Regions
KDDI, Yahoo, CyberAgent invest $3m in online language service
KDDI Open Innovation Fund, CyberAgent Ventures and YJ Capital - the investment arm of Yahoo Japan - have taken part in JPY330 million ($3.2 million) round of funding for RareJob, an English-language learning website.
City e-Solutions commits $25m in China property fund
CES Capital, a private equity arm of Hong Kong-listed City e-Solutions (CES), has committed $25 million to BEA Blue Sky Real Estate Fund, a vehicle operated by Bank of East Asia. The CES Capital contribution represents about half of the target fund size.
China Haitong Securities PE arm eyes buyout funds – report
Haitong Capital Investment, the PE arm of China Haitong Securities, is expected to launch its first renminbi- and US dollar- denominated buyout funds, targeting at least $526 million.
Australia’s PEP eyes US debt financing market
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) is considering US refinancing options for several of its portfolio companies after a well received debt offering for movie theater chain Hoyts in May. The Australian GP is one of several to opt for US over domestic debt markets,...
AIFMD: Brussels flexes it muscles
Europe’s Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), which comes into effect in July, will change the way private equity funds are marketed to EU investors. What does it means for Asian GPs?
A taste of Europe: Asian investor objectives
Asian LPs have become part of the landscape of European private equity, pursuing opportunities across buyouts, secondaries, credit and distress. But what do they really want from the region?
Q&A: Pacific Equity Partners' Tony Duthie
As one of Asia’s more mature markets, Australia has a different offering to most in the regional basket. Tony Duthie, managing director at Pacific Equity Partners (PEP), discusses buyouts, leverage and co-investment
European infrastructure: Bubble at the core
Asian investors are drawn to the diversification and yields offered by European infrastructure, but certain segments of the market are overheating. Prices are getting bid up and returns are likely to be pushed down
FountainVest scoops top AVCJ China Awards
AVCJ China Awards: Morgan Stanley PE Asia’s Homer Sun named PE Professional of the Year; the consortium behind Alibaba Group’s buyback win top deal honor; Carlyle gets exit award for China Pacific Insurance
East meets West: China PE and European corporates
Asian companies have sunk nearly $9 billion into European assets so far this year. In 2012, the final total for Asia-to-Europe M&A was more than $54 billion across 200 or so deals, according to AVCJ Research. This is more than was deployed in the four...
DBS buys more time for Bank Danamon control deal
DBS Group has extended the deadline for it to secure majority control of Indonesia’s Bank Danamon by two months to August 1. The bank wants to acquire the 67.4% stake in Danamon owned by Temasek Holdings – also DBS’ controlling shareholder – with...
ChrysCapital invests $44m in Indian FMCG CavinKare
ChrysCapital Partners has invested INR 2.5 billion ($44 million) to buy a minority stake in Indian consumer goods producer CavinKare.
Apax makes $22.6m from Apollo Hospitals partial exit
Apax Partners has made another partial exit from India’s Apollo Hospitals, generating proceeds of of INR1.28 billion ($22.6 million) via the National Stock Exchange.
TA-owned SpeedCast acquires Australia's Pactel
TA Associates-backed SpeedCast has acquired Pactel International, an Australia-based satellite communications service provider for an undisclosed sum, as part of effort to strengthen its presence in Asia.
INCJ-backed Seajacks sets up Japan wind farm unit
Seajacks International, a UK-based offshore energy services provider owned by Japan's Marubeni Corp. and government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), has launched its first Asian subsidiary - Seajacks Japan.
Billabong turns to refinancing options as buyout talks falter
Embattled Australian surfwear company Billabong has discarded the possibility of a takeover by two PE-backed suitors and is now looking at asset sales and alternative means of refinancing its debt. The private equity firms involved in the bids – Altamont...
India’s Snapdeal acquires e-retailer Shopo
Sequoia Capital-backed Shopo.in, an online marketplace for Indian handicraft products, has been bought by Snapdeal.com promoter Jasper Infotech for an undisclosed amount. Shopo had raised funding from Sequoia, SRI Capital and Seeders Venture Capital in...
India’s Aavishkaar to close VC Fund II at $95m, raise SE Asia fund
Aavishkaar Venture Management, which funds enterprises in India’s rural areas, is to close the Aavishkaar II fund at $95 million. Investors include the International Finance Corporation, Cisco, KfW, FMO, CDC Group and Rianta Capital, a London-based...
PE-backed TVS Logistics makes second bolt-on this year
TVS Logistics, an Indian supply chain manager backed by KKR and Goldman Sachs, has acquired US-based Wainwright Industries for INR500 million ($8.8 million).
Banks put up $7b for PE-backed Shuanghui’s Smithfield deal – report
Bank of China and Morgan Stanley will provide $7 billion in financing for PE-backed Shuanghui International’s buyout of a US pork producer Smithfield Foods. The proposed deal, which values Smithfield at $7.1 billion including debt.
CITIC PE completes $370m 3SBio take-private
Chinese biotechnology firm 3SBio will delist from NASDAQ after shareholders voted in favor of a privatization bid from a group led by the company’s CEO and CITIC Private Equity. The deal, which values 3SBio at $370 million, is the eighth successful...
HP to divest India’s MphasiS, PE firms eye deal – report
The Carlyle Group, The Blackstone Group, Advent International and Bain Capital are said to be in talks to buy HP’s 60.5% stake in Bangalore-based MphasiS, an IT services exporter. Domestic strategic players L&T Infotech and Tech Mahindra have also been...
PE firms struggle with rich valuations in Southeast Asia – survey
Increased competition for deals and buoyant equity markets have pushed up valuations in Southeast Asia, prompting private equity investors to hold back, according to a new survey. While the region is becoming more important in investment strategies, returns...
Cerberus raises Seibu stake, falls short of target
Cerberus Capital Management has raised its stake in Japan's Seibu Holdings to 35.48%, giving it enough control to block resolutions by management. However, the New York-headquartered firm fell short of its goal of buying 44.7% of the Japanese rail and...