M&A
TA-owned SpeedCast acquires Australia's Pactel
TA Associates-backed SpeedCast has acquired Pactel International, an Australia-based satellite communications service provider for an undisclosed sum, as part of effort to strengthen its presence in Asia.
India's Snapdeal acquires e-retailer Shopo
Sequoia Capital-backed Shopo.in, an online marketplace for Indian handicraft products, has been bought by Snapdeal.com promoter Jasper Infotech for an undisclosed amount. Shopo had raised funding from Sequoia, SRI Capital and Seeders Venture Capital in...
Banks put up $7b for PE-backed Shuanghui's Smithfield deal – report
Bank of China and Morgan Stanley will provide $7 billion in financing for PE-backed Shuanghui International’s buyout of a US pork producer Smithfield Foods. The proposed deal, which values Smithfield at $7.1 billion including debt.
CDH, Goldman-backed Chinese pork producer bids for Smithfield
Shuanghui International, a Chinese pork producer that counts CDH Investments and Goldman Sachs among its investors, has offered $4.7 billion in cash for US-based Smithfield Foods. The proposed deal, which values Smithfield at $7.1 billion including debt,...
Indonesia financial services: Too hot to handle
For all the foreign strategic interest in Indonesia’s financial services sector, most deals are thwarted due to a huge gap in price expectations. PE investors are steering clear of the mainstream and looking for niche value
Survival of the fittest: China's internet giants go toe to toe
China's internet giants are on an acquisition spree as they seek to diversify their product platforms and carve out competitive positions in a battle that is likely to see valuations rise and rise
Hony-invested Biosensors completes bolt-on
Biosensors International, a Singapore-listed medical device company backed by Hony Capital, has acquired Spectrum Dynamics, an Israel-based medical imaging and clinical applications company, for $51.13 million.
Transition time
China has now completed the second smooth leadership transition in its modern history, with Xi Jinping assuming the role of president - he had already been named to the arguably more important posts of chairman of the Central Military Commission and general...
HIG Capital sells Anvis to Japan's Tokai Rubber
HIG Capital has sold German car parts maker Anvis to Japan's Tokai Rubber Industries for EUR132 million ($177.91 million). Financial terms of the deal were not undisclosed.
Kirkland & Ellis adds Chinese PE lawyer to HK office
Kirkland & Ellis has added private equity M&A specialist Frank Sun to its Hong Kong practice. Sun joins the firm as a partner from US rival Paul Weiss.
Project Europe: China targets high-end manufacturing
Chinese strategic investors are bidding up manufacturing assets in Europe. There is room for PE players to participate, but they will generate value by identifying high-tech targets early in the value chain
Shearman & Sterling elects new partner in Hong Kong
Global law firm Shearman & Sterling has promoted Sidharth Bhasin to partner in its Hong Kong office. He was formerly counsel.
Baird appoints Satoshi Matsumoto as Japan-focused MD
Baird has appointed Satoshi Matsumoto to its investment banking group as managing director and director of Japan M&A.
Citigroup hires ex-Silver Lake partner as Japan M&A head
Citigroup has hired Masao Yoshikawa, an ex-partner and Japan representative at private equity firm Silver Lake, as its new managing director of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Japan.
Tech-focused US M&A advisor sets up in Seoul
J. Moore Partners, a technology-focused investment bank based in San Francisco, has opened an office in Seoul as part of plans to expand into Asia. It claims to be the first US technology M&A advisory firm to establish a presence in the city.
PE-backed M&A in Asia reaches $22b in first nine months
Private equity-backed M&A in Asia Pacific ex Japan reached $22.2 billion in the first nine months of 2012, down 17% year-on-year, according to Thomson Reuters. However, the third quarter was comparatively active, with total deals worth $11 billion, up...
Lazard extends Australia corporate advisory reach
Lazard Australia has agreed to purchase independent corporate advisory firm O’Sullivan Partners. The Sydney-based player is an acknowledged media specialist and can also claim to have won several notable private equity mandates, including three from KKR....
PE-backed hiSoft merges with VanceInfo
hiSoft Technology International, a major China-based company backed by investors including Wellington Management, Crosslink Capital and HarbourVest Partners has merged with VanceInfo Technologies.
Asian MNCs to accelerate overseas expansion - Towers Watson
Asian multinationals (MNCs) stand poised to accelerate their pace of global expansion through M&A activity in foreign countries, according to a new study.
PE-backed M&A picks up in second quarter
Private equity-backed M&A in Asia Pacific recovered during the second quarter of 2012, as deal value increased 32.9% to $5 billion from last quarter. This comes after consecutive quarterly decline since the start of 2011.
China's Bright Food denies Weetabix acquisition talks
China’s Bright Food Group has denied reports that it is in talks to buy Weetabix from private equity firm Lion Capital. Several media outlets have claimed that negotiations began several weeks ago over a deal that would value the UK-based cereal company...
Bright Food, Lion Capital in talks over Weetabix sale – report
China’s Bright Food Group is being lined up as a potential buyer for Weetabix, the UK-based cereal company currently owned by Lion Capital. The private equity firm has reportedly been in talks with Bright Food for several weeks over a deal that would...
Japan's Asahi favorite to buy StarBev from CVC – report
Asahi has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner to buy east European brewer StarBev from CVC Capital Partners in a deal worth up to $3 billion. It is another indication of Japanese corporates’ interest in expanding overseas, offering an exit opportunity...
South Korea's Hi-Mart attracts interest from Tesco – report
Hi-Mart, the South Korean electronics retailer that Affinity Equity Partners exited in 2008, is about to change hands once again, with UK retailer Tesco tipped to bid for the asset. Several South Korean retailers are also said to be interested, as are...