Analysis
First quarter analysis: Asia struggles to locate its exits groove
Little to cheer in the exit landscape; China growth deal pipeline continues to weaken; India telecom tower buyout not a sign of things to come
Has the China online video story run its course?
The merger of online video sites Youku and Tudou ensures market dominance, but they must still bring costs under control in a competitive environment. Investors are advised to sell up or stay out
China's private equity talent war
The pace of growth in China’s private equity industry hasn’t been matched by the development of a pool of qualified local investment professionals. Firms are busy building from the bottom and poaching at the top
Business aviation: Come fly with PE
Foreign investors and private equity funds are keen to leverage the growing appetite for private aviation services in China, but the operational and regulatory hurdles remain
Foreigners secure entry to India's secondaries market
Indian regulators have opened the door for foreign PE investors seeking to buy secondary stakes in domestic companies. Is this the jumpstart India’s secondary market needs?
Direct investment: Silent partners?
Limited partners are attracted by the low costs and potentially high returns of direct investment opportunities in Asia. Those with a finger on the market’s pulse are likely to prevail, provided they don’t get too greedy
Asian LPs join Latin America's PE carnival
Asian investors are upping their commitments to Latin American private equity funds in a bid to be part of another emerging markets growth story
China's corporates embrace VC
Once start-ups in their own right, China’s leading technology companies are emerging are key players in the corporate venture capital space. What does it mean for incumbent investors?
Private equity heads into China's hinterlands
From resources to consumer plays, western China is rich in opportunities for private equity investors, but an unwillingness or inability to build strong local teams is holding back progress
Indian LPs: Emerging or defunct?
Having a larger domestic LP base in India could create a more sustainable fundraising environment for GPs, but few industry participants expect institutions to be let off the leash in the near term
Cross-border consumer forces
A combination of risk and escalating valuations make some consumer-oriented investors wary of Indonesia. Building a scalable brand elsewhere in the region is a lower-risk route into the country
Infrastructure: Big market, slow progress
Indonesia’s substandard infrastructure represents a huge investment opportunity and the government is taking steps to ensure foreign players can participate. However, returns will only come to those who wait
Macro: Indonesia's growth story
Expanding by more than 6% per year, the Indonesian economy is already one of the best performers in Asia. But analysts say it has the capacity to match growth rates in China and India, reforms permitting
Indonesia investment: Uncharted territory
For all its attractions, Indonesia remains a difficult – and expensive – market for foreign private equity firms. Identifying value rests on building up local knowledge and expertise
Secondaries: GPs for hire
Many first-time fund managers in Asia are expected to have trouble raising successor vehicles. Secondary investors sense the opportunity to tide over GPs by acquiring their existing portfolios
Chinese PE players eye overseas deals
Demand for outbound investments is growing , but there are still hurdles that must be overcome.
Indian VC's social imperative
Social venture capital funds have sprung up in India under the notion that they can support marginalized communities and achieve financial returns. Time will tell if this is possible.
Leveraged lenders seek common ground
Australia’s banks have proposed a standard set of rules on who can do what in the event of a default. They say it will stimulate the mezzanine market but junior lenders claim the measures are too restrictive
Australian venture capitalists face commercialization obstacles
Entrepreneurs are brimming with ideas but Australia’s venture capital firms don’t have the capital to convert innovation into products. Government support has so far been piecemeal
PE bets on Asia's growing food demand
Food assets – notably fresh produce – are increasingly attractive to private equity firms as they potential trade sale exits to Asian corporates looking to satisfy rising domestic demand
Australian fundraisers feel the strain
Are changes in superannuation laws the cause or the scapegoat? Either way, Australia’s fundraising landscape is undergoing substantial change. Local GPs must choose between going offshore or going out of business
Korea's LP problem
Both the GP and LP bases in South Korea are relatively narrow. Once fund managers have more to show for themselves in terms of track records, it will be easier to distinguish wheat from chaff
High India pharma valuations price PE firms out of the market
With strategic investors drawn to India’s rapidly growing pharma sector, private equity players must either go niche or get out
Operating partners: The social network
Operating partners now form the backbone of most private equity firms, in a variety of different guises. Samena Capital’s take on this concept recognizes the importance of relationships in Asia