South Asia
VC players back $45m PubMatic mezz round
It is no exaggeration to say that real-time bidding (RBT) is transforming online display advertising. For years, customers bid for slots in bulk, paying a flat rate for each one; there was no way to improve cost efficiency by bidding for particular opportunities.
Growth capital mezzanine: The third way
Growth capital mezzanine players are still few in number in Asia. Will struggling equity markets and tighter credit conditions open up the market for these alternative capital providers?
Jacob Ballas supports Indian diagnostics chain
The $40 billion Indian healthcare market is growing rapidly and has seen numerous PE investments into hospital chains and pharmaceutical companies. However, the country’s diagnostic expertise and infrastructure still lag behind.
Blackstone suspends payments to Visa Power – report
The Blackstone Group is said to have deferred payments on its $111 million investment in Visa Power after the Indian company failed to meet certain targets set out in the deal.
Goldman names Hui head of Asia Pacific ex-Japan merchant banking
Stephanie Hui has been named head of Goldman Sachs’ merchant banking operations for Asia Pacific ex-Japan as part of a management reshuffle following the departure of three senior partners from the firm. She will report to Andrew Wolff, who is moving...
KKR funds $22m Air Works bolt-on
KKR has provided Air Works India Engineering with INR1.2 billion ($22 million) of structured debt financing to help fund its acquisition of Dubai-based private aviation specialist Empire Aviation Group (EAG).
SpiceJet in talks with private equity giants - report
Budget airline SpiceJet is planning to raise capital from private equity investors including KKR, The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital, as well as other foreign airlines.
Accion, Pragati India boost Saija Finance with $4m
Accion and Pragati India Fund have invested $4.5 million in Indian microfinance company Saija Finance. The funding will enable the firm to make acquisitions.
Kaizen injects $4m in Indian childcare provider
Education-focused PE firm Kaizen Management Advisors has invested INR200 million ($4 million) in Indian childcare services provider Your Kids ‘R’ Our Kids (YKROK).
Sony increases take in PE-backed India subsidiary
Sony Pictures Television, the international television production and distribution arm of Sony, has increased its stake in Indian subsidiary Multi Screen Media (MSM), which is also backed by private equity investor Capital International. Sony has agreed...
Fortis raises $66m from Jacob Ballas, IFC for Super Religare
Bangalore-based Fortis Healthcare has reached agreements with Jacob Ballas Capital and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to raise INR3.7 billion ($66.4 million) for its diagnostics unit Super Religare Laboratories (SRL).
India’s Komli raises $39m in Series D round
India-based Komli Media, a provider of online advertising solutions across mobile, video, social networks and search engines, has attracted $39 million in Series D funding from venture capital firms, in a move to expand its presence across Asia.
VCs park their cash in Indian taxi firms
Venture investment in Indian taxi companies is no new phenomenon, but the profile of the firms which are commanding capital appears to be changing
India’s Komli raises $39m from VCs in Series D round
Norwest Venture Partners has led a $39 million round of funding for Komli Media, India’s largest advertising-focused media technology company. Existing investors Nexus Venture Partners, Helion Venture Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson also participated,...
Apax, Bain in race for $1.4b Genpact stake
Apax Partners and Bain Capital are reportedly competing for the 41% stake in Indian business process outsourcing (BPO) company Genpact being sold by Oak Hill Capital and General Atlantic (GA). The stake is valued at $1.4 billion, which could make this...
Sequoia invests in India’s Citrus Payments
Sequoia Capital has invested an undisclosed amount in Mumbai-based Citrus Payment Solutions, which offers payment services including online banking and credit card gateways.
PubMatic raises $45m in mezzanine financing from VC players
India-based GPs Helion Ventures and Nexus Venture Partners have participated in a $45 million round of mezzanine financing for their portfolio company PubMatic. The round was led by US-based August Capital, with Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Silicon Valley...
Ex-Apax India head to join Carlyle – report
Neeraj Bharadwaj, former India head of Apax Partners, is tipped to become The Carlyle Group’s newest managing director. The appointment would fill a vacancy created last year by the departure of Rajeev Gupta, head of the private equity firm’s India...
Temasek names Promeet Ghosh India MD
Temasek Holdings has appointed Promeet Ghosh as its first managing director level appointment in India. He will report to Singapore-based Rohit Sipahimalani and Lee Then Kiat who share responsibility for investments in the country.
Khazanah, Baring jointly offer $800m for Aegis
Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional has teamed up with Baring Private Equity Asia to offer $800 million for Aegis, thr business process outsourcing (BPO) arm of Indian industrial conglomerate Essar Group. KKR is said to be another bidder...
Global Environment raises $124m India-focused fund
Global Environment Fund (GEF), a private equity firm which has been investing in energy, resources and environment-related assets, has raised INR7 billion ($124 million) for a fund which targets small and medium enterprises in India. It is the first niche...
Samara injects $32m in Monte Carlo Fashions
US-based private equity firm Samara Capital has invested INR1.75 billion ($32 million) for an 18% stake in India’s Monte Carlo Fashions.
Sequoia to reap 18% return on Cafe Coffee Day sale
Sequoia Capital India is targeting returns of 16-18% on its impending exit from Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading, a unit of India’s Coffee Day Group.
Morgan Stanley in talks to buy Lanco's road assets
Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, a $4-billion global infrastructure fund, is in early discussions with Lanco Infratech to buy its 401km of highway projects.