Asia
Fintech funds: Treasuries apart
Investment strategies targeted exclusively at the convergence of financial services and technology have become commonplace. As competition picks up, success will depend on adopting skills and a global view
Q&A: Brooklands Capital Strategies' Dan Carroll
Dan Carroll, a founding partner at Brooklands Capital Strategies, cut his teeth with H&Q Asia Pacific and then helped build Newbridge Capital. He told AVCJ how private equity forced its way into the mainstream
Healthcare funds: Repeat prescription
An assortment of healthcare-focused GPs – most of them in China – have emerged to leverage rising domestic consumption and nascent medical innovation. Does domain expertise mean better deal access?
Q&A: HarbourVest Partners' Brooks Zug
Brooks Zug, founder and senior managing director at HarbourVest Partners, was among the first institutional LPs to invest in Asian private equity. He spoke to AVCJ about the evolution of the industry
Sector funds: Special forces
The proliferation of fund managers targeting relatively focused investment segments signals a new maturity in Asian private equity. The trend will evolve in step with regional markets
UK fintech player gets $280m for Asia push
UK-based fintech company TransferWise has raised a $280 million round led by IVP and Old Mutual Global Investors as part of an expansion in Asia Pacific and Latin America.
GA hires ex-Actis Asia IR head to spur capital partnering
General Atlantic (GA) has hired Pamela Fang, formerly head of Actis' investor development group in Asia, as a managing director to lead its capital partnering efforts in Asia.
Standard Chartered Private Equity revives spin-out plan
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has relaunched an effort – which failed to get traction with the bank last year – to spin-out its team and the remaining $1 billion in PE assets on its balance sheet into an independent entity.
Asian LPs and infrastructure: Rousing the giants
Infrastructure is shedding its reputation for being a sleepy sector as Asian investors join a global surge of interest in the asset class. Strategic angling for the best deals will now require a more nimble approach
Q&A: Samena Capital's Shirish Saraf
With its focus on Asia and the Middle East and a roster of big-name owner-shareholders, Samena Capital is a GP with a difference. Shirish Saraf, the firm’s founder and vice chairman, explains the strategy
Carlyle makes $4.5b first close on Asia buyout fund
The Carlyle Group has achieved a first close of more than $4.5 billion on its fifth Asia buyout fund. The vehicle launched earlier this year with an initial target of $5 billion.
Hong Kong's Klook gets $60m Series C
Sequoia Capital China, Goldman Sachs and Matrix Partners have co-led a $60 million Series C funding round for Hong Kong-based travel services company Klook.
AVCJ Awards 2017 - voting has closed
Voting for the 2017 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards has now closed. Many thanks to all those who participated.
Q&A: Hamilton Lane's Hartley Rogers
Hartley Rogers, chairman of Hamilton Lane, discusses how the global fundraising boom reflects a larger private equity investment opportunity and why LPs are honing their approaches to the asset class
Singapore's AdAsia closes Series A at $14.5m
Singapore-based advertising technology company AdAsia Holdings has closed its Series A funding round at $14.5 million after receiving a $2.5 million investment from angel investor Hisanori Watanabe and Japanese news app provider Gunosy.
LP interview: Ardian
Ardian has raised large amounts of capital on the basis of a big-ticket secondaries strategy. Jan Philipp Schmitz, a managing director with the firm, discusses where investor demand is heading
Oaktree plans Asia growth with caution
Oaktree Capital Management CEO Jay Wintrob has singled out China and India as prospective jurisdictions for increased investment activity due to local regulatory progress, even as a number of converging macro themes inspire a more cautious overall approach.
PE and AI: The machinists
After decades of tantalizing but patchy progress, artificial intelligence is finally seen as ready for mass commercialization. Investors must now weigh an unmissable opportunity with a world of uncertainty
Fund focus: Asia Alternatives in speedy fundraise
Asia Alternatives has secured $1.8 billion for its latest fund-of-funds in less than five months on the market
Asia Alternatives closes $1.8b fund-of-funds
Asia Alternatives has reached a final close of $1.8 billion across its fifth private equity fund-of-funds and a number of related vehicles.
GP-led secondaries: Stigmatized no more
Traditionally perceived as a recourse for private equity firms in trouble, GP-led secondary transactions are starting to be used by brand-name managers as a liquidity solution for LPs
ADB re-ups in OrbiMed's Asia healthcare fund
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has invested $60 million in OrbiMed Asia Partners III, the third Asian private equity fund of healthcare-focused GP OrbiMed.
Jeneration Capital hires former Coatue Asia head
Jeneration Capital Management, which sources the bulk of its funding from Chinese technology entrepreneurs, has appointed Tony Zhang as a partner. He was previously head of Asia at Coatue Management.
GP-LP: Dangerous liaisons
A diverging supply-demand dynamic in private equity fundraising is threatening the GP-LP alignment of interest. Concessions on both sides are needed in the interests of long-term stability