Analysis
Asia PE investment: Korea makes a splash
With four deals of $350m or more in the last few weeks, South Korea has made its mark on Asia’s private equity investment league table. Why is it happening and can it continue?
Qianhai offers RMB funds fast track
Renminbi-denominated private equity funds will get special dispensation to raise capital in Hong Kong through a new pilot project in Shenzhen. As ever, the devil is in the detail, which has yet to be fully explained
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?
China grants private equity an A-share investment platform
China’s securities regulator has loosened restrictions on participation in the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) program and opened the door to private equity firms. Do they want to go through it?
Offshore investors: Leap into the unknown
With commitments from domestic LPs easing off, Australian, Japanese and Korean GPs are looking to raise capital from overseas investors. They are entering new territory and some are better prepared than others
Australian advertising: Private equity goes outdoors
Australia’s outdoor advertising industry has seen three large investments from private equity firms in recent months. Is wider sector consolidation imminent?
China biotech: Elusive innovation?
PE and VC investors want to leverage China’s rapidly growing biotech industry, but few firms have a proven ability to commercialize their innovations in drug development. Change will come, gradually.
Australia's lower mid-market retains its appeal
Successful fundraises by CHAMP Ventures and Archer Capital Growth Funds suggest that foreign LPs are willing to fill the gap left by Australian institutions. Performance and consistency remain the key factors
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?
India ATMs: Banking on convenience
Recognizing the need for more ATMs, a consortium of Indian banks has opened up the business to independent contractors. Numerous private equity-backed enterprises are waiting to swoop
China secondaries: Fresh start or false start?
China’s PE Secondary Market Development Alliance is meant to facilitate the trading of LP interests in renminbi funds. The absence of local expertise, portfolio transparency and mature LPs are obstacles to this.
Cornerstone investors: Public market props
Weak investor sentiment means that many Asian IPOs need cornerstone investors to cover part of the offering and provide momentum. Why are private equity firms getting in on the action?
Q2 analysis: Private equity goes public
Second-quarter analysis: Low public market valuations create investment opportunities; China fundraising slows; private equity firms perform cornerstone role in Asia IPOs.
Bain & Co: Harnessing Southeast Asia's PE potential
Southeast Asia is ever more popular among PE investors. Identifying strong management teams, adding value and cultivating local networks are crucial to making deals work, according to Bain & Company’s Suvir Varma And Hugh MacArthur (pictured).
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
SE Asia media peaks PE's interest
A year ago, global private equity firms stopped ignoring Southeast Asia’s media industry and put the sector on their priority list. What changed?
Southeast Asia's renewables: Ignored no more?
Aggressive government targets have drawn private equity and venture capital firms into Southeast Asia’s renewable energy. But success and sustainability depend on more than just government subsidies.
PE and FATCA: Complain but comply
Asian GPs have lagged behind other regional institutions in getting to grips with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. The time has come to face the impact these rules could have on local firms
SEC registration: Are Asian GPs taking it seriously?
Three months after US regulators introduced new rules for reporting and registration of private investment advisers, PE firms are changing the way they do business – but much less so in Asia than in the US
Endowments: Still gold standard?
North American endowments took a beating during the financial crisis and the recovery process has been slow. But they retain the ability to uncover high-quality GPs, in the US and beyond
Asia LP interests: The price factor
Global LPs have no intention of reducing their exposure to Asia. This has put upward pressure on secondaries prices, but assessing fair value is more difficult than it seems
India embraces e-payment
With established market leaders in India’s mainstream e-payment space, VCs are targeting opportunities in the unbanked and mobile payment markets
Indian microfinance: Back from the brink
The dust is finally starting to settle on the suicide scandals that rocked Indian microfinance in late 2010. Is the industry still an attractive proposition for private equity?
Australia's old media: Where did it all go wrong?
Traditional media in Australia has been colonized by buyout houses since 2006, but a number of these assets are now in distress. Can private equity use this situation to its advantage?