Philippines
Philippines confidence endures political strife – AVCJ Forum
The Philippines was praised for its political stability as investor wariness around President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown on drugs became a recurring talking point at the AVCJ Philippines Forum.
Gobi leads $14.5m round for Southeast Asia’s Deliveree
Deliveree, a Southeast Asia-focused last-mile logistics marketplace, has raised a $14.5 million Series A round of funding led by Gobi Partners.
Philippines PE: Growth potential
Philippines-focused private equity funds are young and unproven. The investment theses need to play out – ideally resulting in more deal flow for larger GPs – for the industry to come of age
Crescent Point backs Philippines-based LBC Express
Singapore-based private equity and special situations firm Crescent Point has agreed to invest $50 million in Philippines-listed logistics services company LBC Express.
Naspers invests $5m in Philippines-based Coins
The venture capital division of South African media firm Naspers has invested $5 million in Coins, a US-founded blockchain and financial technology company operating in the Philippines.
Partners Group buys majority stake in SPi from CVC
Partners Group has acquired a majority stake in Philippines-based business process outsourcing (BPO) provider SPi Global from CVC Capital Partners and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) in a deal that values the business at $330 million.
Q&A: Armstrong Asset Management's Andrew Affleck
Andrew Affleck, managing partner of Singapore’s Armstrong Asset Management, explains the role private equity investors can play in developing renewable energy assets in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia VC: Common tastes
Venture capital investors increasingly view Southeast Asia as a single market as start-ups focus their attentions on a handful of large cities whose young populations have similar consumption habits
VCs back Filipino fintech start-up
Philippines-based financial technology company First Circle has received $2.5 million from a group of VC firms, including a seed stage investment unit of emerging markets microfinance group Accion International.
The devil you know: PE and Southeast Asian entrepreneurs
Due to a shortage of companies in Southeast Asia that have proved themselves capable of working private equity, when GPs identify a group they like it is not uncommon for them to work together more than once
Kickstart, BPI invest in Zalora Philippines alongside parent
Kickstart Ventures and BPI Capital have joined their parent Ayala Group to buy a 49% stake in the Philippines business of online fashion retailer Zalora.
Tech & government: Living laboratories
As governments of Southeast Asia’s emerging economies look to create more workable VC policy environments, start-ups and investors have proliferated across a patchwork of imperfect systems
Blockchain: Ethereal frontiers
As blockchain segments mature in Asia, private equity and venture capital investors will benefit from a range of new entry points. Pitfalls related to the technology’s obscure nature, however, will persist
US fintech raises $5m for Philippines, Southeast Asia push
Quona Capital has led a $5 million Series A round of funding for US-based financial technology start-up Coins. It will support an expansion in Southeast Asia with an emphasis on the Philippines.
Philippines’ Xurpas buys VC-backed mobile ad firm
Early-stage VC firm Wavemaker Partners has made a full exit from Art of Click as Philippines-based mobile service developer Xurpas acquired the Singaporean mobile advertising player in deal worth $45 million.
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
Careful targeting key to Philippines M&A – AVCJ Forum
Efforts to increase foreign M&A activity in the Philippines at later investment stages depend on targeting the right kinds of companies and understanding their needs, industry participants told the AVCJ Philippines Forum.
Filipino rise demands a sharper focus – AVCJ Forum
Increased competition for private equity deals in the Philippines means investors must be more disciplined in their approach to transactions, according to industry participants at the AVCJ Philippines Forum.
NewQuest buys BPO asset from Ayala, Actis
Direct secondaries specialist NewQuest Capital Partners has acquired business process outsourcing (BPO) company Integreon from Philippines conglomerate Ayala Corporation and Actis Capital.
IFC commits $15m to Philippines PE fund
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) will invest up to $15 million in the debut fund of Philippines-based private equity firm Sierra Madre Managers.
Monk's Hill, Kickstart invest in Philippines-based ZipMatch
Monk's Hill Ventures and Kickstart Ventures, a unit of Philippines telecommunications company Globe Telecom, have invested in Manila-based real estate marketplace ZipMatch.
ASEAN integration: Gathering momentum
Continued economic integration with Southeast Asia could open the way for transformative investment opportunities, but private equity players must believe in the region’s potential before they take the plunge.
Partners Group to open office in Manila
Switzerland-based global private markets investment manager Partners Group will open an office in Manila as part of its Asia expansion.
Japan's SBI partners with Filipino VC
Japanese financial services company SBI Holdings has acquired a 35% stake in the venture arm of Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines (ICCP) with an aim to co-manage a VC fund.