News
Partners Group raises $1b for Asia Pacific, emerging markets
Partners Group has raised $1 billion for its 2011 vintage Asia Pacific and emerging markets private equity programs. In addition to Asia Pacific, the programs target investments in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa.
Summit invests $26m in Southeast Asia online retailer
Summit Partners has invested EUR20 million ($26.4 million) in the German holding company of Southeast Asian online retailer Lazada. The capital will be used to expand the company’s product offering.
Blackstone appoints new senior managing director for India real estate
The Blackstone Group has promoted India-based Tuhin Parikh to senior managing director in its real estate division. He was previously a managing director.
Carlyle relists Chimney, completes partial exit
The Carlyle Group has completed a partial exit from Japanese restaurant chain Chimney having relisted the company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange three years after taking it private. It is the private equity firm’s first IPO in Japan this year, having abandoned...
Bain appoints ex-J.P. Morgan executive as senior advisor
Gaby Abdelnour has been appointed senior advisor to Bain Capital effective January 1. He retired as the Asia-Pacific chairman and CEO of J.P. Morgan in June, a position he held for the last six of his 14 years at the firm.
Wilson Sonsini opens Beijing office
Venture capital-focused law firm Wilson Sonsini has opened an office in Beijing, enlarging a Greater China footprint that already takes in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The office is led by Kefei Li, a partner with the firm. He reports to Weiheng Chen, the...
Templeton fully divests second emerging markets fund
Franklin Templeton has exited all the investments held in its second emerging markets fund, which was established in 2005 and had a corpus of $132.5 million. The vehicle has generated a net IRR of 34.3% and a money multiple of 2.1x.
Baird invests in Singapore’s Boston Plastics
Baird Capital Partners Asia has invested in Singapore plastic injection molding company Boston Plastics. It acquired shares from individual investors and company management, with the latter retaining majority control of the business.
PE-backed Bharti Infratel completes $763m IPO
Bharti Infratel, the Indian telecoms infrastructure subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, has raised around INR4.17 billion ($763 million) in India’s biggest IPO in two years.
Focus Media agrees to $3.7b PE-backed buyout
Chinese advertising company Focus Media has agreed to a $3.7 billion management buyout backed by a consortium of private equity firms. It is by some distance China’s largest-ever buyout transaction and is only surpassed in the broader private equity...
Equity Partners buys majority stake in New Zealand’s AHM
Equity Partners has acquired a stake of around 70% in New Zealand camping and gardening product distributor Amalgamated Hardware Merchants (AHM).
Fortress closes second Japan distress fund at $1.6b
Fortress Investment Group has closed its second distress fund, Fortress Japan Opportunity Fund II, at its hard cap of JPY130 billion ($1.65 billion). It is the successor fund to Fortress Japan Opportunity Domestic Fund (FJOF) which closed in June 2010...
Nine Entertainment targets listing within 18 months
Nine Entertainment is expected to list on the Australian Securities Exchange within 18 months following its A$3.4 billion ($3.5 billion) recapitalization, according to court documents submitted this week. The company reached an agreement with its creditors...
Shearman & Sterling elects new partner in Hong Kong
Global law firm Shearman & Sterling has promoted Sidharth Bhasin to partner in its Hong Kong office. He was formerly counsel.
Abraaj exits Thai restaurant chain Hot Pot after IPO
The Abraaj Group has exited restaurant chain Hot Pot after taking the company public on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in September. Hot Pot sold 101.9 million shares at THB2.80 apiece, raising THB285.3 million ($9.3 million), in an offering that was...
Nexus Ventures-backed Vdopia raises $3.4m Series B round
Video advertising network Vdopia has secured $3.4 million in Series B funding in a private offering from a single unnamed investor.
Templeton invests in China’s Tongda Group
Franklin Templeton has acquired a 6.3% stake in Tongda Group Holdings, a Chinese manufacturer of high-precision components used in consumer electronics products. The investment was made through Templeton Strategic Emerging Markets Fund IV, which targets...
Japan’s Fuller gets $1.2m seed round
Japanese internet service provider ASAHI Net and m8 Capital, a London-based VC firm, are leading a JPY100 million ($1.2 million) round of seed funding for Japan-based start-up Fuller Inc.
Golden Gate invests in three Singapore e-commerce firms
Golden Gate Ventures, a Southeast Asia-focused early stage technology seed fund, has added three Singapore-based e-commerce businesses to its portfolio: TradeGecko, RedMart and Coda Payments.
Temasek invests $104m in Godrej’s agribusiness unit
Temasek Holdings has paid INR5.72 billion ($104.5 million) for a 19.99% stake in Godrej Agrovet, an agribusiness subsidiary of Godrej Industries. The deal comprises primary and secondary tranches, with the former earmarked to support Godrej Agrovet’s...
KKR raises $6b for Asia fund - report
KKR is said to have reached the $6 billion target for its second pan-Asia fund. It is the largest vehicle ever raised in the region, topping the $4.25 billion raised by TPG Capital for its fifth Asia fund in 2007.
Riverside-owned Retail Zoo completes Australia bolt-on
Retail Zoo, an Australia-based restaurant chain backed by The Riverside Company, has completed the bolt-on acquisition of Cibo Espresso, a franchiser of espresso bars in South Australia and Queensland.
Baird teams up with Axis Capital for cross-border investment banking
International asset manager Baird is forming a strategic alliance with Axis Capital, the investment banking subsidiary of India’s Axis Bank, to focus on cross-border M&A between India, Europe and the US.
IFC to provide $25m to General Atlantic-backed Fourcee
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private investment arm of the World Bank, will provide a loan of $25 million to Fourcee Infrastructure Equipments, an Indian logistics firm backed by General Atlantic (GA) and India Equity Partners.