Southeast Asia
Deal focus: Platinum to power PCI's tech dreams
Platinum Equity plans to use Singapore-based PCI as a platform for more bolt-on acquisitions in Southeast Asia's printed circuit board assembly services market
GIC, Mizuho invest $265m in Vietcombank
GIC Private has invested in Vietcombank through a joint deal with Mizuho Bank worth VND6.2 trillion ($265 million), underlining the strong interest among private and strategic investors in Vietnam’s financial sector.
East Ventures appoints new partner
East Ventures has appointed Melisa Irene (pictured) as a partner. It is the firm’s first nomination of a woman to that position.
EQT promotes Brian Chang to partner in Singapore
EQT has confirmed the promotion of Singapore-based Brian Chang to partner. He will be responsible for mid-market activity in Asia.
Q&A: Grab's Ming Maa
Ming Maa, president of Grab, explains how the transformation of a taxi-hailing start-up into a diversified technology heavyweight reflects ongoing confidence in Southeast Asia’s economic future
Venture capital: The battle to be different
VC fundraising has been on a roll in Asia as managers raise larger sums to address fast-growing investment opportunities. GPs must consider what – and how much – makes them stand out from the crowd
Platinum to acquire Singapore's PCI for $150m
Platinum Equity has agreed to buy PCI, a Singapore-listed electronics manufacturer owned by local conglomerate Chuan Hup Holdings, for S$203 million ($150 million).
Malaysia's Ekuinas launches fourth fund at $242m
Malaysian government-backed private equity firm Ekuinas has set up its fourth fund with MYR1 billion ($242 million) and an option to increase the corpus to MYR1.5 billion.
Singapore's Fullerton Fund Management creates PE team
Fullerton Fund Management (FFM), an Asia-focused multi-strategy investment firm controlled by Temasek Holdings, has appointed Huck Khim Tan to lead a newly established dedicated private equity team.
Aflac invests $20m in PE-backed Singapore Life
US insurance giant Aflac has invested $20 million in Singapore Life, a digitally-focused financial technology start-up backed by UK private equity investor IPGL.
Axiom Asia completes $1.6b fundraise
Axiom Asia has closed its fifth regional fund-of-funds at $1.39 billion - beating the target of $1.01 billion - and also raised $210 million for its first dedicated co-investment vehicle.
Clifford Chance launches Singapore legal tech incubator
Clifford Chance has launched a start-up incubator focused on legal technology and innovation in Singapore.
TNB Ventures, Aura Group close $23m VC fund
Singapore’s TNB Ventures and Australia’s Aura Group have jointly closed a S$31.1 million ($27 million) venture capital fund that will invest in data-driven B2B companies across Southeast Asia.
Natixis merges regional PE units
The asset management business of Natixis has launched a global private equity firm by merging three existing PE affiliates, including Singaporean fund-of-funds Eagle Asia Partners.
AVCJ Awards 2018: Deal of the Year - Early Stage Technology: Deskera
Jungle Ventures and Tembusu Partners have fueled the expansion of Deskera’s enterprise software solution focused on small businesses across Southeast Asia
ADB backs Creador's Southeast Asia fund
Creador has raised $50 million for its fourth Southeast Asia and India-focused private equity fund from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Southeast Asia's Grab raises $150m from Yamaha
Japan’s Yamaha Motor has invested $150 million in Southeast Asia-based ride-hailing app Grab as part of a strategic partnership aimed at developing the company’s motorcycle hailing services in the region.
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2019
Industry participants share their outlooks on some of the biggest economic drivers of the day, including fast-growing sectors and shifting deal making factors across Asia’s varied markets
CDC backs Asia PE, VC funds
UK-based development finance institution (DFI) CDC Group has made commitments to several private equity and venture capital funds based in Asia as part of its global investment strategy.
KKR's global impact fund makes debut investment in Asia
KKR has committed up to S$45 million ($32.8 million) to Barghest Building Performance (BBP), a Singapore-based provider of energy saving solutions for heating and cooling systems. It is the first investment from the firm's global impact strategy.
SoftBank, Alibaba lead $1.1b round for Indonesia's Tokopedia
SoftBank Vision Fund and Alibaba Group have joined a $1.1 billion round for Indonesian e-commerce and related online services provider Tokopedia.
2018 in review: Volatility vortex
Pan-regional funds attract the bulk of capital while the renminbi space withers; mixed fortunes for internet IPOs and trade sales; big buyouts fail to deliver but growth-stage tech stays strong
Singapore's Jungle increases target for Fund III
Singapore-based Jungle Ventures has raised the target for its third Southeast Asia-focused VC fund from $150 million to $200 million.
PE and SMEs: Southeastern bind
Difficulties connecting private equity investors with small to medium-sized enterprises in traditional industries remain a key barrier to growth in Southeast Asia. Novel approaches will be necessary