Asia
Secondaries: Bifurcation point
More LP interests in Asian funds are coming onto the secondary market, but the region remains the industry’s future rather than its present. Which investors will be around to witness it coming to bloom?
Citigroup sells CVCI to Rohatyn Group
Citigroup is selling its $4.3 billion private equity unit, Citi Venture Capital International (CVCI), to emerging markets investment firm The Rohatyn Group (TRG) for an undisclosed sum.
OTPP loses head of Asia fund investments
Alison Nankivell has left her role as head of Asian fund investments at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) for a job with Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
Patent funds: Creative returns
Asia is now responsible for just over half of all patent filings worldwide. Will independent patent funds, which have already won a niche following in the US, catch on over here?
L Capital Asia eyes bigger deals, mature markets for Fund II
Larger deals, including a few buyouts, are likely to feature more prominently in L Capital Asia’s second regional fund as the GP expands its attention to the more developed markets of Australia, Japan and South Korea, as well as bringing to bear the expertise...
Fenox leads Tech in Asia Series B round
Fenox Venture Capital has led a Series B round of investment in digital media company Tech in Asia. Existing investors, East Ventures and Simile Venture Partners, also took part in the round. Financial details were not disclosed.
Profile: 500 Startups' Dave McClure
A Silicon Valley veteran of nearly 25 years standing, 500 Startups founder Dave McClure has worked for PayPal and sold a software firm to Intel. Now he is bringing his own brand of angel investing to Asia
Unitas, CCMP set for 3.5x return as Atlas Copco buys Edwards for $1.6b
Unitas Capital will make up to 3.5x its money on Edwards Group after Sweden’s Atlas Copco agreed to buy the specialist vacuum products developer for approximately $1.6 billion, including debt. Unitas and CCMP Capital have owned the business since 2007...
OrbiMed targets $300m for second Asia healthcare fund
Healthcare-focused private equity firm OrbiMed Advisors is targeting $300 million for its second Asia fund. The PE firm raised $188 million for its debut regional vehicle in 2008.
American Capital infra unit hires ex-Citi banker as Asia MD
American Capital Energy & Infrastructure (E&I), an affiliate of NASDAQ-listed private equity firm American Capital, has appointed Abhay Pande as managing director for Asia. He was formerly co-head of energy global banking in the region for Citigroup....
King & Wood Mallesons merges with SJ Berwin
King & Wood Mallesons and London-based SJ Berwin will merge to form a single law firm valued at $1 billion. With over 2,700 lawyers in more than 30 countries, the combined entity is expected to be one of the 25 largest law firms in the world.
Affinity reaches $2.5b second close on Fund IV
Affinity Equity Partners has reached a second close of $2.5 billion on its fourth Asia buyout fund. The private equity firm has been on the road for about nine months in what is a challenging fundraising market for Asian GPs, with just $17.3 billion raised...
Asian GPs under pressure to return capital to investors – AVCJ Forum
Asian fund managers are under pressure to return capital to investors as patience wears thin with promises of returns to come, despite the regional growth story being far from over, industry participants told the AVCJ Singapore Forum. These sentiments...
KKR raises largest-ever pan-Asia private equity fund
KKR has announced a final close of $6 billion on its second pan-Asian fund. Coming in 50% larger than its 2007 vintage predecessor, the fund is the largest regional private equity pool ever accumulated.
Baring-backed Nord Anglia returns to Asia high-yield market
Baring Private Equity Asia-owned Nord Anglia Education has once again tapped Asia’s high-yield market, raising $165 million through a bond issue. This is the third time Nord Anglia has raised debt financing in the last 18 months – and the first of these...
Asia PE fundraising slumps to $13b in first half of 2013
Asia private equity fundraising came to $13.8 billion in the first half of the year, down 40% on the second half of 2012, according to provisional data from AVCJ Research. This is the lowest six-monthly total since January-June 2009. PE investment reached...
Angels in Asia: Exporting Silicon Valley
Early-stage investors in the US are casting their eyes eastwards as they seek out new partnerships in Asia. But what can these angels offer the region’s start-up community?
Regional update: A time to invest?
Is now the time to invest in Asia? This is a question that keeps popping up in my conversations with limited partners. Obviously, the simple answer can always be “yes.” That is if these LPs are able to locate and gain access to the fund managers that...
Asia travel search engine Wego gets $17m in Series C funding
Crescent Point has led a Series C round of funding worth $17 million for Wego, an Asia travel search engine. Victoria Capital and existing investor Tiger Global also participated.
TIAA-CREF merges property business with Henderson to boost Asia exposure
TIAA-CREF has merged its real estate business with that of London-based manager Henderson Global Investors in order to broaden its global portfolio and gain better Asia exposure in particular.
Blackstone draws $1.5b in commitments for Asia property fund - report
The Blackstone Group has so far managed to attract $1.5 billion of capital commitments for its first Asia real estate fund, targeting $4 billion.
FLAG Squadron Asia sees exodus of senior professionals - Update
David Pierce, a partner at FLAG Squadron Asia and formerly head of the Squadron Capital team that merged with FLAG Capital last year, has resigned from the firm. Jacob Chiu, another partner, has also handed in his notice.
AIFMD: Brussels flexes it muscles
Europe’s Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), which comes into effect in July, will change the way private equity funds are marketed to EU investors. What does it means for Asian GPs?
A taste of Europe: Asian investor objectives
Asian LPs have become part of the landscape of European private equity, pursuing opportunities across buyouts, secondaries, credit and distress. But what do they really want from the region?