Southeast Asia
Headland names Raffini, Thompson as chairman and CEO
Headland Capital Partners has appointed George Raffini as chairman and Marcus Thompson as CEO. They were previously joint managing partners of the private equity firm, having led a spin out from HSBC in 2010.
Actis appoints two new directors in Asia
Actis has appointed two new directors, Danny Koh and Max Lin, who will be based in Singapore and Beijing, respectively. Koh will be head of deal origination for Southeast Asia while Lin will focus on China investments.
Russia's VTB Capital appoints Indonesia head
VTB Capital, the investment advisory arm of Russian financial services major VTB Group, has appointed Roger Suyama as head of Indonesia operations. This is part of the firm’s wider strategy to strengthen its presence in Asia Pacific and it comes as a...
Hogan Lovells boosts Singapore banking practice
Hogan Lovells has hired Alexander McMyn as a banking partner in Singapore, as part of the law firm’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its finance capabilities in Southeast Asia. McMyn previously worked at Linklaters in Singapore, having relocated from the...
PE firms hedge their bets
Numerous private equity and hedge funds are pursuing alliances with one another in Asia. Could a multi-strategy approach be the golden strategy for the region’s investment environment?
CalPERS invests $530m in two China-focused property funds
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) has committed $530 million to two China-focused real estate funds run by ARA Asset Management, a Singapore-listed affiliate of Cheung Kong Holdings.
Armstrong announces first close of cleantech fund on $65m
Singapore-based clean energy investor Armstrong Asset Management has announced a first close on $65 million for its maiden fund, which will focus on clean energy projects across Southeast Asia.
Macquarie raises $625m for Philippines' first infra fund
Macquarie Group has announced a first and final close on $625 million for its Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure (PINAI). It is the first-ever Philippines-dedicated infrastructure fund.
Navis exits Indonesia education business to Pearson
Navis Capital Partners has exited the Indonesian arm of English-language education business Wall Street Institute (WSI) to Pearson. The global publishing and education company is paying $16.3 million for the asset, which represents a 10x return for Navis....
Bedell Cristin to offer BVI legal services from Singapore
International law firm Bedell Cristin has opened an office in Singapore from which it will provide British Virgin Islands (BVI) legal services to clients throughout Asia. Stephen Adams, who joined Bedell from BVI law firm Barker Adams at the beginning...
Southern Capital revises Adventa MBO offer
Southern Capital Group and a director of Adventa have submitted a revised takeover bid for the Malaysian medical products manufacturer. The offer still stands at MYR320.85 ($100 million), or MYR2.10 per share, but now excludes Adventa’s interests in Sun...
The US invasion: Competition rises among Asia PE legal counsel
A host of US law firms are boosting their Asian operations with a view to offering private equity clients a full suite of services, from fund formation to capital markets. Is there enough business to go around?
Profile: Squadron Capital's Anand Prasanna
Anand Prasanna has gone from learning about business in the backwaters of southern India to working for Squadron Capital, one of Asia’s leading indigenous fund-of-funds. He also makes angel investments
CVC, Standard Chartered in $850m Infastech exit
CVC Capital Partners and Standard Chartered Private Equity have exited Hong Kong-based fastener manufacturer Infastech to Stanley Black & Decker for $850 million in cash. The strategic investor emerged the victor in a two-round auction process. It was...
Identifying good GPs is biggest LP challenge in SE Asia - AVCJ Singapore Forum
Finding the right fund manager is the greatest challenge facing LPs investing into Southeast Asia, according to panelists at the AVCJ Forum in Singapore on Thursday. The second greatest challenge is ensuring they remain the right managers.
Creador confirms MNC Skyvision investment
Creador Capital has confirmed it invested $28 million in Indonesian pay TV operator MNC Skyvision’s IDR2.15 billion ($228 million) IPO. The committed capital includes $13 million from a co-investor.
Leopard Capital reaches $20m first close on Haiti fund
Southeast Asia-focused frontier investor Leopard Capital has reached a first close of $20 million on the first dedicated Haiti fund raised since the 2010 earthquake. The final target is $40-75 million.
IHH raises $2b from IPO, Abraaj Capital exits
IHH Healthcare, the hospital operator owned by Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional, has raised MYR6.3 billion ($2 billion) from its IPO after pricing the offering near the top of the indicative range. Abraaj Capital fully exited its holding...
Blackstone to support ex-AIA CEO's ING Asia bid – report
The Blackstone Group has reportedly agreed to support Mark Wilson, former chief of AIA Group, in his bid for ING’s Asia insurance unit. The sale is expected to generate around $7 billion, with Wilson’s consortium targeting ING’s Southeast Asian business,...
Q&A: Axiom Asia's Chihtsung Lam and Marc Lau
Chihtsung Lam (CL) and Marc Lau (ML), managing partner and partner, respectively, at Axiom Asia, discuss the relative merits of different markets in Southeast Asia and the fund strategies best suited to addressing them
ASEAN: The integration effect
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is gradually bringing the region’s economies closer together. Private equity investors stand to benefit but not all businesses are suited to cross-border expansion
Private equity and family conglomerates
There is no avoiding the family conglomerates. Time and again, while researching the Southeast Asia content that forms the bulk of this week’s issue, these large, often widely diversified family-owned businesses crept into conversations. Everyone, it...
Temasek warns of volatility as annual profit declines
Temasek Holdings saw a marginal increase in the value of its portfolio to S$198 billion for the year ended March 2012, but net profit fell 16% to S$10.7 billion ($8.45 billion). The Singaporean sovereign wealth fund warned that the global economy remains...
AIF invests in Southeast Asian consumer packaging firm
AIF Capital has completed a $40 million investment in Pacific Plas, one of the largest participants in Southeast Asia’s resin distribution and consumer packaging markets. AIF is the first private equity investor in the Singapore-based family-owned company....