Australia
Brandon raises $154m for Australia life sciences fund
Australian life sciences-focused VC firm Brandon Capital has reached a A$200 million ($154 million) final close on its latest vehicle - the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund 3 (MRCF 3).
Affinity to buy Nine's Australia events business for $496m
Affinity Equity Partners has agreed to buy Australia-based Nine Entertainment’s live events and ticketing business for an enterprise valuation of A$640 million ($496 million).
L Capital faces legal action over Jones the Grocer
L Capital Asia is being sued in Singapore's high court over its decision appoint administrators to gourmet food retailer Jones the Grocer by the company's former CEO John Manos.
Accel, Recruit Holdings back Australia's 99designs
Australia-founded online design marketplace 99designs has raised $10 million in a Series B round led by Recruit Strategic Partners, with existing investor Accel Partners also participating.
PE agrees $2.1b Australia energy carve-out
In the past 18 months, Apache has sold off more than $11 billion worth of assets, ranging from oil and gas interests in the Gulf of Mexico, Egypt and Argentina to liquefied natural gas projects in Canada and Australia. To this can be added the company’s...
Macquarie, Brookfield to buy Apache's Australia energy unit
US-based oil and gas exploration and production company Apache has agreed to sell its Australia business to Macquarie Capital and Brookfield Asset Management for $2.1 billion in cash.
Australia's Bradken rejects new buyout offer from PEP, Koch
Australian mining industry supplier Bradken has rebuffed another takeover bid by Pacific Equity Partners (PEP), this time acting in tandem with Koch Industries.
Bain-owned MYOB targets $638m in Australia IPO
MYOB, an Australian accounting software developer owned by Bain Capital, is seeking to raise up to A$833.8 million ($635.5 million) through an IPO on the Sydney bourse. The PE firm will not sell any shares in the offering.
Catapult steers through new waters
When employees at Australian Reef Pilots (ARP), which provides pilotage services through the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Straits, wanted to engineer a management buyout (MBO), they found help from a newcomer to the private equity industry: Catapult...
Allegro Funds buys Australia's Great Southern Rail
Allegro Funds has agreed to buy a 100% stake in Australian railway company Great Southern Rail (GSR) from its UK parent Serco.
L Capital-backed 2XU targets IPO in Australia or US
Australian sports apparel brand 2XU - which is 40%-owned by L Capital Asia, a PE firm backed by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH - is looking to go public in either Australia or New York with an IPO that could value the business north of A$600 million ($468...
Australia revises employee share scheme law
The Australian government has given start-ups a boost with the much-anticipated introduction of a bill that means employees can defer paying tax on share options until they are actually converted into shares.
Catapult Partners backs Australian Reef Pilots MBO
Catapult Partners has invested in Australian Reef Pilots (ARP) in support of a management buyout (MBO) of the company.
Portfolio: CHAMP Private Equity and Accolade
For a long time the UK and Australia operations of US wine giant Constellation Brands had been a drain on the parent company. Nevertheless, CHAMP Private Equity saw the potential for a category leader
Chile's Grupo Arcano to invest $100m in Australian start-ups
Chilean private equity firm Grupo Arcano plans to invest up to $100 million over the next two years in Australian start-ups.
Australia's VentureCrowd partners with Sydney Angels
VentureCrowd - an Australian equity crowdfunding platform - has formed a partnership with angel investor group Sydney Angels in order to allow start-ups to tap new sources of capital.
KKR consortium buys GE's Australia consumer finance unit
A consortium comprising KKR, Värde Partners and Deutsche Bank has agreed to buy GE Capital’s Australia and New Zealand consumer lending unit for an enterprise valuation of A$8.2 billion ($6.3 billion).
Australia's IFM in $5.7b US toll road deal
Australian fund manager IFM Investors has agreed to pay $5.7 billion for a 66-year concession on a US toll road that crosses northern Indiana. It filed for bankruptcy last year due to heavy debts and low traffic volumes.
PEP to buy Kerry Group's Australian bakery unit
Australian GP Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has agreed to acquire Pinnacle, the Sydney-headquartered bakery unit of Irish food giant Kerry Group.
Australian LPs sacrificing higher returns due to fee concerns - AVCJ Forum
Australians are missing out on higher returns on their retirement savings as a result of superannuation funds’ preoccupation with the fees charged by private equity managers and their reluctance to participate in the asset class, industry participants...
Exit timing, operations key to high-value Australia deals - AVCJ Forum
Acquiring a company at a high valuation means a PE firm has to draw more deeply on its operational expertise to turn a profit, but it is equally important to maximize returns by getting the exit timing right.
Sydney launches financial technology start-up hub
Sydney has launched a hub for financial technology start-ups, supported by initial funding of A$2 million ($1.6 million) from a string of Australian banks, property and technology firms in collaboration with the New South Wales government.
KKR's Australia head Justin Reizes retires
Justin Reizes, head of KKR Australia, has retired after spending more than 15 years with the company, leading some of the GP's biggest deals in both Australia and New Zealand.
PEP exits the last of its stake in Australia's Veda
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has sold all of its remaining 20% stake in Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed credit-checking firm Veda Group for A$382 million ($301 million).