Southeast Asia
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.
Q&A: CVC Asia's Roy Kuan
Roy Kuan, managing partner of CVC Asia, looks back on a busy first half of 2012 in which the firm closed five deals. Falling valuations, planning and patience are among the key factors
Indonesia's Saratoga closes fund three at $600m
Saratoga Capital has closed its third fund at $600 million, according to sources familiar with the situation. It took the Indonesia-based firm about six months to close the new vehicle, which will make investments across Southeast Asia.
Temasek talks up China, favors property, financials, healthcare
Temasek Holdings has reaffirmed its commitment to China, saying that urbanization and the rise of the middle classes will continue to drive the economy forward regardless of short-term concerns about slowing growth. Real estate, healthcare and energy...
KKR to establish investment team in Singapore
KKR will open an office in Singapore as a base for its investment activities across Southeast Asia. AVCJ understands that an announcement is forthcoming, with about eight investment professionals working out of the new office, although Ming Lu, the firm’s...
RRJ Capital targeting $5b Asia fund – report
RRJ Capital, the private equity firm set up by former Hopu Investment Management executive Richard Ong, is looking to raise at least $5 billion for its second pan-Asian fund. The vehicle will follow its predecessor in focusing on China- and Southeast...
Deloitte expands SE Asia debt advisory, restructuring practice
Deloitte has hired three executives from Rothschild for its Southeast Asia debt advisory and restructuring practice. Robert Schmitz, Richmond Ang and NK Naginlal Modi all performed similar functions at Rothschild.
Growth capital mezzanine: The third way
Growth capital mezzanine players are still few in number in Asia. Will struggling equity markets and tighter credit conditions open up the market for these alternative capital providers?
Serasi’s Veronica John joins Mekong Capital
Veronica John, founder of Serasi Capital and formerly CEO of IDFC Capital, has joined Mekong Capital as a senior advisor. She is responsible for various aspects of the Vietnam-focused GP’s operations, including investments, fundraising and private equity...
VIDEO: Creador's Brahmal Vasudevan
Brahmal Vasudevan first wanted to invest in Indonesia six years ago when he was with India-focused GP ChrysCapital. Now, as CEO of Creador, the private equity firm he set up last year, Vasudevan has his wish. Creador is seeking to raise around $350 million...
SBI, FMO launch $80m financial services fund
Japan's SBI Holdings and Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) have jointly rolled out a new fund that will invest in financial services across emerging Asia. The SBI-FMO Emerging Asian Financial Services Fund is targeting up to $80 million in...
Actis loses Southeast Asia head
Gary Addison, head of Actis’ Singapore office, has reportedly resigned after four-and-a-half years with the firm. Formerly a partner with 3i Group in London, he moved to Singapore in 2009 to lead Actis’ Southeast Asia operations, replacing Alun Branigan.
Profile: Dominic Scriven of Dragon Capital
Dragon Capital’s Dominic Scriven settled in his adopted country of Vietnam when it was still a frontier market. Twenty years on, he remains active in the country’s private equity and cultural communities
Armstrong launches SE Asia cleantech fund
Southeast Asia has abundant solar radiation, agricultural resources and biomass when compared to North Asian and European countries. However, the use of clean energy in the region is still somewhat limited. Singapore-based clean energy asset manager Armstrong...
Man in the middle: Placement agents in Asia
Placement agents are building up resources in Asia as the region becomes more significant as a fundraising location. Some GPs are keen to build long-term relationships, but others take more convincing
Intel Capital’s Kuppam adds Taiwan, Korea to his Asia portfolio
Intel Capital’s Asia Pacific Managing Director Sudheer Kuppam will assume responsibility for investment activity in Taiwan and Korea, adding to his existing coverage of India, Japan and Southeast Asia. Based in India, he will oversee a team of investment...
Franklin names Robinson-Kok as Asia alternatives head
Franklin Templeton Investments has appointed Gregory Robinson-Kok as head of its alternative investments business in Asia. He is based in Singapore and reports to Kent Strazza, managing director of the alternative strategies group.
Navis exits label manufacturer Trimco to Partners Group
Navis Capital Partners has sold its majority stake in Trimco International Holdings to Partners Group. The size of the deal was not disclosed but the combination of exit proceeds and dividends received over a seven-year holding period will leave Navis...
VIDEO: Ancora International's Veronica Lukito
Foreign direct investment in Indonesia reached a record $20 billion in 2011 and M&A transactions came in at $9 billion for the 12 months to January 31. The country’s stock market has gained close to 200% since 2009. The influx of capital has yet to...
Creating cross border opportunities
Venture capital and private equity has always played an important role in the transfer of technology, talent and brands names from developed Western markets into Asia. This is perhaps best illustrated by the spate of “me-too” companies that mimicked...