LGT Capital Partners
Private equity AGMs: In the spotlight
The quality of a private equity firm’s AGM says a lot about the quality of the firm itself. LPs make their assessments based on informal conversations and observations as much as what happens on stage
ChrysCapital leads $55m round for Indian education NBFC
ChrysCapital has led a INR3.5 billion ($55 million) Series C round for Varthana, an education-focused non-banking finance company (NBFC) based in India.
LPs embrace wider role in private equity – AVCJ Forum
LPs are increasingly comfortable with adopting a range of strategies in Asia’s private equity community, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
Sector funds: Special forces
The proliferation of fund managers targeting relatively focused investment segments signals a new maturity in Asian private equity. The trend will evolve in step with regional markets
LP interview: LGT Capital Partners
LGT Capital Partners sees Asia as a misunderstood investment destination among Western LPs due to unfounded concerns about the risk of the region. Local connections are key to building a strong strategy
VC secondaries: Trading unicorns
Secondary investors are seeing more deal flow in the venture capital space as GPs seek to generate returns on assets that are taking longer than expected to go IPO. Valuations remain a sticking point
Secondaries: A cautionary tale
Cracks have appeared in the secondary transactions through which Standard Chartered Private Equity had sought to secure its future, underlining the challenges for investors of bank-led deals
GP-LP: Rules of engagement
Large LPs want to reduce the number of PE managers in their portfolios and generate more value from the outperformers that remain. The GP-LP relationship is becoming closer and more complicated
India fundraising: Bifurcation point
Only a handful of India-focused private equity firms have shown they are able to raise funds $500 million or more. With LPs still wavering on India, however, membership of this select group is not guaranteed
LGT leads $10m Series B for India's Aye Finance
LGT Impact Ventures, the impact investment arm of LGT Group, has led a $10 million Series B round for Indian small business-focused microfinance institution (MFI) Aye Finance.
Transition time: Succession planning in private equity
Asian GPs face increased scrutiny on succession planning as LPs seek to distinguish franchises that are sustainable from those that are not. For some founders, sharing economics and power isn’t easy
Philippines consumers: Boom in a bottle
Tidal shifts in the Philippines' consumer demographics are piquing interest among private equity and venture capital investors alike, but sluggish policy modernization efforts remain a key barrier to entry
Secondaries: Stick or twist?
After several years of rapid growth, secondaries volumes slowed in the first half of 2016, while fundraising reached an all-time high. Opinion is divided on the prospects for an increasingly nuanced market
Fund T&C: Carrot and stick
Fee discounts and co-investment often dominate GP-LP discourse, but longer-term issues surrounding economics and governance are increasingly important to negotiations over some Asian GPs’ fund terms
Secondaries: Waiting for the shoe to drop
Asian secondaries players are counting on an explosion in demand for alternative liquidity solutions over the next few years, but cutting deals in this niche market requires a nimble approach
India's Varthana raises $14m Series B
Indian education-focused non-banking finance company (NBFC) Varthana has raised INR930 million ($14 million) in Series B funding, led by new investors Kaizen Private Equity and Zephyr Peacock India.
Asian outlier: Standard Chartered and secondaries direct
Over the past three years, Standard Chartered has completed Asia’s largest secondary direct deal and put its PE unit in a position to raise fresh capital. But it is not necessarily a harbinger of things to come
The debate: Are LPs even LPs any more?
A group of top-level LPs of varying sizes came together at this year’s AVCJ Forum to discuss what they want from co-investment, how they prefer to participate, and ensuring alignment of interest with GPs
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2016
From Australia to China and buyouts to venture, industry participants give their perspectives on the year to come for fundraising, investments, and exits
VC secondaries: How early?
Assessing venture capital secondaries – on a direct or LP interest basis – presents a different set of challenges to private equity transactions. The key factors are transparency and timing of entry
Co-investments strengthen GP-LP bond - AVCJ Forum
LPs that pursue co-investment opportunities alongside their portfolio GPs can build a stronger relationship with the managers, LPs told the AVCJ Forum.
Asian GPs improving on ESG awareness - AVCJ Forum
The impetus for environment, social and governance (ESG) issues achieving greater prominence in PE comes from Europe, but Asian GPs are not necessarily so far behind their counterparts in developed markets.
PE and ESG: More than a box check
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues have traditionally featured in pre-deal due diligence to mitigate risk, but GPs are increasingly called upon to weave these considerations into strategic thinking
India's MyDentist raises $8m Series C round
Indian dental clinic chain MyDentist has raised a INR500 million ($8 million) funding round led by Swiss impact investor LGT Venture Philanthropy, with participation by existing backers Seedfund and Asian Healthcare Fund (AHF).