Weekly Digest
AVCJ Awards 2020: Exit of the Year - IPO: SBI Card
The Carlyle Group helps SBI Card win its place in the ongoing rise of digital India before realizing a landmark domestic IPO. Coordination with State Bank of India has been crucial
AVCJ Awards 2020: Deal of the Year - Large Cap: Jio Platforms
Jio Platforms has attracted an array of global investors as its digital ecosystem designs come into focus. L Catterton Asia adds consumer clout to the infrastructural proceedings
AVCJ Awards 2020: Exit of the Year - Mid Cap: EMC Holdings
Taking full ownership of EMC Holdings wasn’t on Affirma Capital’s agenda, but it performed a successful pivot when the business started moving in the wrong direction
Asia family offices: Unfamiliar territory
The industrial backgrounds of family offices represent a strategic edge but also a potential hinderance to portfolio diversification. The same goes for principal-led governance structures
AVCJ Awards 2020: Fundraising of the Year - Large Cap: The Carlyle Group
With twice as much dry powder as in its previous Japan vintage, The Carlyle group expects mega-deals and private equity participation to increase
China online education: Class war
K-12 online education in China is a battle for market share that only the largest players can afford to play. Investors can either get comfortable with high-cash-burn or look for niche exposure
AVCJ Awards 2020: Operational Value Add: Nexus Day Hospitals
Having formed Australia-based Nexus Day Hospitals by merging two smaller operators, Mercury Capital led a wholesale expansion and professionalization of the business
AVCJ Awards 2020: Deal of the Year - Mid Cap: Perfect Diary
Perfect Diary’s $100 million Series D round came after the Chinese company proved itself with multiple hit color cosmetics brands and eight months ahead of a bumper US listing
AVCJ Awards 2020: Exit of the Year - Small Cap: China Feihe
The secret to Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia’s 148x return on dairy producer China Feihe was having faith both in the baby care industry and in a quality domestic brand
4Q analysis: Growth spurt
Technology-enabled businesses in China and India are the beneficiaries of a resurgence in growth capital deal flow; Japan is the sole stand-out in fundraising; IPOs continue to shine as overall exits struggle
AVCJ Awards 2020: Fundraising of the Year - Mid Cap: Ascendent Capital Partners
A $500 million investment in Wumart is the exception rather than the rule for Ascendent Capital Partners’ third China fund, but the digital transformation theme is a constant
AVCJ Awards 2020: Deal of the Year - Small Cap: TaniGroup
Openspace Ventures played a key role in helping Indonesian agriculture technology start-up TaniGroup achieve critical mass as COVID-19 weeded out much of the competition
Asia fund administration: Odd jobs
COVID-19 is the latest in a growing list of drivers causing private equity firms to outsource various operations. The trend is implacable but inherently flexible
AVCJ Awards 2020: Operational Value Add: TEG
Affinity Equity Partners turned TEG from a ticketing business into a broad-based live events promoter, while simultaneously taking it from Australia-centric to global
AVCJ Awards 2020: Firm of the Year - Large Cap: Warburg Pincus
Whether it is building a logistics platform, backing a take-private or anchoring a growth round for a tech start-up, Warburg Pincus prioritizes local partnerships in Asia
Portfolio: MSPEA and Korres
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia helped ethical Greek cosmetics maker Korres beef up an underweight international presence with a plan that will see China become the main growth engine
Buyouts in 2021: Winners and losers
Asia could prove to be a deal-rich market in 2021, but buyout investors are still figuring out the long-term implications of COVID-19 for companies that cater to changing consumer demands
Diversity & inclusion: The right questions
With diversity and inclusion becoming a priority for institutional investors, GPs are being asked to demonstrate a willingness to take meaningful action. The challenge is often knowing where to start
2020 in review: Surprise guest
The coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with Asian private equity, contributing to a resurgence in IPOs, increased bifurcation in fundraising, a rush for healthcare, and a generally staggered revival
China VC: The naming of firms
The process of coming up with a name for a venture capital firm in China can be fraught with challenges around linguistic and cultural differences as well as questions about brand and values
Portfolio: VIG Partners and Joun Life/Preed Life
By merging Joun Life with Preed Life, VIG Partners’ groundbreaking venture into Korean funeral services is reimagining an industry beyond its core ceremonies
Asia travel & hospitality: Ready to board?
The outlook for international tourism remains uncertain, but this hasn’t stopped some private equity and venture capital investors targeting travel and hospitality assets in Asia. It pays to be selective
Australia IPOs: Window of opportunity
Australian public market investors are famously unforgiving of private equity when IPOs fail to perform. The markets are open for business again, but how long will the golden period last?
The big C: China biotech start-ups get cutting edge on cancer
The evolution of cancer treatments in China is a bellwether for biotech development in the country and its capacity for genuine innovation. Most PE and VC investors aren’t shying away
