South Asia
Positive signs from India
The last few years haven't been kind to Indian private equity. After a period of strong fundraising and bumper investment – a large portion of it into publicly-listed entities – the industry has largely been unable to deliver on the promise. Non-performers...
Clifford Chance appoints Latham partner to head Singapore funds team
Clifford Chance has hired Latham & Watkins partner Kai Schneider to lead its funds team in Singapore. He replaces Han Ming Ho, who is leaving for Sidley Austin.
India secondaries: Plan B?
India’s PE industry is expected to see an increase in secondary deals as funds approach maturity and GPs look for alternatives to difficult public market exits. But is the talking translating into transactions?
India’s IL&FS, IDFC see 2.6x return on gas distributor exit
IDFC Private Equity, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a subsidiary of IL&FS Investment Managers have sold their stake in Central UP Gas (CUGL) in a strategic sale to Indraprastha Gas. The investment generated a gross IRR of 17% and a money multiple...
ChrysCap exits Ahmednagar Forgings, buys Sequoia's Infotech stake
ChrysCapital Partners has exited Ahmednagar Forgings (AFL), a manufacturer of automotive components, for INR363 million ($6.07 million) through a series of bulk deals on the open market. The firm originally bought the stake for INR295 million in 2008.
TA invests $25m in India-based data analytics provider
TA Associates has acquired a minority stake in Mumbai-based data analytics provider Fractal Analytics for $25 million. It is the latest in a string of investments in India’s big data space, driven by the synergies between existing business process outsourcing...
Northern Lights, Nereus Capital bolster India clean energy
Nereus Capital has received $100 million in commitments from Northern Lights Capital Group and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for its $250 million India Alternative Energy Fund (IAEF).
ChrysCapital-backed Intas Pharma files for IPO
ChrysCapital Partners will exit the 10.16% stake held by Fund III in Ahmedabad-based formulations maker Intas Pharmaceuticals via an upcoming IPO. Another 6.25% stake will continue to be held by the PE firm's fifth fund.
Macquarie commits $58m to Prime Focus World
Macquarie Capital has invested $53 million in Prime Focus World (PFW), the creative services division of India-headquartered entertainment company Prime Focus.
Quadria hires Rajesh Singhal to boost India coverage
Quadria Capital has appointed Rajesh Singhal as principal managing partner. He will take responsibility for the education and healthcare portfolio companies in India Build-Out Fund I, a vehicle acquired from Milestone Religare Investment Advisors three...
Tencent-Naspers JV ibibo buys India ticketing firm redBus
Delhi-based ibibo Group has acquired VC-backed Indian bus ticketing company redBus.in, allowing Helion Venture Partners, Inventus Capital Partners and Seedfund to exit their investment. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Indian pharma firm Cipla launches VC unit
Cipla, an India-based generic drug maker, has set up a VC arm – Cipla Ventures – to invest in biotechnology, medical devices and new chemical entities.
AID Partners-backed Prime Focus to open in China
Prime Focus, a global movie effects and entertainment company headquartered in India and backed by Hong Kong PE firm AID Partners Capital, is to open an office in Beijing.
Omnivore invests in Indian agri-tech startup Barrix
VC investors Omnivore Partners has made a seed stage investment into Bangalore-based Barrix Agro Sciences, which develops pest control products that can reduce the use of chemical insecticides. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Fidelity leads Series B round for India's Cloudbyte
Fidelity Growth Partners India has led a $4 million Series B round of investment in Cloudbyte, a company which provides cloud-storage solutions for online applications. Existing investors Nexus Venture Partners and Kae Capital also participated.
Asian Healthcare Fund invests in Wellspring clinic chain
Delhi-based Asian Healthcare Fund (AHF) has invested in Wellspring Healthcare, which runs eight primary care clinics in Mumbai under the Healthspring Community Medical Centres brand. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
JLL reaches first close on debut India real estate fund
Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) Segregated Funds Group has reached a first close of INR1 billion ($17.2 million) on its Residential Opportunities Fund I. The vehicle launched last year and has a final target of INR3 billion ($51.2 million)
TriVeda Capital launches $500m real estate vehicle
India-focused TriVeda Capital has launched a $500 million real estate asset management platform, initially comprising five residential and mixed-used projects located in Bangalore. It plans to invest in structured property transactions in tier-one cities.
Avenue Venture invests $9.5m in Chennai residential project
Avenue Venture Partners has invested INR250 million ($4.3 million) in a Chennai luxury residential project being developed by Casa Grande. The firm plans to commit a total of INR550 million ($9.5 million) in the project.
PE, strategics back Gateway Distriparks subsidiary
Norwest Venture Partners has picked up a 14% stake in Indian port-based logistics operator Gateway Distripark's subsidiary Snowman Logistics for INR600 million ($10.4 million). Existing shareholders include International Finance Corporation (IFC) and...
ICICI Prudential exits Indian residential investment
ICICI Prudential AMC, a joint venture between India’s ICICI Bank and Eastspring Investments, has exited investments in two Shriram Properties residential projects in Bangalore with returns upwards of 20%.
Lumis, HDFC invest in India’s PeopleStrong
Lumis Partners has teamed up with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) to invest in PeopleStrong, an Indian human resources outsourcing company. The size of the equity commitment was not disclosed.
Motilal Oswal hires Sharad Mittal to head real estate
Motilal Oswal Private Equity (MOPE) has appointed Sharad Mittal as head of its real estate business. The firm is expected to launch an INR6 billion ($104 million) India real estate fund later this year.
India should simplify foreign investment rules, open more sectors to VC - committee
India should encourage investment by foreign portfolio investors by scaling back the regulatory apparatus used to register and monitor inbound capital flows, according to a high-level committee. It also recommended expanding the number of sector open...