News
Landman to head up BlackRock’s Australia alternatives unit
Andrew Landman, CEO of Ascalon Capital, will join BlackRock as head of alternatives in Australia.
China to expand insurers' investment scope
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) is likely to announce a new set of rules allowing insurers to expand their investment scope in order to diversify portfolios. As part of the move, the ceiling for domestic private equity investments will...
Kumho Industrial sells $812m in assets to Korean PE fund
Kumho Industrial, the struggling South Korean conglomerate, has sold KRW946.5 billion ($811.9 million) worth of assets to a private equity fund operated by Korea Finance Corp. in order to boost liquidity. The jettisoned assets include a stake in Daewoo...
Paul Weiss hires Spencer Park for Asia PE, M&A practice
Paul Weiss has appointed Spencer Park as counsel to its private equity and M&A practice in Asia. Based in Hong Kong, he will work on private equity, credit and real estate transactions across the region.
San Diego pension fund commits $50m to FountainVest
The San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA) has committed $50 million to FountainVest China Growth Capital Fund II. FountainVest Partners, set up by former Temasek Holdings executives in 2007, raised $950 million for its first vehicle...
Private investors back IPO of Khazanah’s healthcare arm
Blackrock, Capital Group and Och-Ziff Capital Management Group have agreed to become cornerstone investors in the proposed $2 billion IPO of Malaysia's Integrated Healthcare Holdings (IHH), which is owned by Khazanah Nasional.
India’s Komli raises $39m from VCs in Series D round
Norwest Venture Partners has led a $39 million round of funding for Komli Media, India’s largest advertising-focused media technology company. Existing investors Nexus Venture Partners, Helion Venture Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson also participated,...
Qantas appoints Macquarie to defend against PE bids
Qantas Airways has hired Macquarie Group to set up an internal team “to advise on the defense against potential private equity bids,” a company spokesman has confirmed. The news prompted an 11% spike in the airline’s share price to A$1.08 during...
WL Ross-backed Ohizumi to go public
Ohizumi, a temperature sensors electrical parts manufacturer backed WL Ross, will list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on June 22.
NSSF to boost investment in PE funds
China's National Council for Social Security Fund (NSSF) will boost its commitments in private equity funds by more than 50% in 2012, in a move to enhance investment returns.
Apax, Bain in race for $1.4b Genpact stake
Apax Partners and Bain Capital are reportedly competing for the 41% stake in Indian business process outsourcing (BPO) company Genpact being sold by Oak Hill Capital and General Atlantic (GA). The stake is valued at $1.4 billion, which could make this...
Sage Capital vehicle backs Chinese shoemaker Baofeng
Asia Equity Value, an investment vehicle advised by Sage Capital Global, has agreed to invest in Baofeng Modern International, a Hong Kong-listed Chinese footwear manufacturer.
Sequoia invests in India’s Citrus Payments
Sequoia Capital has invested an undisclosed amount in Mumbai-based Citrus Payment Solutions, which offers payment services including online banking and credit card gateways.
PubMatic raises $45m in mezzanine financing from VC players
India-based GPs Helion Ventures and Nexus Venture Partners have participated in a $45 million round of mezzanine financing for their portfolio company PubMatic. The round was led by US-based August Capital, with Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Silicon Valley...
Ex-Apax India head to join Carlyle – report
Neeraj Bharadwaj, former India head of Apax Partners, is tipped to become The Carlyle Group’s newest managing director. The appointment would fill a vacancy created last year by the departure of Rajeev Gupta, head of the private equity firm’s India...
Temasek names Promeet Ghosh India MD
Temasek Holdings has appointed Promeet Ghosh as its first managing director level appointment in India. He will report to Singapore-based Rohit Sipahimalani and Lee Then Kiat who share responsibility for investments in the country.
Vermont state pension funds commit $75m to HarbourVest
A HarbourVest Partners fund targeting Europe, Asia and emerging markets has received a $10 million commitment from the Vermont Pension Investment Committee (VPIC). It is part of a $75 million investment by the committee, which represents pension funds...
Khazanah, Baring jointly offer $800m for Aegis
Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional has teamed up with Baring Private Equity Asia to offer $800 million for Aegis, thr business process outsourcing (BPO) arm of Indian industrial conglomerate Essar Group. KKR is said to be another bidder...
WI Harper invests in Quixey’s Series B round
WI Harper, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage and expansion deal in Greater China, has announced a follow-on investment into Quixey, a search engine for apps, in its Series B financing round.
Global Environment raises $124m India-focused fund
Global Environment Fund (GEF), a private equity firm which has been investing in energy, resources and environment-related assets, has raised INR7 billion ($124 million) for a fund which targets small and medium enterprises in India. It is the first niche...
Samara injects $32m in Monte Carlo Fashions
US-based private equity firm Samara Capital has invested INR1.75 billion ($32 million) for an 18% stake in India’s Monte Carlo Fashions.
Sequoia to reap 18% return on Cafe Coffee Day sale
Sequoia Capital India is targeting returns of 16-18% on its impending exit from Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading, a unit of India’s Coffee Day Group.
Maui Capital closes fund at $190m hard-cap
Maui Capital has closed its Aqua fund at its hard-cap of NZ$250 million ($190 million). The New Zealand-based private equity firm had to turn away some larger investors.
Chinese online store Meilele receives $40m in second round funding
Chinese home furnishings e-tailer Meilele has received $40 million in second-round funding. The round was led by Singapore’s Vertex Venture, alongside Lightspeed Partners, Xianfeng Huaxing Group, LionRock Capital, and KTB Ventures.