Australia
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
Coronavirus & Australia VC: In SaaS we trust
Enterprise services start-ups with recurring revenue are well positioned, but mid-cap players could become vulnerable
Australia's Airwallex gets $160m Series D
The VC divisions of ANZ Bank and Salesforce have led a $160 million Series D round for Australian financial technology company Airwallex.
Macquarie buys Asia data center player Airtrunk
Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets (MIRA) is leading a consortium to acquire an 88% stake in Asia-focused data center player AirTrunk at a valuation of A$3 billion ($1.9 billion).
TDM leads $35m round for Australia’s SafetyCulture
Australia’s TDM Growth Partners has led a A$60 million ($35 million) Series C round for SafetyCulture, a locally-based software provider for safety compliance inspectors.
Roc Partners hits $120m third close on fourth Asia fund
Australia-based private equity firm Roc Partners has reached a third close of $120.1 million for its fourth Asia Pacific fund-of-funds.
Hostplus backs $19m Series B for Australia's Myriota
Hostplus, an Australian superannuation fund known for its VC activity, has backed a $19.3 million Series B round for local space technology start-up Myriota.
BGH, OTPP pull out of New Zealand dentistry deal
BGH Capital and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) have scrapped plans to acquire New Zealand dentistry chain Abano Healthcare citing material changes caused by COVID-19.
Australia’s Carnegie exits Assetic in PE-backed bolt-on
Australian VC investor MH Carnegie has exited asset management software specialist Assetic to Dude Solutions, a similar private equity-owned company in the US.
Coronavirus & leverage: Room to maneuver?
Economic disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak is likely to leave many private equity portfolio companies in breach of their leverage covenants. Borrowers and lenders are looking for a fix
Australia's PE-owned Tigerlily enters administration
Tigerlily, an Australian swimwear brand acquired by Crescent Capital Partners in 2017, has entered administration following a collapse in sales attributed to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Village Roadshow suitors continue work despite coronavirus disruption
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and BGH Capital are continuing their due diligence on Australian cinema and theme park operator Village Roadshow despite the company experiencing difficulties due to coronavirus outbreak.
Australian LPs and co-investment: Willing partners
The difficulties NZ Super encountered with its now-defunct global direct investment unit offer pointers for Australian LPs looking at how to resource and structure co-investment programs
Partners Group rebuffed in pursuit of Australia's Healius
Australian healthcare services provider Healius has rejected a A$2.1 billion ($1.4 billion) buyout offer from Partners Group, saying it doesn’t reflect the fundamental value of the company.
PEP's secure assets fund to buy Australia-listed Zenith Energy
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has agreed to acquire 100% of Australia-listed off-grid power company Zenith Energy in deal that values the company at A$250 million ($163 million).