South Asia
KPMG hires PwC's Ambarish Dasgupta
KPMG India has hired Ambarish Dasgupta, former consulting leader with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India, to head up its management consulting practice in Mumbai.
SEBI approves first Indian social venture fund
The Incube Connect Fund has become the first social venture fund to be approved under the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) new registration regulations.
Marck Biosciences gets $8.3m from Tata healthcare fund
Tata Capital Healthcare Fund has invested INR450 million ($8.3 million) for a 13% stake in Ahmedabad-based drug maker Marck Biosciences. Previous plans for an IPO have now been shelved.
IFC to invest $24m in India's Ratnakar Bank
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, plans to invest up to INR1.3 billion ($24 million) in India’s Ratnakar Bank. The commitment, which would be structured as a preferential allotment, complies with IFC’s strategy...
Macquarie, SBI to buy majority stake in GMR Jadcherla Expressways
Macquarie SBI Infrastructure Fund (MSIF) has agreed to buy a 74% stake in GMR Jadcherla Expressways from Bangalore-based infrastructure major GMR Group.
Bessemer backs Indian IT services provider Anunta
Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP) has invested in Anunta Technology Management Services, a cloud-based IT services company, as part of Series A investment round. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Blackstone invests in India business park – report
The Blackstone Group has reportedly joined two other companies in purchasing a business park in South India for INR19.6 billion ($367 million).
Unilazer Ventures invests in Valyoo Technologies
Unilazer Ventures has joined IDG Ventures in investing INR530 million ($10 million) in Delhi-based Valyoo Technologies, which owns e-commerce sites LensKart, BagsKart, WatchKart and JewelKart.
Creador backs Indian home loans provider
Creador has acquired a 9.9% stake in Repco Home Finance (RHF), an Indian housing finance provider owned by Repco Bank, for INR724 million ($13.7 million). It is the India- and Southeast Asia-focused GP’s second deal in a fortnight and leaves the firm’s...
Zephyr Peacock, Credence back 20Cube Logistics
Zephyr Peacock India and Singapore-based Credence Partners are to invest $17 million in 20Cube Logistics for a significant minority stake.
Macquarie targets $1b fund for South, Southeast Asia - report
Macquarie Capital is said to be targeting $1.1 billion for its new fund focusing on South and Southeast Asia.
KPMG India appoints new PE head, Utamsingh leaves firm
KPMG India has appointed Vikram Hosangady, its head of transaction services, as its new private equity leader. His predecessor, Vikram Utamsingh, has left the company.
Tata Opportunities Fund names new managing partner
Tata Capital has shuffled personnel at Tata Opportunities Fund following Mukund Rajan’s appointment as chief ethics officer and brand custodian of Tata Group. Padmanabh Sinha, chief investment officer at the fund, will assume Rajan’s responsibilities...
Everstone bets on India's logistics space
The fact that Dehli-based Transpole is regarded one of India's largest shipping logistics firms yet still accounts for around 3% of its market speaks volumes for the level of fragmentation in the sector. Everstone Capital is betting on Transpole's potential...
Q&A: Tata Opportunities Fund's Mukund Rajan
India’s private equity industry has suffered criticism from disappointed LPs in the last couple of years. Mukund Rajan, managing partner of Tata Opportunities Fund, identifies a few positives
AGCA teams up with HarbourVest, Axiom to buy Credit Suisse PE assets
Asia Growth Capital Advisors (AGCA), which spun out from Credit Suisse’s private equity division in 2010, has acquired a portfolio of PE investments from its former parent, supported by HarbourVest Partners and Axiom Asia. Prior to the transaction, AGCA...
Asian advocacy: PE associations reach out to regulators
PE practitioners like light-touch regulation and usually prefer to stay at arm's length from government. A combination of global and national pressures has forced industry associations to revisit their strategies
IDG Ventures targets $175m for second India fund
IDG Ventures India is targeting $175 million for its second India-focused fund. The predecessor vehicle raised $150 million in 2007.
Aditya Birla-backed V-Mart raises $2.6m from anchor investors
Aditya Birla-backed V Mart Retail, a budget Indian retailer, has raised INR141 million ($2.6 million) from anchor investors, after finalizing the allocation of 674,000 shares at INRR210 apiece.
Anil Ahuja departs 3i
Anil Ahuja, managing partner and head of Asia for 3i, has quit the private equity firm. According to a statement, Ahuja is leaving to pursue other opportunities, although he will still operate as a part-time consultant to 3i.
Blackstone buys majority stake Maldives seaplane operator
The Blackstone Group has acquired a majority stake in two Maldives-based seaplane operators, Maldivian Air Taxi (MAT) and Tran Maldivian Airways (TMA).
Avigo, Matrix back Indian education group
Avigo Capital and Matrix Partners India have invested INR1 billion ($18.7 million) in education service provider Maharana Infrastructure and Professional Services (MIPS)
NSR targets exit as India's Ortel files for IPO
New Silk Route (NSR) is set to exit Indian cable TV provider Ortel Communications with the company planning to raise as much as INR1 billion ($18.7 million) through an IPO. This is the second time Ortel has tried to go public, having pulled out of an...
India's Yes Bank to set up PE fund with IFC
Yes Bank, India's fourth largest privately owned lender, is to create a joint fund with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank.