Australia
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.
CITIC Capital to acquire New Zealand's Trilogy for $175m
CITIC Capital has agreed to buy Trilogy International (TIL), a producer of skincare products and fragrances listed in New Zealand and Australia, for NZ$250 million ($175 million) via a scheme of arrangement.
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2018
From China to Australia and secondaries to venture debt, industry participants share their perspectives on the year to come for fundraising, investments and exits
Australia's Allegro closes Fund III at $218m hard cap
Australia-based turnaround investor Allegro Funds has reached a final close on its third fund at the hard cap of A$290 million ($218 million) as well as raising A$92 million for a sidecar vehicle.
Australia's Quadrant closes mid-market fund at $863m
Quadrant Private Equity has closed its latest mid-market Australia and New Zealand fund at A$1.15 billion ($863 million). As with the firm’s previous two fundraises, the process took approximately one month.
AVCJ at 30: Part Four - Buyouts Across the Region
Joseph Skrzynski of CHAMP Private Equity, Peter Wiggs of Archer Capital, Tim Sims of Pacific Equity Partners, and Richard Folsom of Advantage Partners on the development of buyouts in Australia and Japan
Riverside exits Australia's Learning Seat
The Riverside Company has sold Learning Seat, an Australia-based online compliance training specialist, to NASDAQ-listed marketing services provider Callidus Software for $26.4 million in cash.
Livingbridge completes debut Australia deal
UK-based GP Livingbridge has made its debut investment in Australia with a commitment of undisclosed size to project management consulting company TSA Management.
PE-backed Billabong gets $150m buyout offer
Australian surfwear brand Billabong International has received a A$198 million ($150 million) non-binding buyout offer from Boardriders, owner of the Quiksilver brand. Both companies are backed by Oaktree Capital Management.
Australia's IFM opens Korea office
IFM Investors, an investment manager owned by 28 Australian superannuation funds, has opened an office in Seoul to service clients in South Korea.
Australia’s Anchorage closes special situations fund at $266m
Anchorage Capital Partners has closed its third fund, which will make special situations and turnaround investments in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, at A$350 million ($266 million).