raise as much as JPY25 billion ($250 million) for its third Japan care homes investment fund.
LeapFrog in $204m first close on emerging markets microfinance fund
Specialist microfinance investor LeapFrog Investments has reached a first close of $204 million for its second fund after just eight months in the market. The vehicle, which has a full target of $400 million, will back companies in South Asia, Southeast...
Australia's Wolseley targets $279m for Fund III
Wolseley Private Equity is targeting A$300 million ($279 million) for its third fund, which will invest in small to mid-size privately-owned businesses in Australia and New Zealand. The GP expects to see considerable opportunities in this space as founders...
Japan's Dogan closes Kyushu SME fund at $34m
Japanese GP Dogan Advisors has reached a JPY3.3 billion ($34 million) close on its latest regional fund, Kyushu BOLERO (Buyout for local enterprise and reform organization) Fund 2.
Nissay Capital invests $1.9m in towel company
Nissay Capital has invested JPY199 million ($1.9 million) in Japanese towel maker, Ikeuchi Towel. The size of the stake acquired was not disclosed.
Meridian Capital invests in China fashion app Ichuanyi
Meridian Capital has committed a Series A round of funding for Chinese fashion and clothing mobile app Ichuanyi.com. The investment size was not disclosed.
Taiwan's CID Group raises $100m for Greater China fund
Taiwanese private equity firm CID Group closed its fourth fund - which focuses on Greater China investments - at $100 million, with half the corpus coming from the GP itself.
CalSTRS alters allocation to favor inflation sensitive, illiquid assets
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) will recalibrate the long-term allocation targets of its $170 billion investment portfolio, placing greater emphasis on inflation-sensitive and illiquid assets at the expense of equities and...
Battle of the strategics
We have grown accustomed to China’s incumbent internet giants engaging in M&A. Since 2010, the BATS – Baidu, Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings and Sina – have deployed around $6.5 billion (and that’s just disclosed transactions), eight times the...
Secondaries: Bifurcation point
More LP interests in Asian funds are coming onto the secondary market, but the region remains the industry’s future rather than its present. Which investors will be around to witness it coming to bloom?
Litigation funds: The justice league
Litigation financiers are increasingly looking for opportunities in Asia, many making their investments out of private equity-style funds. But do they bring the same returns?
RMB fund-of-funds: Patience is a virtue
As some global fund-of-funds struggle to raise funds, their renminbi counterparts are struggling to find a purpose – government-backed vehicles excepted. A more mature LP base should bring more demand
SmartPay joins Ping An’s e-payment push
Ping An Insurance Group has taken the fight to Alibaba Group once before. In 2010 it bought an 80% stake in online grocery retailer Yihaodian and helped build the business into one of China’s leading B2C e-commerce players, finding space in the corner...
Navis in Australia demographics play
Australian politicians have long debated ways to enlarge the country’s tax base as they prepare for the economic ramifications of a spiraling dependency ratio. By 2050 there will be just 2.7 people of working age for each person aged 65 and over, compared...
Q&A: Jupiter Capital's Indika Hettiarachchi
Indika Hettiarachchi, director at Sri Lanka-based Jupiter Capital Partners, outlines why India’s economic troubles could help other South Asian countries get a bigger share of investment in the region
China Fortune Link to set up RMB VC fund in Qinghai province
China Fortune Link Fund Management has rolled out a RMB100 million ($16.3 million) venture capital fund to invest in Qinghai, a province located in China's far northwest.
Sequoia invests $10m in China personal finance site
Sequoia Capital has committed a total of $10 million across two rounds of funding for Feidee.com, a Beijing-based personal finance management website.
Indonesia flight booking service gets Series A round from Samwer brothers
Global Founders Capital (GFC) a VC firm co-founded by Rocket Internet’s Samwer brothers, has made its first Asia investment - committing an undisclosed sum to Indonesian flight search engine Traveloka.
COFCO PE unit to back Huishan Dairy IPO – report
The PE unit of Chinese food conglomerate COFCO will be among the cornerstone investors in milk producer China Huishan Dairy Holdings, which plans to list in Hong Kong in September.
Australia's BlueChilli targets $10m for angel fund
Australian venture firm BlueChilli is looking to raise a $10 million angel fund for early-stage tech investments.