News
Singtel Innov8, Optus launch Australia start-ups program
SingTel Innov8, the venture capital arm of SingTel, has teamed up with Australian telco Optus to start a seed program to help Australian digital startups grow and expand into Asia.
China’s NewMargin leads $36m round for Majestic Gold
Shanghai-headquartered NewMargin Ventures has agreed to lead a $36 million financing round for Vancouver-based Majestic Gold. The proceeds will be used to finance capital expenditures at the company’s Song Jiagou mineral project in Shangdong Province,...
Nomura appoints head of Asia investment banking
Nomura has promoted Mark Williams to head of investment banking for Asia ex-Japan, to replace Patrick Schmitz-Morkramer. The news follows other recent departures at senior management level in the Japanese investment firm.
CITIC Securities launches buyout fund
China's CITIC Securities has received regulatory approval to establish its first buyout fund, which will be managed by Goldstone Investment, the brokerage’s direct investment arm.
KKR to establish investment team in Singapore
KKR will open an office in Singapore as a base for its investment activities across Southeast Asia. AVCJ understands that an announcement is forthcoming, with about eight investment professionals working out of the new office, although Ming Lu, the firm’s...
Carlyle hires Neeraj Bharadwaj as India MD
The Carlyle Group has appointed Neeraj Bharadwaj as a managing director for its Asia operations in Mumbai. It emerged last week that he was the private equity firm’s preferred candidate for the role.
Partners Group exceeds $800m with real estate fund
Partners Group has closed its Global Real Estate 2011 program at more than $800 million.
Illiquidity putting Japan pension plans off PE
The liquidity constraints of negative cash flows are making private equity less attractive for Japanese defined benefit pension plans, according to a new survey.
IFC, Proparco, Mount Kellet invest in Educomp
Educomp Solutions, India’s largest education company, has received $155 million in financing from International Finance Corporation, French development finance institution Proparco, PE firm Mount Kellett and the company's own promoters.
Court allows Oak, Gobi to attach $60m in VisionChina assets
Oak Investment Partners and Gobi Partners' application to attach $60 million in assets they claim they are owed by VisionChina Media approved by a New York state judge.
RRJ Capital targeting $5b Asia fund – report
RRJ Capital, the private equity firm set up by former Hopu Investment Management executive Richard Ong, is looking to raise at least $5 billion for its second pan-Asian fund. The vehicle will follow its predecessor in focusing on China- and Southeast...
Asiasons buys Australian pre-school show from CVC's Nine
Southeast Asian private equity firm Asiasons Group has acquired Australian pre-school television show Hi-5 from Nine Network Australia and Southern Star Entertainment. Nine Network is owned by the debt-laden Nine Entertainment Group, which is backed by...
MGPA acquires multi-office portfolio in Japan
MGPA, a private equity real estate investment advisory firm, has acquired eight office properties in Japan, with all but one located in Tokyo. The investment was channeled through MGPA Asia Fund III and took the form of commercial mortgage-backed securities.
O'Melveny to open office in South Korea
O'Melveny & Myers is going to open an office in Seoul, South Korea, in a move to deepen their services for Korea-based clients. It will be the seventh Asia office of the legal firm, alongside locations in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo,...
Singapore start-up raises $1.2m from Walden, Innosight
Singapore-based YFind Technologies has raised S$1.5 million ($1.2 million) in a Series A funding round led by Walden International and Innosight Ventures. The indoor GPS start-up will use the funding to accelerate its development of applications including...
Deloitte expands SE Asia debt advisory, restructuring practice
Deloitte has hired three executives from Rothschild for its Southeast Asia debt advisory and restructuring practice. Robert Schmitz, Richmond Ang and NK Naginlal Modi all performed similar functions at Rothschild.
Australian businesses don’t trust PE – PwC survey
Only 5% of small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Australia that are currently seeking funding would consider private equity as a source of capital, according to a survey published by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
PennSERS commits $50m to Asia Alternatives’ third fund
The Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System (PennSERS) has committed $50 million to Asia Alternatives' third fund-of-funds, which was launched early last year with a target of $1 billion. As of September 2011, it had attracted $375 million,...
Blackstone suspends payments to Visa Power – report
The Blackstone Group is said to have deferred payments on its $111 million investment in Visa Power after the Indian company failed to meet certain targets set out in the deal.
Goldman names Hui head of Asia Pacific ex-Japan merchant banking
Stephanie Hui has been named head of Goldman Sachs’ merchant banking operations for Asia Pacific ex-Japan as part of a management reshuffle following the departure of three senior partners from the firm. She will report to Andrew Wolff, who is moving...
Eminent Venture Capital raises $34m cleantech fund
Eminent Venture Capital, an investment arm of TaiAn Technologies, has raised over NT$1 billion ($33.5 million) for its new biotechnology and green energy fund.
CVC offloads $500m Formula One stake to Waddell & Reed
CVC Capital Partners has sold a $500 million stake in Formula One Group to Waddell & Reed. The move comes after the motor-sport franchise delayed its $3 billion Singapore IPO due to volatile market conditions.
KKR funds $22m Air Works bolt-on
KKR has provided Air Works India Engineering with INR1.2 billion ($22 million) of structured debt financing to help fund its acquisition of Dubai-based private aviation specialist Empire Aviation Group (EAG).
CVC leads investment in HK-listed Chinese shoe company
CVC Capital Partners has led a PIPE investment in Chinese footwear company C.banner. China Consumer Capital Partners and MouseeDragon also participated in the round.