M&A
Ares & SSG: Scale proposition
The merger of Ares Management and SSG Capital is among the largest ever seen in Asian alternatives. They are now pushing into new markets and segments, leveraging the combination of size and local resources
China regulation: Taming the giants
Recent regulatory reforms suggest that China will not let the growth of large technology companies go unchecked. The implications could be far-reaching, not least for VC investors and start-ups
Fund focus: Firstred's advisory angle
Firstred Capital has already completed six deals from its debut fund, making commitments that are flexible in structure to Chinese companies that need its M&A expertise
Taiwan & tech tensions: Silicon island
Taiwan’s technology sector must play an awkward balancing game amid US-China tensions. This could be a surprisingly favorable position for opportunistic investment and global diversifications
Ascendent invests $500m in Chinese supermarket retailer
Ascendent Capital Partners has made by far its largest investment to date, committing $500 million to Chinese supermarket retailer Wumart ahead of a planned Hong Kong IPO.
Baring-owned Vistra acquires Japan accounting firm
Vistra, a Hong Kong-based corporate services provider and fund administrator owned by Baring Private Equity Asia, has acquired Japanese accounting specialist Routes for an undisclosed sum.
Australia's IOOF to buy NAB wealth management arm
Australian financial advisory, investment management and superannuation provider IOOF Holdings has agreed to acquire MLC, the wealth management arm of National Australia Bank (NAB), for A$1.44 billon ($1.03 billion).
L Catterton Asia: Unhappy families?
The merger of Catterton and L Capital was unique in its size and scope, creating the world’s largest consumer-focused private equity firm. However, perspectives on the experience remain polarized
Tencent plots merger of China live-streaming platforms
Tencent Holdings has proposed a merger of Douyu and Huya – China’s two largest game-centric live-streaming platforms. Both NASDAQ-listed companies have a number of VC investors.
Belt & Road: Circular dynamics
The economic fallout from COVID-19 and an antagonistic geopolitical backdrop have simultaneously stymied and validated China’s Belt & Road infrastructure agenda
Korea commits $1.7b to start-up ecosystem
Korea has committed KRW2.1 trillion ($1.7 billion) to local start-ups in biotechnology and non-contact technologies as part of a KRW5.8 trillion private sector COVID-19 recovery agenda.
VC-backed Ayannah merges with India's ECAPS
Philippines financial services player Ayannah, which is backed by Golden Gate Ventures, has merged with India’s Electronic Cash and Payment Solutions (ECAPS).
Go-Jek completes acquisition of VC-backed Moka
Indonesia’s Go-Jek has completed its acquisition of Moka, a local financial technology provider with several VC backers, in a deal estimated to be worth $130 million.
China's Pinduoduo invests $200m in electronics retailer Gome
Chinese social e-commerce platform Pinduoduo – which has several VC backers - has invested $200 million in Gome Retail, one of the country's leading household appliance and electronics retailers.
Portfolio: Capital Square Partners and Aegis/StarTek
Capital Square Partners’ acquisition of Indian business processing outsourcing (BPO) player Aegis ultimately helped two different companies find global relevance after a turbulent and disruptive decade
China B2B platform Yijiupi raises new round, buys Zskuaixiao
Yijiupi, a Chinese B2B e-commerce platform that initially focused on liquor products, has acquired local B2B consumer goods distributor Zskuaixiao. It has also secured a new round of funding backed by several Zskuaixiao investors.
Ares takes controlling stake in Asia's SSG
Ares Management has agreed to buy a controlling stake in SSG Capital, an Asia-focused credit and special situations fund manager with approximately $6.2 billion in assets under management, including $3.9 billion in dry powder.
Zomato acquires India business of Uber Eats
Uber’s foray into food delivery in India has come to an end with the sale of the business to local peer Zomato through an all-stock deal.
Macro uncertainty to drive increased Korean M&A
Difficult economic and political conditions bode well for the Korean PE industry in the near term, according to Michael Chung (pictured), head of Korea at Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA).
GPs see more cross-border M&A within Asia – AVCJ Forum
The Asian M&A market, typically characterized by cross-border deals with Western entities, is seeing more intra-regional activity, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
Japan's J-Star forms media platform with three acquisitions
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has acquired three local internet media companies with a view to bundling them into an acquisition platform for the sector.
Investors uncertain on Hong Kong's future as financial hub - M&A Forum
Recent unrest in Hong Kong has harmed the territory’s economy, but industry participants are unsure whether its status as a financial center is under threat, given the scale of the existing infrastructure.
Foreign divestments drive China deal flow - M&A Forum
Divestments by multinationals are expected to remain a key theme in China M&A as companies consider whether they still want direct exposure to a market in which growth is slowing and the competitive environment is increasingly complex.
Q&A: Natixis' Raghu Narain
Raghu Narain, head of investment banking for Asia Pacific at Natixis, discusses the macro backdrop for China’s M&A market and how shifting priorities will color deal flow to come