South Asia
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,...
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.
Sequoia joins Series A round for personal search engine
Sequoia Capital India has joined Qualcomm Ventures in investing over $1 million in Dexetra, the maker of Friday, a personal search mobile application.
ePlanet exits agro-chemicals firm as Japan's SDS enters
ePlanet will exit Indian agro-chemicals firm Sree Ramcides Chemicals as Japan's SDS Biotech invests INR1 billion ($18.8 million) in the company for a 65% stake.
Tata Capital to raise maiden distress fund
Tata Capital, the private equity arm of India's Tata group, plans to raise nearly INR5 billion ($94 million) for its maiden distress assets fund.
India expects tax settlement with Vodafone, seeks to reassure investors
The Indian government is close to settling its $2.6 billion tax dispute with Vodafone, according to the country’s finance minister. If the issue can be resolved it would reassure foreign investors’ concerned about the tax treatment of transactions...
Everstone invests in Transpole Logistics
Everstone Capital has invested INR2.2 billion ($41 million) in India's Transpole Logistics. The Dehli-headquartered firm provides services including freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution.
Talent tinkering: Operating partners in Asia
Operational value-add is becoming the new normal in Asia as private equity firms hire professionals with the skills to build portfolio companies. However, methods of recruitment and retention vary hugely