Australia
Mercury buys Bauer Media's Australia, New Zealand assets
Sydney-based private equity firm Mercury Capital has agreed to acquire the Australia and New Zealand assets of Germany’s Bauer Media, including an extensive magazine portfolio.
Australia's Square Peg raises $240m for third VC fund
Australian VC firm Square Peg Capital has received initial commitments of A$350 million ($240 million) for its third fund from investors including Hostplus and AustralianSuper.
Foreign investment restrictions: Looking inward
China is the implied threat as governments look to protect vulnerable domestic companies from foreign corporate raiders. On balance, PE investors are unlikely to benefit from moves towards de-globalization
BGH buys health centers from Australia's Healius for $341m
BGH Capital has agreed to acquire the primary care business of Australia’s Healius – comprising medical centers, GP practices, and dental clinics – for an enterprise valuation of A$500 million ($341 million).
Portfolio: Anacacia Capital and Duncan Solutions
Following its investment in Duncan Solutions in 2018, Anacacia Capital is helping the parking management systems provider tap into demand arising from Australia’s smart city movement
OPTrust joins consortium bidding for Australia's Zenith Energy
Canadian pension fund OPTrust has joined Pacific Equity Partners in the consortium looking to buy Australia-listed off-grid power provider Zenith Energy for an enterprise valuation of A$250 million ($163 million).
KKR recruits fundraiser for Australia, New Zealand
KKR has hired Nicholas Hyde from IFM Investors as a managing director in its client partner group, with responsibility for fundraising and client relationships in Australia and New Zealand.
IAG invests in Australia agtech player
Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has made an investment of undisclosed size in local start-up Digital Agriculture Services (DAS) via its VC unit Firemark Ventures.
Bain confirms pursuit of Virgin Australia
Bain Capital is in the second round of bidding for Virgin Australia Holdings (VAH) and has pledged to give the beleaguered airline “a sustainable, long-term future.”
Australia workforce training start-up Go1 gets $40m
Australian workforce training services start-up Go1 has raised a $40 million Series C round led by local strategic Seek and US-based Madrona Venture Group.
Deal focus: KKR's Colonial First State breakthrough
Divestments of non-core assets by Australia's big four banks are keenly tracked by strategic players and financial sponsors. KKR's investment in Colonial First State represents the first PE deal of this nature
BGH submits revised offer for Australia's Village Roadshow
BGH Capital has been granted a four-week period of exclusive due diligence by Village Roadshow, having submitted a revised bid for the Australian cinema and theme park operator that is 40% lower than its original offer.
TA backs Australia's Honan Insurance
TA Associates has confirmed a growth investment of undisclosed size in Australian corporate insurance provider Honan Insurance.
QIC explores Virgin Australia bid
Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) has been asked by the state government, its ultimate owner, to explore a bail-out for beleaguered airline Virgin Australia Holdings (VAH).
KKR to buy majority stake in Australia's Colonial First State
KKR will buy a 55% stake in Colonial First State (CFS), the wealth management arm of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), in a deal that values the business at A$3.3 billion ($2.1 billion).
AirTree backs Australia property intelligence platform
AirTree Ventures has led a A$6 million ($3.9 million) Series A round for Archistar, an Australian online property platform that allows users to click on blocks of land and see what can be built.
Raphael Arndt becomes CEO of Australia's Future Fund
Raphael Arndt has been appointed CEO of Australia’s Future Fund, succeeding David Neal, who departed earlier this year to lead IFM Investors.
PEP looks to cut OPTrust into Zenith Energy deal
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) wants to bring OPTrust into its bid for Australia-listed off-grid power provider Zenith Energy after the Canadian pension fund built up a sizeable position in the company.
Everstone sells Asia payroll business to US strategic player
India and Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm Everstone Group has agreed to sell Singapore-headquartered human resources software provider Excelity Group to US peer Ceridian. The size of the deal has not been disclosed.
Australia SME lender Judo raises $147m
Judo Bank, a PE-backed start-up that provides loans to Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), has raised A$230 million ($147 million) from existing investors.
Navegar backs Series B for Australia's Cloudstaff
Manila-based GP Navegar has joined a $20 million Series B round for Cloudstaff, an Australian staff outsourcing services player with core operations in the Philippines.
LP interview: Roc Partners
Having transitioned from a locally focused fund-of-funds into pan-Asian multi-strategy investor, Roc Partners is finding new ways to branch out in the current downturn
Australia's mid-market: The middlemen
Pure proprietary deals are a rarity in Australia’s mid-market. Most opportunities pass through a fragmented network of advisors, which means private equity firms must get noticed to stay relevant
Australia superfund withdrawals: Double trouble
Allowing cash-strapped superannuation members early access to their pension savings is seen as an essential COVID-19 relief measure. But it may not be conducive to a long-term investment mindset