Asia
PAG announces final close of $2.5b on Asia fund
PAG has announced a final close on its debut private equity fund at $2.5 billion. PAG Asia I is a pan-regional buyout vehicle with a particular focus on China. The vehicle is slightly larger than Baring Private Equity Asia's fifth vehicle, which closed...
Mercer boosts Asia wealth management team
Mercer has appointed Edmund Teo to lead its wealth management team in Asia, providing research, advisory and portfolio management services to banks, insurers and other financial services organizations in the region. Pierre DeGagne also joins as a principal...
Apollo launches two Asia real estate funds
Apollo Global Management has launched two funds that will invest in commercial real estate in Asia, seeking up to $750 million in capital. It comes barely three months after the private equity firm disclosed that it has raised about $255 million for an...
PE firms target ING's Asian insurance assets – report
ING is said to be in talks with several parties, including Apollo Global Management, J.C. Flowers & Co. and a team backed by The Blackstone Group, over the sale of different parts of its Asian life insurance operations. The initial plan was to divest...
LPs endorse Kerogen's Asia energy strategy
Barely 48 hours before Kerogen Capital announced a final close of just over $1 billion for its debut fund, the PE firm received two endorsements of its investment thesis. First, CNOOC agreed to buy Canadian oil and gas major Nexen for $15.1 billion plus...
The US invasion: Competition rises among Asia PE legal counsel
A host of US law firms are boosting their Asian operations with a view to offering private equity clients a full suite of services, from fund formation to capital markets. Is there enough business to go around?
Kerogen Capital raises $1b for debut energy fund
Kerogen Capital has reached a final close in excess of $1 billion for its debut energy-focused fund. Investors include North American foundations and endowments, family offices, fund-of-funds, an affiliate of a Middle East sovereign wealth fund, and investors...
Blackstone to support ex-AIA CEO's ING Asia bid – report
The Blackstone Group has reportedly agreed to support Mark Wilson, former chief of AIA Group, in his bid for ING’s Asia insurance unit. The sale is expected to generate around $7 billion, with Wilson’s consortium targeting ING’s Southeast Asian business,...
Treedom launches Asia-focused forestry fund
Treedom Investments, a specialist investment advisor in the renewable resources sector, has launched the Asia Renewable Resources Fund (ARRF), which will focus on investments in forestry-related products.
PE and FATCA: Complain but comply
Asian GPs have lagged behind other regional institutions in getting to grips with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. The time has come to face the impact these rules could have on local firms
Endowments: Still gold standard?
North American endowments took a beating during the financial crisis and the recovery process has been slow. But they retain the ability to uncover high-quality GPs, in the US and beyond
Strategic glad-handing
I recall conversations with a number of Asian GPs on how to invest in family-owned businesses that account for such large number of potential acquisition targets for private equity funds in the region. The formula seemed pretty straightforward. It begins...
Herbert Smith, Freehills announce merger
International law firms Herbert Smith and Freehills have announced they will merge to become the largest fully integrated law firm in Asia Pacific.
Asia LP interests: The price factor
Global LPs have no intention of reducing their exposure to Asia. This has put upward pressure on secondaries prices, but assessing fair value is more difficult than it seems
Before going direct, go local
The way in which global buyout firms have built up their local expertise in Asia in recent years so as to compete more effectively with smaller regional and single-country funds is a clear reminder of the value of having people on the ground. Although...
KKR reaches halfway point on $6b Asia fund
KKR has reached the halfway point in fundraising for its second Asia fund, receiving more than $3 billion in commitments. According to a regulatory filing, third-party investors have pledged $2.76 billion to KKR Asian Fund II, with general partners putting...
PennSERS commits $50m to Asia Alternatives' third fund
The Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System (PennSERS) has committed $50 million to Asia Alternatives' third fund-of-funds, which was launched early last year with a target of $1 billion. As of September 2011, it had attracted $375 million, according...
Boris Bong leaves Squadron Capital for J.P. Morgan
Boris Bong, a managing director at Hong Kong-based fund-of-funds Squadron Capital, has left the company. He is joining J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s private equity group, also as a managing director.
Vermont state pension funds commit $75m to HarbourVest
A HarbourVest Partners fund targeting Europe, Asia and emerging markets has received a $10 million commitment from the Vermont Pension Investment Committee (VPIC). It is part of a $75 million investment by the committee, which represents pension funds...
SBI, FMO to launch $80m emerging Asia financial fund
Japan’s SBI Holdings and Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) will jointly roll out a new fund to invest in financial services across emerging Asia. The fund will have a target size of up to $80 million and is seeking a first close of $60 million....
Energy investing: Keeping Asia's lights on
North American PE firms have become established oil and gas investors. Asian GPs are only just coming around to the idea, but the long-term potential is huge – provided you hire the right management
Regional funds and global LPs
One week out of every month, a certain Asia-based fund manager embarks on a trip that takes in three board meetings in three different countries. At each hotel, a packet of documents awaits, which must be reviewed before each meeting. Once he returns...
Man in the middle: Placement agents in Asia
Placement agents are building up resources in Asia as the region becomes more significant as a fundraising location. Some GPs are keen to build long-term relationships, but others take more convincing
Actis completes full management buyout with $100m deal
The UK government is on course to recoup more than $100 million by exiting its stake in Actis. The private equity firm’s management will buy the government’s 40% holding for GBP8 million ($13 million) in cash and also hand over a portion of the carried...