News
CVC-backed Nine in talks to sell magazine business – reports
CVC Capital Partners-owned Nine Entertainment has held talks with Seven West Media over the potential sale of its ACP magazines division. The funds raised would help pay down some of the beleaguered company’s A$2.7 billion ($2.8 billion) in senior debt...
Goldman Sachs buys minority stake in Mongolian bank
Goldman Sachs has purchased a 4.78% stake in Trade & Development Bank of Mongolia, the country’s oldest bank. The company has previously received investment from Asian Development Bank and International Finance Corp. (IFC).
Northern Trust announces new appointments
Northern Trust has promoted Brad Dorchinecz to director of private equity as part of a raft of major appointments intended to strengthen its alternative investments business.
Goldman Sachs exits Hana in $331m sell down
Goldman Sachs has exited the remainder of its stake in South Korea's Hana Financial Group through a public market sell down worth $331 million.
Temasek backs US online ad startup
Temasek Holdings has led a $30 million round of investment in Marin Software, a San Francisco-headquartered advertising management platform. The company has now attracted more than $80 million from VC and PE backers.
IDG, SAIF inject $14m into Firstcry.com
IDG Ventures India and SAIF Partners have led a $14 million Series B round for Indian e-commerce start-up Brainbees Solutions, which runs the First Cry and GoodLife websites. The deal is thought to be one of India’s biggest venture investments in a...
VSG to facilitate LP direct investment in India
VSG Capital Advisors, a new investment bank, has been established in India to advise on domestic and cross-border deals. The move comes at a time when pension funds and sovereign wealth funds are tipped to raise their direct investment allocations to...
Unison nears $650m Showa Yakuhin Kako buyout - sources
Japanese private equity firm Unison Capital is reportedly in the final round of bidding for Showa Yakuhin Kako, a drug producer backed by Tokio Marine Capital.
Warburg Pincus poised to commit $50m to Indian NBFC
Warbug Pincus is closing in on a $50 million investment in Au Financiers, an Indian non-banking financial company. The deal provides a partial exit for existing investor Motilal Oswal Private Equity.
SEC inquiry targets PE asset valuation mechanisms
Private equity firms have been asked to disclose to US regulators information on how they value assets, as well as on areas including fundraising and fund formation, as part of an informal inquiry into the industry. The Securities and Exchange Commission...
CapAsia acquired by US hedge fund
Singapore-based private equity infrastructure investor CapAsia has been acquired by The Rohatyn Group (TRG), a US-based hedge fund focused on emerging markets.
COLI, ICBC raise $230m for second China property fund
China Overseas Land & Investment (COLI) and ICBC International Investment Management have raised $230 million in initial capital for their Harmony China Real Estate Fund II. The vehicle's full target is $500 million.
L Capital invests in Chinese fashion company - updated
L Capital Asia, the private equity unit of multinational luxury giant LVMH, has invested $200 million in Trendy International Group, a Chinese casual-wear company, contrary to an earlier report in the South China Morning Post that put the price at $2...
L Capital expands China portfolio with $2b investment
L Capital Asia, the private equity unit of multinational luxury giant LVMH, has reportedly purchased a 10% stake in China fashion company Ochirly for US$2 billion. It is another indication of the brand’s ambition to expand its portfolio in the world's...
Chinese government backs Sino-Hollywood movie fund
The Chinese government will support a new private equity fund set up to finance movie co-productions with foreign players in China. It is the first-ever state-backed film investment fund.
VC-backed Flipkart buys rival Indian e-commerce site
Indian online retailer Flipkart has purchased rival e-commerce platform Letsbuy.com for an estimated $25 million. Both companies are backed by Tiger Global Management and Accel Partners, but no details were disclosed on the structure or value of the transaction.
Longreach considers En Tie Bank sale - sources
Japan-focused private equity firm Longreach Group is said to be weighing up the prospect of selling its majority stake in Taiwanese lender En Tie Commercial Bank.
China tipped to see more NPL deal flow
Bad debts accumulated by China’s state banks have been targeted by distressed asset investors for about a decade, with mixed results. The high-profile auctions of the mid-2000s that attracted the likes of Avenue Capital and Mellon are no more. Foreign...
NEA hires Carmen Chang as advisor
Venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has appointed Carmen Chang to the role of special senior advisor. Chang joins NEA from US law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR).
Kotak PE invests $25m in Minda Corporation
Kotak Private Equity Group (KPEG), part of Kotak Mahindra Group, has reportedly invested INR1.25 billion ($25 million) for a minority stake in automotive component firm Minda Corporation.
Catalyst buys Australian resources industry service provider
Australian private equity firm Catalyst Investment Managers has purchased a 49% stake in Morris Corporation, a provider of facilities management and accommodation services to the mining and oil and gas industries. The value of the transaction was not...
CalSTRS considers separate accounts strategy
California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) is considering making separate account commitments to private equity firms. A similar strategy has already been employed by other pension funds like Texas Teachers’ Retirement System and New Jersey...
CDC appoints ex-Actis partner head of direct investment
CDC Group, the UK development finance institution that targets private equity investments in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, has appointed Mark Pay to head up its direct investments division. Pay is rejoining the group, having departed in 2004 as part...
KKR-backed MMI plans $300m high-yield bond issue
MMI International, a KKR portfolio company, plans to issue a $300 million high-yield bond to refinance debts incurred through its 2007 buyout. The move indicates that non-traditional funding channels are opening up for private equity firms at a time when...