South Asia
Motilal Oswal PE plans $59m impact investment fund
Motilal Oswal Private Equity plans to raise an impact investment fund with a corpus of INR2.5-3 billion ($47-59 million) that will target socially relevant businesses.
Aditya Birla PE invests $10m in Olive Bar & Kitchen
Aditya Birla Private Equity has invested $10 million in Olive Bar & Kitchen, a Mumbai-based hospitality firm that runs a chain of fine-dining restaurants across India.
Italian PE fund backs Indian Hotels in $1.9b Orient-Express bid
Montezemolo & Partners, an Italian family-owned private equity firm, and Indian Hotels (IH), India’s biggest accommodation provider, have launched a $1.86 billion takeover bid for Orient-Express Hotels (OEH), a Bermuda-based hotel chain.
Blackstone seals India’s largest commercial real estate deal – report
The Blackstone Group has reportedly secured the biggest commercial real estate deal in India to date, acquiring a 50% stake in a portfolio of three business parks for $200 million.
Jungle Ventures launches $10m 'super angel' fund
Jungle Ventures, a Singapore-based investment firm, has launched a new "super angel” fund, which has raised an initial $10 million to be invested in start-ups across Asia.
Start-up investment: Fallen angels
The scarcity of seed capital in most of Asia has left the region’s entrepreneurs crying out for angel investors. What’s stopping them from flooding in?
SCPE thirsty for $32m Indian bottler deal
Despite its mammoth population - almost half of which is below the age of 30 – the per-capita consumption of soft drinks in India is one of the lowest in the world. For companies such as Varun Beverages (VBIL), which received an INR1.7 billion ($32...
PE-backed Samhi invests in Accor-owned Indian hotel chain
Samhi Investments has acquired a 60% stake in Barque Hotels, the company that owns 15 Formule 1 hotels in India, from French hospitality group Accor.
Everstone invests $38m in educational publisher S Chand
Everstone Capital has announced the acquisition of a minority stake in long-established Indian publisher, S Chand Group, for INR2 billion ($38 million).
Azure Capital launches $94m property fund
India's Azure Capital is raising an INR5 billion ($94.10 million) real estate private equity fund that will target commercial properties across the top seven cities in the country. The new vehicle - India Realty Fund II (IRF2) – will be raised completely...
Standard Chartered commits $35m to India’s Prime Focus
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has agreed to invest $35 million in Prime Focus, an Indian company that provides creative and technical services to the film, broadcast, advertising and media industries.
Baring India increases holding in Manappuram Finance
Baring India Private Equity has once again upped its stake in Manappuram Finance, a non-bank financial company (NBFC) specializing in gold loans.
Kaizen invests $4m in India’s Ace Creative Learning
Kaizen Private Equity, an Indian private equity firm that focuses on the education sector, has led a $4.6 million round in Bangalore-based Ace Creative Learning.
Everstone, India Value Fund join race to buy Avigo’s Spykar - report
Everstone Capital and India Value Fund are reportedly planning to compete with several global private equity firms for Avigo Capital Partners’ 60% stake in Indian apparel chain Spykar Lifestyle.
New Silk Route adds senior operating advisor
New Silk Route has hired William I. Campbell as senior operating advisor to assist in identifying global investment opportunities. The news comes amidst reports that the private equity firm has also recruited Rajeev Gupta, former head of The Carlyle Group's...
Actis supports Sri Lanka hospital consolidation
For Asiri Hospital Holdings (AHH) in Sri Lanka, read India’s Sterling Hospitals in India. Actis, which has acquired a $32 million equity stake in the Sri Lankan healthcare operator, found itself looking at a similar market dynamic when it first invested...
SCPE makes second investment in PepsiCo's South Asian bottler
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has invested a further INR1.7 billion ($32 million) in Varun Beverages (VBIL), the largest bottler for PepsiCo in South Asia.
Blackstone pays $100m for minority stake in International Tractors
The Blackstone Group has committed $100 million for a 12.5% stake in India's International Tractors (ITL). The capital will be used to expand production and pursue overseas acquisitions.
Info Edge acquires Accel-backed Toostep Consultancy
Accel Partners India has exited its stake in Toostep Consultancy after the networking and recruitment company was acquired by Info Edge, India’s leading online classified advertising player. Toostep staff will be integrated into the Info Edge team.
Nalanda Capital makes more than 2x return on Shree Cement
Singapore-based private equity firm Nalanda Capital has sold a 1.61% stake in north India’s largest cement producer Shree Cement for INR2.13 billion ($40.9 million) through a bulk deal on Bombay Stock Exchange. The partial exit generated a money multiple...
500 Startups hires India investment professional
500 Startups, the US-based incubator founded by serial entrepreneur Dave McClure, has hired Pankaj Jain to head up its India operations. He was previously consulting for TLabs in New Delhi, focusing on deal sourcing and running the start-up accelerator...
Carlyle to sell stake in HDFC – report
The Carlyle Group is poised to sell its 3.7% stake in mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corp. (HDFC) for approximately $850 million.
3i’s Nikhil Gahrotra joins BanyanTree
Banyan Tree Finance has poached Nikhil Gahrotra from 3i Group, where he was working as associate director. He joins the mid-market PE firm as a director.
Fulcrum reaps 10x from Casa Grande exit
SME-focused private equity firm Fulcrum Venture India has reaped a money multiple of 10x from its investment in Indian real estate company Casa Grande.