Southeast Asia
Philippines infrastructure: Hole in the road
Still massively underserved, the Philippines infrastructure sector is finally on private equity investors’ radar. Partnering with a credible local partner could be the first step to success
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
Japan's Aeon eyes CVC's Matahari - report
Japan's Aeon Group and a unit of Thailand's Central Group are said to be eyeing CVC Capital Partners-owned Indonesian retail group Matahari Department Store.
Creador completes Indonesia food carve-out
Creador headed off an auction process to complete a carve-out of Indonesian cereals and snack foods producer Simba Indosnack Makmur from India’s Godrej Consumer Products.
Creador closes Fund I, eyes Fund II
With his first fund days away from a final close, Creador CEO Brahmal Vasudevan is already thinking about a successor vehicle. This is because Creador I, which focuses on India, Malaysia and Indonesia, is on course to be more than two-thirds deployed...
CapAsia taps Japanese for infra fund
As Japanese companies struggle in shrinking domestic market, government agencies and financial institutions have joined forces to promote local expertise overseas. For Capital Advisors Partners Asia (CapAsia), the country has become an attractive LP market.
Saratoga Capital expected to pursue IPO in 2013
Indonesian GP Saratoga Capital is expected to launch an IPO in mid-2013. Saratoga Investama Sedaya, the private equity unit of Saratoga Group, has more than $2 billion in assets under management.
MoFo opens new office in Singapore
US law firm Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) has opened an office in Singapore, its fifth in the region.
CVC ropes in Temasek, AIG for Matahari sale - report
CVC Capital Partners is reportedly roping in Temasek Holdings and American International Group (AIG) as cornerstone investors for its $1.5 billion partial exit from Indonesia's Matahari Department Store. The size of the offering could represent as much...
Temasek not interested in Silver Lake’s Dell deal – report
Temasek Holdings is apparently not interested in joining a Silver Lake-led consortium that is looking to privatize Dell. Media reports have claimed that the Singapore sovereign wealth fund is one of a number of potential investment partners Silver Lake...
RRJ to invest in Olam International – report
RRJ Capital has reportedly agreed to invest in Olam International, the commodities supplier that recently came under attack from short-seller research firm Muddy Waters. Olam, which has seen its stock slide about 18% since the allegations were first made...
Profile: KV Asia's Karam Butalia
Karam Butalia, executive chairman of KV Asia Capital, cut his teeth in private equity with Citicorp, set up Standard Chartered’s PE unit, and is now building his own Southeast Asia mid-market buyout shop
KKR shows its conviction in Masan
KKR has doubled down on the Vietnam consumer story. Following a $159 million commitment to Masan Consumer Corp. (Masan) in April 2011, the largest investment in the country from a private equity fund, KKR broke its own record last week by injecting a...
Creador reaches $132m final close on debut fund
Creador, a Southeast Asia and India-focused private equity firm, has reached a final close of $132 million for its debut fund. This comes after a first close of $100 million in late 2011. Creador already has plans to launch a second fund in 2013.
Buyout firms chase Warburg’s Alliance Tire stake - report
Private equity investors are said to be eying Alliance Tire Group after Warburg Pincus put a 70% stake in the Indian tire manufacturer on the block. Should the transaction go through, the price is likely to exceed $500 million, making it one of India’s...
CVC in talks to buy Philippines BPO asset – report
CVC Capital Partners is reportedly in exclusive talks to buy a majority stake in SPi Global Holdings from Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT). The deal is worth about $320 million including debt.
EMPEA’s Alexander to join Abraaj
Sarah Alexander, CEO of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA), has agreed to join The Abraaj Group as a managing director. EMPEA’s executive committee has recommended that Jennifer Choi, currently vice president of industry and external...
KKR boosts Masan Consumer stake with $200m investment
KKR has more than doubled its investment in Vietnam’s Masan Consumer Corp. (Masan), committing $200 million on top of the $159 million it paid for a 10% stake in the company two years ago. It is the largest ever private equity investment in Vietnam,...
Navis, Rabo see 1.9x return on Thai duck deal
Navis Capital Partners' exit from Thailand-based duck processor Bangkok Ranch marks the end of a 13-year holding period – among the longest in the firm’s portfolio.
Blackstone appoints ex-PwC executive as Singapore chairman
The Blackstone Group has named Gautam Banerjee as Singapore chairman and appointed him to its international advisory board. He was previously executive chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore and also served as the accounting firm’s COO for China,...
Navis acquires Vietnamese seafood processor
Navis Capital Partners has acquired a stake in Go Dang Joint Stock Company (Godaco), one of Vietnam’s fastest growing seafood processing companies, through its Singaporean subsidiary Panga Hold.
GIC appoints Lim Chow Kiat as CIO
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) has named Lim Chow Kiat as its new group chief investment officer, effective February 1. Lim, currently the sovereign wealth fund’s deputy CIO, will replace Ng Kok Song, who is retiring after 42 years...
Indonesia’s Berrybenka gets funding from Gree Ventures
Gree Ventures, the VC arm of social Japanese social networking giant Gree, has completed its third investment in Indonesia, providing a Series A round of funding to fashion-focused e-commerce start-up Berrybenka. The size of the investment was not disclosed.
CapAsia to launch $350m infrastructure fund
Singapore-based Capital Advisors Partners Asia (CapAsia) is in the process of launching a new infrastructure fund to invest in projects across Southeast Asia. The fund - CapAsia ASEAN Infrastructure III - will start out with $100 million and eventually...