Southeast Asia
SingTel's Amobee buys VC-backed ad startup
Singapore Telecommunications, Southeast Asia's largest telecoms company, has acquired AdJitsu, a VC-backed Silicon Valley startup in the mobile advertising sector. This is SingTel's second acquisition in two months.
Man in the middle: Placement agents in Asia
Placement agents are building up resources in Asia as the region becomes more significant as a fundraising location. Some GPs are keen to build long-term relationships, but others take more convincing
DLA Piper promotes four to partner in Asia
DLA Piper has promoted four of the Greater China-based lawyers in its corporate practice group to partner level.
Blackstone nabs StarHub Green for $210m - report
The Blackstone Group is thought to have purchased Singapore’s StarHub Green building for $210 million, in its first major real estate acquisition in the city state.
Temasek generates $2.5b from China banks sell down
Temasek Holdings has sold down $2.48 billion of shares in Bank of China (BoC) and China Construction Bank (CCB). It comes less than a month after the Singapore sovereign wealth fund picked up a $2.3 billion stake in Industrial and Commercial Bank of China...
Intel Capital’s Kuppam adds Taiwan, Korea to his Asia portfolio
Intel Capital’s Asia Pacific Managing Director Sudheer Kuppam will assume responsibility for investment activity in Taiwan and Korea, adding to his existing coverage of India, Japan and Southeast Asia. Based in India, he will oversee a team of investment...
Leopard Capital to raise frontier markets PIPE fund
Leopard Capital Management is launching a long-only fund that will target PIPE deals in up to 12 frontier markets in Asia. It will invest in sectors perceived to drive frontier economies, including consumer products, financial services, infrastructure...
Franklin names Robinson-Kok as Asia alternatives head
Franklin Templeton Investments has appointed Gregory Robinson-Kok as head of its alternative investments business in Asia. He is based in Singapore and reports to Kent Strazza, managing director of the alternative strategies group.
Actis completes full management buyout with $100m deal
The UK government is on course to recoup more than $100 million by exiting its stake in Actis. The private equity firm’s management will buy the government’s 40% holding for GBP8 million ($13 million) in cash and also hand over a portion of the carried...
Navis exits label manufacturer Trimco to Partners Group
Navis Capital Partners has sold its majority stake in Trimco International Holdings to Partners Group. The size of the deal was not disclosed but the combination of exit proceeds and dividends received over a seven-year holding period will leave Navis...
Ekuinas completes buyout of Tanjung’s marine vessel assets
Ekuinas, the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, will buy the 76% of Tanjung Offshore’s marine vessel services arm it doesn’t already own for MYR220 million ($72.5 million) in cash. The asset, Tanjung Kapal Services (TKS), operates 16 offshore vessels...
Nanostart launches Asia Pacific arm in Singapore
German-based nanotechnology VC investor Nanostart has created a new company, Nanostart Asia Pacific, as part of its expansion into the region.
Navis takeover bid values SEGi at $360m
Navis Capital Partners has confirmed that it has made an unconditional takeover offer for Bursa Malaysia's main market-listed SEG International Berhad. The offer values the private tertiary education provider at MYR 1.1 billion ($360 million).
VIDEO: Ancora International's Veronica Lukito
Foreign direct investment in Indonesia reached a record $20 billion in 2011 and M&A transactions came in at $9 billion for the 12 months to January 31. The country’s stock market has gained close to 200% since 2009. The influx of capital has yet to...
Profile: Vickers Capital's Finian Tan
One of the men who bet on Baidu before anyone knew what it was, Vickers Capital founder Finian Tan worked as a counselor, university don, oil trader and politician before settling on venture capital
Thai hotels retain their charm
Foreign private equity firms are seeking opportunities in Thailand’s hotel industry, looking to leverage rising tourist numbers, an improving investment environment, and attractive entry prices
Creating cross border opportunities
Venture capital and private equity has always played an important role in the transfer of technology, talent and brands names from developed Western markets into Asia. This is perhaps best illustrated by the spate of “me-too” companies that mimicked...
Navis’ Adampak takeover offer now unconditional
Navis Capital Partners has announced that its S$110.7 million ($87.9 million) takeover offer for Singapore-listed Adampak has become unconditional, making its proposed acquisition of the label company almost guaranteed.
Hogan Lovells expands into Indonesia
Hogan Lovells has teamed up with Indonesia law firm Hermawan Juniarto as part of its strategy to develop a presence in the largest economy in Southeast Asia.
China’s private equity talent war
The pace of growth in China’s private equity industry hasn’t been matched by the development of a pool of qualified local investment professionals. Firms are busy building from the bottom and poaching at the top
Playing the Asia expectations game
The institutional LPs that attend AVCJ events are a mixed bunch. A few maintain a presence in Asia and are clued up as to the up-and-coming markets and managers, key investment opportunities and general fundraising climate. Another group comprises frequent...
KKR in new push for MMI IPO – report
KKR has reportedly revived plans to exit MMI International, the precision-engineering company it took private in 2007, through a Singapore IPO. The offering could generate $400-500 million, but it is unclear how much of its holding the private equity...
EMPEA: More than 50% of LPs to expand SE Asia footprint
Global LPs expect to increase commitments to emerging markets in the next two years, including less-penetrated areas such as Southeast Asia and Latin America, according to a survey released by the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA).
Mount Kellett raises $4b for second special situations fund
Mount Kellett Capital Management, the private equity firm started by former Goldman Sachs executive Mark McGoldrick, has closed its second fund at $4 billion. The vehicle, which targets special situation and opportunistic investments, is $1 billion larger...