Asia
KKR raises $1.3b for global impact fund
KKR has closed its debut global impact investment fund with $1.3 billion in commitments. It will back companies that provide commercial solutions to environmental or social challenges, based on criteria set out in the UN sustainable development goals...
VC and age: No industry for old men
The trendy, shape-shifting world of venture capital is broadly seen as a young person’s game, although hard evidence to this effect remains in scarce supply
Private credit: Untapped market
Recent industry feedback suggests middle-market companies across Asia will increasingly look to private credit to support future growth. Europe may offer clues as to how the expected uptake will unfold
Capital Dynamics loses Asia primaries head
Kazushige Kobayashi (pictured), a Tokyo-based managing director at Capital Dynamics and head of primaries coverage in Asia, is departing the firm after nearly 10 years.
Portfolio level HR: Human traffic
Private equity firms in Asia are paying more attention to recruitment at the portfolio level, in some cases allocating dedicated in-house resources. How is it impacting attitudes towards leadership change?
ADB launches venture arm
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a VC arm focused on climate change-related technologies and women’s empowerment in the region.
Blackstone to launch second Asia fund in 2020
The Blackstone Group expects to return to market in 2020 with its second dedicated Asia private equity fund, less than two years after closing the debut vehicle.
MBK wins US pension support for Asia fund
MBK Partners has picked up commitments from New York State Common Retirement Fund (NYSCRF), New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS), and Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) for its fifth North Asia fund.
Fund focus: Baring sees stability in scale
Jean Eric Salata, CEO of Baring Private Equity Asia, argues that a $6.5 billion fund is not too large for Asia – he wishes he’d raised more – and explains why size increasingly represents a competitive advantage
SDG-focused platform to pump $500m into emerging markets
Several public sector organizations have committed $500 million to six funds managed by Bamboo Capital Partners under a new investment platform dedicated to achieving the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Fund focus: Lexington targets growing Asia secondaries market
Having closed its ninth fund at $14 billion, Lexington Partners is hunting for assets in a secondary market that is becoming ever larger and diverse. Asia is on the agenda, whether it’s GP-led restructurings or LP portfolios
Ares takes controlling stake in Asia's SSG
Ares Management has agreed to buy a controlling stake in SSG Capital, an Asia-focused credit and special situations fund manager with approximately $6.2 billion in assets under management, including $3.9 billion in dry powder.
4Q analysis: On trend
The last three months of 2019 were consistent with the preceding nine as pan-regional fundraising remained weak and exits continued to disappoint. Only investment rebelled against the status quo
Baring Asia closes Fund VII at $6.5b
Baring Private Equity Asia has closed its seventh fund with commitments of $6.5 billion. It is the fourth-largest pan-Asian private equity vehicle ever raised.
Ex-GE Capital executives target $300m for Asia credit fund
Sammasan Capital, a credit investment firm established by two former executives with GE Capital in Asia, is looking to raise up to $300 million for its debut fund.
Asia PE fundraising falls 28% in 2019
Capital committed to Asia-focused private equity managers fell 28% year-on-year to $104.4 billion in 2019, largely due to a drop-off in activity in the pan-regional buyout and venture capital segments. Investments and exits were also down on the previous...
GPs need more than just an ESG mindset
Private equity firms must move beyond approaching investments simply with an ESG mindset and cultivate a more results-driven approach to environment, social and governance issues, industry participants told the Hong Kong Venture Capital & Private Equity...
To pastures new: Asia PE people moves
A selection of the transfers, promotions, arrivals and departures in the private equity community in 2019
Timeline: 2019 by numbers
A selection of the key fundraising, investment and exit events - presented in chronological order - from the past 12 months
Q&A: Permira's Kurt Bjorklund
Kurt Bjorklund, a co-managing partner at Permira, explains how a sector-focused investment style is becoming indispensable in Asia’s competitive and disruption-prone markets
Asia edges developed markets on PE performance - study
Private markets investors in Asia have outperformed their developed markets peers in four out of the last six years in terms of IRR, with the once substantial gap in median distributions also narrowing, according to analysis by Hamilton Lane.
PE industry associations: The advocates
Private equity’s increasing politicization globally and its expanding role in economies across Asia has put pressure on industry networking associations to do more in terms of public engagement
KKR announces eight promotions in Asia
Chung Ho Park, a member of KKR’s private equity team and co-head of the firm’s Korea business, has been promoted to partner level. A further seven Asia-based professionals, across different strategies, were named managing directors.
LPs and secondaries: Subliminal stimulation
Global economic and political themes are exerting an almost invisible undertow on LP participation in the secondaries market. The boom in Asia will be touched but not redirected