News
Korea’s National Pension Service appoints new chairman
South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) has appointed Kwang Choi, an economist who served as health and welfare minister in the late 1990s, as its chairman and CEO. He replaces Kwang-woo Jun, who stepped down last month.
China’s Kaida VC invests in VTL Associates
China’s Suzhou Industrial Park Kaida Venture Capital has invested in VTL Associates, a Philadelphia-based financial consulting firm that develops equity and fixed income indexes.
Orix invests $24m in Mongolian financial services group
Japanese financial services group Orix Corp. has agreed to buy a 16% stake in Mongolia financial group TenGer Financial Group (TFG) for approximately $24 million
MBK, PE-backed insurers bid for ING’s Korean unit
MBK Partners, Tongyang Life Insurance and Kyobo Life Insurance have made separate bids for a controlling stake in ING Groep’s South Korean insurance business. The stake was valued at approximately $2.1 billion last year, when KB Financial Group was...
East Ventures leads seed funding round in Japan's TwitCasting
East Ventures has led a JPY64.8 million ($633,000) round of seed funding in Moi Corp., the Japanese company behind social video application TwitCasting.
Japan's NTT Docomo acquires Guam cable operator from Seaport Capital
Japanese wireless operator NTT Docomo has acquired Guam cable operator MCV Broadband from New York private equity firm Seaport Capital for an enterprise value of approximately $130 million.
China’s LightInTheBox sets IPO terms, targets up to $87m
VC-backed Chinese online retailer LightInTheBox plans to raise up to $87 million through its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Rocket Internet’s Asian fashion startup raises $100 million
Zalora, a Hong Kong-based online fashion and beauty retailer owned by German VC firm Rocket Internet, has closed a $100 million round of financing from Investment AB Kinnevik, Verlinvest and return backers Summit Partners and Tengelmann Group - which...
Capital18 exits India's Webchutney, sees 3x return
Capital18, the venture capital arm of Indian media conglomerate Network18, has sold its 70% stake in Webchutney Studio to Dentsu Media and Holdings India (DMHI), a subsidiary of Japanese advertising company Dentsu, generating a 3x money multiple.
PE-controlled Chinese cinema equipment maker files for US IPO
Chinese digital cinema equipment manufacturer GDC Technology, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group and Yunfeng Capital, has announced plans to raise up to $75 million through a NASDAQ IPO. With only two Chinese firms managing to go public in the US...
Partners Group buys majority stake in India’s CSS Corp - Update
Partners Group has acquired a majority stake in IT services provider CSS Corp. for $270 million. The deal facilitates the exit of existing investors SAIF Partners, Goldman Sachs and Sierra Ventures.
PE-owned Australian power producer targets US debt issue – report
Alinta Energy, the Australian power producer controlled by TPG Capital, is said to be planning to raise at least $1 billion through a debt offering in the US. It joins a growing list of private equity-owned companies that are looking outside of Australia...
Sequoia backs Chinese vegetable producer MBO
Sequoia Capital has teamed up with the chairman and CEO of Chinese vegetable producer Le Gaga Holdings to submit a buyout offer that values the NASDAQ-listed company at around $183 million. Le Gaga has seen its net profit increase fourfold over the last...
SparkLabs selects 10 companies for its second start-up class
Korean start-up accelerator SparkLabs has selected a second class of 10 for its mentoring program. The program is three months in length and provides funding, office space and access to a network of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and angel investors.
Kae Capital seeds India language-learning platform
Indian venture capital firm Kae Capital has invested an undisclosed amount for a minority stake in Intap Labs, the start-up behind language-learning platform CultureAlley.com.
VC-backed Just Dial's IPO 11x subscribed
Indian search engine Just Dial’s IPO was subscribed 11.6 times when it closed on Wednesday. The company will raise INR8.2-9.5 billion ($148-171 million), depending on the final issue price.
Highland Capital appoints Korea BD director
Highland Capital Management has appointed Jun Park as director of business development in South Korea, with a brief to explore investment opportunities in the country.
CDH to make distributions of $1b for the year
CDH Investments has distributed $500 million to LPs in the last seven months and is on course to return a similar amount by September. The China GP has made full exits from real estate developer Sunac and auto parts firm Nanjing Aotecar during the period,...
DBS wins approval to buy Indonesia bank stake from Temasek
DBS Group Holdings has won approval to buy a 40% stake in Indonesian mid-sized lender Bank Danamon for $2.75 billion from Singapore state investor Temasek. It will be the biggest acquisition in the country's history.
SEAVI invests $17m in Indonesian port manager
SEAVI Advent Private Equity, the Asian arm of Advent International, has made a $17 million investment into Multicon Indrajaya Terminal, an Indonesian port depot manager.
China's Cathay resumes pursuit of Discovery Metals
Chinese private equity firm Cathay Fortune Corporation (CFC) has made a renewed takeover bid for Australia-listed mining company Discovery Metals. The offer is the latest development in ongoing spat between CFC and Discovery Metals, whose principal asset...
AMCG invests $30m in Chevalier for Moraitis acquisition
Asia Mezzanine Capital Group (AMCG) has invested in $30 million in Chevalier International Holdings, aiding its acquisition of Australia's Moraitis, a fruit and vegetable wholesaler backed by Catalyst Investment Managers. AMCG provided the financing via...
China’s Fosun nears first close on $1b outbound fund
Fosun International is targeting $1 billion for its Chinese Momentum Fund that will invest in foreign companies seeking to expand in China, with a particular focus on Europe. The fund is approaching a first close in excess of $300 million, AVCJ has been...
NDRC private equity executive moves to CSRC
Liu Jianjun, a senor official at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) who oversaw the private equity division, has been handed a leading role within the China Securities Regulatory Commission's (CSRC) fund department. The move comes amid...