Analysis
India energy: Power trip
A sudden shake-up in the economics of India’s energy sector has piqued investor appetite to the point of indigestion. As the market settles, a long-term growth story appears set to support a range of industries
Australia tech: Firmer footing
GPs see increasing potential for later-stage investment in the Australian technology sector as early commercial successes and government encouragement help reshape the national psyche
Portfolio: CITIC Capital and Oriental Cambridge Education Group
Oriental Cambridge Education Group was already a leader in China’s early childcare market when CITIC Capital acquired it in 2014. The GP has strengthened the company to tackle new challenges
Taiwan PE: Local problem, local solution
Mutual fund managers are expected to be among the first beneficiaries of moves by the Taiwan government to cultivate a domestic PE ecosystem. Industry participants are optimistic, but they must be patient
Asia buyouts: The big get bigger
Asia’s pan-regional buyout players are raising ever larger funds and pursuing ever larger deals. Is there now more capital in this segment of the market than places to – sensibly – put it?
Fintech funds: Treasuries apart
Investment strategies targeted exclusively at the convergence of financial services and technology have become commonplace. As competition picks up, success will depend on adopting skills and a global view
Healthcare funds: Repeat prescription
An assortment of healthcare-focused GPs – most of them in China – have emerged to leverage rising domestic consumption and nascent medical innovation. Does domain expertise mean better deal access?
Private debt: Feet on the ground
Investors see growing opportunity in Asian credit, but the region has proven difficult for foreign managers to address. Local expertise, particularly in emerging markets, can unlock the best returns
Sector funds: Special forces
The proliferation of fund managers targeting relatively focused investment segments signals a new maturity in Asian private equity. The trend will evolve in step with regional markets
Asian LPs and infrastructure: Rousing the giants
Infrastructure is shedding its reputation for being a sleepy sector as Asian investors join a global surge of interest in the asset class. Strategic angling for the best deals will now require a more nimble approach
Home automation: Digital digs
Home automation has graduated from a hobbyist niche to a sprawling, multifaceted consumer market that mobilizes a suite of cutting-edge technologies. Asian investors are identifying the early entry points
Fund structuring: Change at the margins
While the Cayman Islands remains the go-to jurisdiction for PE firms seeking a domicile for Asia-focused funds, investor demand and regulatory remit mean structures are now more carefully considered
3Q analysis: More about Japan
Toshiba sends Japan into top spot for investment amid corporate carve-out excitement; fundraising plummets in the absence of Chinese state-backed vehicles; the IPO window opens as public markets boom
Portfolio: J-Star and Japan Hospice Holdings
In 2014 J-Star bet on a pair of pioneering companies in Japan’s hospice care market. Now the resulting platform is set to dominate the still-nascent industry with high standards for care and patient dignity
Southeast Asia VC: Growth impediment?
Southeast Asia has an abundance of local players targeting early-stage deals while foreign investors fly in to participate in the later stage rounds. The industry is looking for ways to fill the hole in the middle
Tech M&A: Tactical forays
A new generation of Chinese technology companies – conscious of the need to stay competitive – are becoming more active M&A players as they choose to buy rather than build their way into multiple verticals
China-Australia: Communication breakdown
A couple of high-profile rejections of Chinese deals overshadow the fact that most foreign investments in the country receive approval. Prospective buyers are advised to engage with interested parties from the outset
Regulation: Dialogue in the dark
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the US has a huge a backlog of applications to process and a staffing shortage. Potential buyers have little choice but to be patient
One Belt One Road: Probationary bonanza
China’s One Belt One Road agenda is set to be a driving force in M&A activity that reshapes economies across Eurasia for decades to come. Early movers are consequently negotiating a new world of variables
China M&A: Outbound 2.0
Following the issuance of regulatory guidance, the aggression and opportunism that once characterized corporate China’s approach to overseas M&A will be replaced by moderation and consideration
Japan education: School run
PE and VC investors are increasingly active across the breadth of Japan’s education sector, armed with an evolving set of targeting criteria and growth strategies intended to exploit sweeping social changes
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
Due diligence: Go your own way
While GPs in Western markets increasingly rely on outside consultants for portfolio management services, Asian investors are skeptical about its usefulness. Will horror stories eventually elicit change?
Australia agtech: Tending the seedlings
Agricultural technology investment in Australia is growing rapidly from a low base. Sustaining this momentum requires international capital channels and attention to local differentiators