Asia
VIDEO: Sebastiaan van den Berg of HarbourVest Partners
Australia is a consistent source of buyout deals for pan-Asian funds but its share of the regional total is falling in percentage terms as GPs source larger ticket deals in other markets, according to Sebastiaan van den Berg, managing director at HarbourVest...
Asia PE fundraising slows to $6.6b in first quarter
Asia private equity fundraising came to $6.6 billion in the first quarter of 2014, according to provisional data released by AVCJ Research, down from $9.7 billion in the final three months of 2013.
FLAG hires Myron Zhu as co-head of Asia
FLAG Capital has appointed Myron Zhu, previously head of J.P. Morgan’s alternative investments division in the region, as partner and co-head of Asia.
Blackstone's Asia head Michael Chae to return to New York
Michael Chae, head of international private equity at The Blackstone Group, will move back to New York after a four-year stint in Hong Kong.
BlackRock names new Asia head
BlackRock has appointed Ryan Stork as head of Asia Pacific operations, replacing Mark McCombe who will relocate to the US to become the company’s global head of institutional client business and chairman of the alternative investment division.
Baring Asia targets $3b for Fund VI
Baring Private Equity Asia will seek to raise around $3 billion for its sixth pan-regional fund, its largest vehicle to date.
LP interview: Oregon State Treasury
Andy Hayes, PE investment officer at the Oregon State Treasury (OST), has been managing his fund’s Asian investments for nearly six years. The role is as much about networks as it is know-how
Baring Asia-backed Nord Anglia raises $304m, jumps on debut
Nord Anglia Education, a school operator controlled by Baring Private Equity Asia, saw its shares close up 12.5% on the first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. This followed an IPO that raised $304 million.
Japanese banks commit to CVC's fourth Asia fund
CVC Capital Partners has received $100 million in commitments from Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (SMTB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for its fourth Asia fund, which is expected to close above its $3.5 billion hard cap.
Eaton Partners hires Jackson Chan for Asia distribution
Placement agent Eaton Partners has hired Jackson Chan, previously head of business development for Hamilton Lane in Asia. He will work on distribution of liquid and illiquid alternative assets offerings throughout the region and also assist in origination....
Kerogen makes Asia oil and gas play, eyes Fund II
Kerogen Capital has invested A$30 million ($27 million) in Twinza Oil, which has oil and gas interests in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Thailand. The energy-focused GP is also said to be preparing to launch its next fund later in the year.
Standard Chartered infra head Andrew Yee to leave Asia
Andrew Yee, global head of infrastructure for Standard Chartered Bank's principal finance division, is leaving the firm. The decision is said to be mutual and amicable, with Yee set to depart in July after which he will relocate to Europe with his family....
Female representation in Asian PE drops in 2013, still leads other markets
Asia-based private equity firms still have a higher proportion of women in high-level roles than their North American and European counterparts, although the average representation is down on the previous year, according to a study.
Jiuding Capital reaches $150m first close on US dollar fund
China’s Jiuding Capital has reached a $150 million first close on its second US dollar-denominated vehicle. Investors include sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies from North America and Asia.
Baring Asia-owned Nord Anglia files for $300m IPO
Nord Anglia Education, a Hong Kong-based school operator with a presence in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, has filed to raise up to $300 million through a US IPO. The company has been majority-owned by Baring Private Equity Asia since...
Horizon Ventures leads $23m round for Hampton Creek Food
Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing’s Horizon Ventures has led a $23 million Series B financing round for Hampton Creek, a US-based food technology firm.
Q&A: Partners Group's Andreas Baumann
Partners Group has raised $2 billion for its latest PE direct investment program, up to 40% of which can be deployed outside of the US and Europe. Andreas Baumann, head of the firm’s Singapore office, highlights the opportunities in Asia
ESG: Nice guys finish last?
Responsible investment has is now a priority for many institutional LPs. GPs might recognize the importance of environmental, social and governance principles in this context, but acting on them can be challenging
Alibaba, Temasek, Qiming pump $100m into China's TutorGroup
Alibaba Group, Temasek Holdings and existing backer Qiming Venture Partners have invested $100 million in a Series B round of funding for TutorGroup, a China-based online education service provider.
Partners Group raises $2b for PE direct investment program
Partners Group has raised EUR1.5 billion ($2 billion) for its largest-ever private equity direct investment program, adding impetus to a strategy that has so far seen two deals in Asia, both secondary acquisitions from other GPs.
Fund admin: In house or out?
Asian private equity is becoming institutionalized, with increasingly sophisticated and international LPs asking GPs to bulk up their back office capabilities. Third-party administrators sense an opportunity
KKR eyes Asia opportunities as valuations fall
KKR sees increasing opportunities in Asia for private equity and special situations as valuations fall amid growing investor uncertainty about the prospects for emerging markets globally.
Navis raises $1.3b for seventh Asia fund
Navis Capital Partners will complete fundraising for its seventh Asia vehicle next week with up to $1.3 billion in commitments from LPs. Work will then begin on a shariah-compliant parallel fund, which is expected to close in June, taking the final total...
Rocket Internet's Foodpanda secures $20m in funding
Foodpanda, an online meal delivery marketplace incubated by Rocket Internet, has received $20 million in funding from several venture capital firms, including existing investor Phenomen Ventures.