Asia
AVCJ Awards 2019 - Nominations have closed
Nominations for the 2019 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards is September 26. Many thanks to all who participated. The voting stage will commence within a fortnight.
PE and diversity: Reaching out
Should the private equity industry's efforts to redress its gender balance extend to selling students on the asset class as a fulfilling, long-term career option?
PEP to acquire APAC business of US-based Horizon
Australia’s Private Equity Partners (PEP) has agreed to pay A$340 million ($230 million) for the Asia Pacific division of US automotive industry equipment supplier Horizon Global.
SSG targets wider array of distressed sellers for Fund V
SSG Capital Partners expects to source distressed assets from a wider variety of sellers – including other alternative investment firms and investment banks – during the life of its fifth Asia fund, which is on track to exceed its target of $1.5 billion.
Carbon recycling specialist raises $72m Series E
Novo Holdings, a Danish venture and growth equity investor focused on life sciences, has provided $72 million in Series E funding to LanzaTech, a US carbon recycling specialist with a significant Asia presence.
Lazard's Nick Miles take on Asia-Europe role
Nick Miles, leader of the Asia private capital advisory team at Lazard, has taken on a newly created role intended to enhance collaboration between the firm’s operations in Asia and Europe.
Women in VC: Crashing the gates
VC firms are increasingly serious about identifying and elevating prospective female talent, but the industry’s culture has a long way to go before women can feel truly valued and contribute their best work
Macro and diversity: All hands on deck
As women participate in economies across Asia in larger numbers, investors must consider how this impacts their target markets. Gender-balanced portfolios will no longer be a nice-to-have
KKR prepares for fundraising spree
KKR expects to begin raising its fourth Asian fund within the next 18 months as its three largest vehicles globally all come back to market.
Legal tech segment to see consolidation
Rapid growth in the legal tech segment globally will create M&A opportunities as the market consolidates, according to Dan Jansen, CEO of US-based specialist investor Nextlaw Ventures.
Global credit: Speed or scale?
The winners from a widely anticipated shakeout in global credit markets will be defined by different qualities. Direct lenders expect size to be a decisive factor, while distress players prioritize nimbleness
Texas Teachers targets Asia growth with proposed Singapore office
Teacher Retirement System of Texas wants to use its planned Singapore base as a means of gaining direct access to private investments in the region – although the pension fund’s CIO said penetrating Asia would likely take longer than an earlier push...
Portfolio company boards: Gurus wanted
Filling board seats for portfolio companies is more art than science in both private equity and venture capital. Investors must approach the challenge with flexible playbooks
Asia-based Ilfryn Carstairs to become co-CEO of Värde
Ilfryn Carstairs (pictured), Singapore-based CIO of global alternative investor Värde Partners, has been named CEO. He will share the role with George Hicks, the incumbent and co-founder of the firm.
2Q analysis: Mixed fortunes
Second quarter analysis: Spin-outs reflect challenges for China fundraising; weak buyout activity continues to hold back Asia PE investment; Korea heads the exit charts as China falls back
Temasek invests $300m in Li & Fung's logistics unit
Temasek Holdings has invested $300 million in Li & Fung’s logistics operation after the Hong Kong-based multinational abandoned plans to spin-out the asset through an IPO.
China GPs back US health-tech player in $22m Asia push
China’s 6 Dimensions Capital and Yonghua Capital have joined a $22 million Series C round for US-based Ultivue that will help the medical technology developer expand into Asia.
LP interview: Unigestion
Asia’s rising levels of private equity talent offer enticing growth prospects for Unigestion’s wealth management clients, but enforcing discipline among emerging markets managers remains a challenge
Commonfund hires HSBC executive to lead Beijing office
Commonfund Capital has appointed Xiaonan Tian as an associate director and head of its investment office in Beijing from where she will oversee the firm’s Asia Pacific portfolio.
Hamilton Lane targets Asia with $1.7b co-investment fund
Hamilton Lane has closed its fourth global co-investment fund at $1.7 billion, with a view to deploying 15-20% in Asia. It is the firm’s largest co-investment fund to date.
Fidelity plans Eight Roads demerger
Fidelity International has announced plans to spin-out its proprietary investment arm Eight Roads within the year pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.
PE-backed ESR postpones Hong Kong IPO
Pan-Asian logistics and fund management platform ESR has postponed its Hong Kong IPO, which was expected to raise up to HK$9.75 billion ($1.24 billion) and facilitate partial exits for several private equity investors.
LPs worry about alignment issues in GP-led secondaries - survey
The arrival of GP-led secondary transactions in the private equity mainstream has been accompanied by mounting concerns among LPs that their interests might not be aligned with those of the managers driving these deals.
Temasek launches Asia impact fund
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has set up a private equity fund that will make impact investments, primarily in developing Asia.