Sectors
Tech-focused US M&A advisor sets up in Seoul
J. Moore Partners, a technology-focused investment bank based in San Francisco, has opened an office in Seoul as part of plans to expand into Asia. It claims to be the first US technology M&A advisory firm to establish a presence in the city.
CVC backs Australia's Mantra in Asia expansion
CVC Capital Partners will back Australian hotel group Mantra as it expands into Indonesia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.
CHAMP PE-backed oOh!media walks away from Eye Corp buyout
CHAMP Private Equity’s oOh!media portfolio company has decided not to proceed with its buyout of Eye Corp, Ten Network Holdings’ outdoor advertising business. This comes despite Ten’s denial earlier this week that the acquisition price would be lowered...
Standard Chartered's financial sponsors head gets Indonesia role - report
The head of Standard Chartered’s financial sponsors group in Hong Kong, Sarab Bhutani, has reportedly been appointed co-head of wholesale banking for Indonesia. He will be responsible for deal origination and client coverage.
Li Ning founder sells 25% in TPG-backed sportswear retailer
Chinese former Olympic gymnast Li Ning has agreed to sell a 25% stake in the sportswear company that bears his name – and counts TPG Capital among its investors – to Viva China, a Hong Kong-listed talent management agency. A company wholly owned by Li...
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 million)...
Affinity secures first Indonesia deal
Regional buyout firms have struggled to gain traction in Indonesia. In some cases, private equity investors have opened offices in Jakarta or Singapore and, years later, still haven’t a deal to their name. Affinity Equity Partners is no longer part of...
VCs invest $1.2m in Japanese website Retty
GREE ventures, NTT investment Partners and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital have jointly invested JPY100 million ($1.2 million) into Retty, a Japanese social restaurant guide.
Singapore PE fund in $600m deal to buy Next Media assets
A Singaporean private equity fund is part of a consortium looking to pay NT$17.5 billion ($600 million) for various Taiwanese media assets owned by Hong Kong-listed Next Media.
CVC-backed Nine avoids receivership as lenders reach agreement
Lenders to CVC Capital Partners-backed Nine Entertainment, the beleaguered Australian TV network, have reached an agreement to save the company from being put into administration.
IFC to anchor Fosun Pharma's Hong Kong IPO
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, is expected to anchor Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical’s Hong Kong IPO alongside Prudential Financial. The total cornerstone commitment is $75 million out of a targeted $600 million...
Australia's Kaz Capital to launch venture fund
Australian boutique financial advisor Kaz Capital is planning a venture fund that will support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in need of expansion capital. The company claims to have received conditional regulatory approval to establish an...
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.
China Private Equity restructures Australia securities platform investment
China Private Equity Investment Holdings (CPE), an AIM-listed vehicle that claims to offer European investors exposure to Chinese private equity without the limitations imposed by closed-end funds, has restructured its investment in Australian online...
TPG, Affinity-backed UTAC seeks to refinance debt – report
United Test & Assembly Center (UTAC), the Singapore precision engineering firm owned by TPG Capital and Affinity Equity Partners, is said to be seeking to refinance a portion of its debt through a $600 million bond issue.
PE consortium in $330m take-private bid for China's Yongye
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) and Abax Global Capital are backing a $330 million bid by the chairman of Yongye International to take private the US-listed Chinese animal and plant feed maker.
Japan's J-Star sees 3x return on Apo Plus Station
Mid-market Japanese GP J-Star has sold its majority stake in the pharma-focused contract sales company Apo Plus Station (APS) to Qol, a Tokyo-based pharmaceutical firm.
Shares in Baring-backed Courts up 7.1% following IPO
Shares in Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) portfolio company Courts Asia rose by more than 7% following its Singapore IPO last Monday.
Panorama leads Series D round for Skyfire's Asia expansion
Panorama Capital has led a $10 million Series D round of funding for Skyfire, intended help the mobile video optimization and cloud solutions company expand in Asia.
Ten Network denies concerns over Eye sale to CHAMP
Ten Network has denied reports that proceeds from the sale of its Eye Corp subsidiary to CHAMP Private Equity’s oOh!media will be lower than expected due to concerns about the outdoor advertising business’ financial performance.
INCJ backs $35m venture investment in US green energy company
Japanese state-sponsored fund Innovation Network Corp of Japan (INCJ) has teamed up with a Japanese corporation to lead a $35 million Series E funding round for Transphorm, a US provider of energy-saving devices.
Affinity completes debut Indonesia deal
Affinity Equity Partners has completed its first Indonesian investment, securing a significant minority stake in local auto services group Mitra Pinasthika Mustika (MPM) for about $100 million.
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).
Discovery Metals rejects Cathay Fortune buyout offer
Australian copper miner Discovery Metals has rejected a A$830 million ($848 million) takeover bid from Chinese private equity firm Cathay Fortune Corporation (CFC) and state-sponsored China-Africa Development Fund (CAD).