Temasek Holdings
Temasek's Charles Ong joins brother Richard at RRJ Capital
Charles Ong, senior managing director of Temasek Holdings, has been “seconded” to newly formed RRJ Capital, run by his brother Richard, who co-founded Hopu Investment Management.
Bank of America raises $8.3b in partial exit from CCB
Bank of America (BofA) on Monday sold about half its 10% holding in China Construction Bank (CCB), raising $8.3 billion. The lender, which is in the process of shedding non-core assets and boosting its tier-one capital, sold 13.1 billion shares to group...
Indian ethnic fashion retailer seeks private equity investment
Wolfensohn Capital Partners is going to sell its 8% stake in ethnic fashion retailer Fabindia. The exit comes as Fabindia looks to raise around INR2 billion from new investors.
Bank of America expected to exit over half its CCB stake this week
Bank of America (BofA) is on course to sell more than half its stake in China Construction Bank (CCB) for up to $10 billion this week. A consortium of Asian and Middle East sovereign wealth funds as well as several private equity firms are in negotiations...
BofAML to retain at least 5% of its CCB holding
Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) has agreed to extend its partnership with China Construction Bank (CCB) until the at least the end of 2012. Zhang Jianguo, president of CCB, said the US bank, which currently has a 10% stake in the Chinese lender,...
Temasek affiliate part-exits Shin Corp holding
An affiliate of Temasek Holdings has sold 7.9% of its stake in Thai telecom company Shin Corp. Cedar Holdings, which is 49% owned by the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund, raised THB9.126 billion ($305 million) through the sale of 253.3 million shares...
Turnarounds in Thailand
Any discussion of private equity opportunities in Southeast Asia seems to hone in on Indonesia. Rich in commodities and with high household consumption levels, the country is perceived as large and lucrative enough for big ticket transactions. Thailand...
Tudou raises $174m in NASDAQ IPO
Venture capital-backed Chinese video site Tudou has raised $174 million through its NASDAQ IPO, surpassing the $100-150 million target it set earlier this year.
Indonesia bans banking sector takeovers
Indonesia’s central bank has temporarily barred takeovers in the banking sector – where there is considerable interest from foreign private equity investors – as it considers a review of ownership rules. The central bank is still drafting the policy and...
Bank of America struggles to find buyers for CCB stake
Bank of America is struggling to find buyers for its 10% stake in China Construction Bank as investors are wary of forthcoming rights issues, share sales and new listings by Chinese lenders.
New China Life targets $4b IPO
New China Life Insurance, which is part-owned by several private equity interests, plans to raise up to $4 billion through a dual IPO in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Temasek forms JV with South Africa's Oppenheimer family
Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings will form a joint venture private equity fund with South Africa’s E. Oppenheimer & Son International. James Teeger, group managing director at E. Oppenheimer, told Reuters that each party would make an...
The Asian office: Regional, local or both?
I've said before that it's high time GPs based in US and Europe resume plans to set up offices in Asia. Before these ambitions were mothballed during the global financial crisis, I was often asked where in the region it is best to locate an office. The...
Indonesia considers cap on foreign ownership of local banks
Indonesia is considering limits on foreign ownership of domestic banks at a time when private equity firms are keen to boost their exposure to the sector. Darmin Nasution, the central bank governor, said that the potential impact of the regulations is...
Temasek eases exposure to Chinese banks
The timing of Temasek's sell-down of a partial stakes in Bank of China and China Construction Bank certainly raised eyebrows. Singapore’s second-largest sovereign wealth fund made its move hours after Moody’s warned that the scale of local government...
Temasek sees portfolio reach $158b for 2010-2011 fiscal year
Temasek Holdings, Singapore’s second-largest sovereign wealth fund, said that its portfolio was worth a record S$193 billion ($158 million) at the end of its last financial year in March, up from S$186 billion ($152 billion) in 2010. Net profit came to...
Temasek reduces holdings in Bank of China, China Construction Bank
Temasek Holdings, Singapore’s second-largest sovereign wealth fund, has reduced its holdings in Bank of China and China Construction Bank in order to scale back on its financial sector exposure, raising around $3.6 billion in the process.
Malaysia, Singapore SWFs jointly develop realty projects
Sovereign wealth funds Khazanah Nasional Berhad of Malaysia and Temasek Holdings of Singapore have established a 60/40 real estate joint venture, respectively, called M+S Pte. Ltd. to develop four land parcels in Singapore's Marina South and Ophir-Rochor...
Yurun Food Group slumps on talk of short-seller attack
Meat processor China Yurun Food Group, which last year reportedly attracted investment from Temasek Holdings and Hopu Investment Management, saw its shares plunge nearly 20% on Monday amid rumors that the company was about to come under attack from short-sellers....
Hony Capital seeks to take foreign tech firms into China
Hony Capital wants to take US and European technology companies into China, exposing them to new markets and adding value to their business, according to John Zhao, the private equity firm’s CEO and managing partner
Ho Ching tipped to leave Temasek in summer
The CEO of Temasek, Ho Ching, is likely to leave her position in August, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the situation. Ho has been married to Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s prime minister, since 1985. Lee recently became chairman...
GIC names new private equity chief
Government of Singapore Investment Corp. (GIC), Singapore’s leading sovereign wealth fund, has appointed a new private equity head as part of a significant personnel shift that sees younger people move into senior roles.
Huaneng Renewables in $800m Hong Kong IPO
Huaneng Renewables has raised HKD6.23 billion ($800 million) through its second attempt at an IPO in Hong Kong, supported by cornerstone investors including China Investment Corporation, Temasek Holdings and Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE).
Vehicles of the state
Closely followed yet widely misunderstood, sovereign wealth funds are making a big impression on private equity in Asia