Australia
Australian superannuation reform: Efficiency drive
With proposed changes to Australia’s superannuation system emphasizing performance rather than just cost, more money could be directed into expensive yet high-performing asset classes like private equity
Deal focus: Quadrant finds a taste for candy
Leveraging a relationship established through an investment in VIP Petfoods, Quadrant Private Equity secured a buyout of Australian candy maker Darrell Lea
BGH sets $2b hard cap for debut Australia fund
BGH Capital, the Australia and New Zealand-focused private equity firm set up by Ben Gray, formerly co-head of TPG Capital in Asia, has set a hard cap of A$2.5 billion ($2 billion) for its debut fund.
Crescent buys Australian CRO business
Crescent Capital Partners has acquired Australia-based clinical research organization (CRO) Nucleus Network from The Baker Institute, an independent research institute that focuses on heart disease and diabetes.
Australia agriculture: Fruitful endeavors
Despite their strong growth potential, Australian food crops have attracted little activity from the private equity community. Investors’ interest is restrained by the high hurdles to managing these assets
Quadrant acquires Australia's Darrell Lea
Quadrant Private Equity has acquired Darrell Lea, a candy maker based in Australia and New Zealand.
Partners Group exits Australia cancer clinic
Partners Group has sold its entire 21% stake in Australia’s Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) to AMP Capital.
Carlyle promotes Australia buyout head to partner
The Carlyle Group has promoted David Bluff, head of its buyout team in Australia and New Zealand, to partner. He was previously a managing director with the firm.
Deal focus: VCs fuel Canva's growth designs
Australia's Canva achieves a $1 billion valuation following a $40 million round led by Sequoia Capital China
Grey Mountain buys pallet business from Australia's Brambles
Australian container supplier Brambles has agreed to sell its North American recycled pallet business to Grey Mountain Partners, a US-based mid-market GP, for an enterprise value of $115 million.
4Q analysis: Riding the wave
Chinese companies return in strength to US bourses as investors leverage public market highs; Australia a bright spot as Asia fundraising slows; 2017 sets new record for PE investment on back of big buyouts, tech deals
Australia's Canva raises $40m, achieves $1b valuation
Australian graphic design platform provider Canva has raised a $40 million funding round led by Sequoia China. The investment values the company at $1 billion.
Oaktree-backed Australian surf brands to merge
Australian surfwear brand Billabong International has agreed to an acquisition by industry peer Boardriders, which owns the Quiksilver brand. Both companies are backed by Oaktree Capital Management.
UK-based GP acquires Australia solar project
UK private equity investor Foresight Solar Fund (FSF) has taken a 100% interest in an Australian solar farm and a 49% interest in each of two related projects. It coincides with a A$55 million ($43 million) investment from Australia’s Clean Energy Finance...
Battery Ventures backs Australia SaaS player PageUp
US-based private equity firm Battery Ventures has invested in PageUp, an Australian developer of cloud-based enterprise talent management software.
AVCJ Awards 2017: Operational Value Add: Great Southern Rail
Allegro Funds secured a 25x return on Great Southern Rail by helping the formerly no-frills Australian transport company find a new life as a stylized high-end tourism attraction
Co-founder steps back from Australia's Pacific Equity Partners
Paul McCullagh has become the first of the four founders of Australia-based buyout firm Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) to step back, swapping his managing director position for a senior advisor role.
Australia's Crescent loses partner
Tim Martin, a partner at Australian middle market private equity firm Crescent Capital Partners, has departed the firm ahead of its next fundraise.
Fund focus: The need for speed
Quadrant Private Equity is deploying capital at pace in Australia’s middle market, raising A$1.15 billion ($863 million) for its ninth fund less than a year-and-a-half after closing its eighth vehicle
OTPP acquires Australia's Jasper Farms
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) has acquired Jasper Farms, a leading avocado producer in Australia.
Crescent sells Australia's GroundProbe to Orica
Australia's Crescent Capital Partners has sold domestic mining services technology supplier GroundProbe to explosives and blasting equipment company Orica for A$205 million ($157 million).
Quadrant buys Ardent's Australia entertainment business
Quadrant Private Equity has agreed to buy the bowling and entertainment division of Australia’s Ardent Leisure Group for A$160 million ($123 million). This will be the second acquisition by the GP’s family and children’s entertainment platform.
OTPP sells Australia data center assets for $793m
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) has agreed to sell Australian data center business Metronode to US-based peer Equinix for A$1.04 billion ($793 million).
Square Peg invests in Australia's Airwallex
Square Peg Capital has invested A$8 million ($6 million) in Airwallex, an Australia-based cross-border payments company that closed its Series A round seven months ago.