News
Carlyle poaches Affinity MD to head up Korea operations
The Carlyle Group has appointed Sanghyun Lee as managing director with responsibility for the private equity firm’s South Korean investment activities. Lee joints from Affinity Equity Partners, where he also served as Korea-focused managing director....
Interpark-led consortium buys iMarketKorea for $378m
A consortium led by Interpark, the Korean online shopping mall operator, has agreed to purchase Samsung Group’s procurement arm iMarketKorea in a deal worth more than KRW422 billion ($378.4 million). Private equity firm H&Q and the Korea Venture Business...
IDG, Helion invest in Indian e-commerce start ups
IDG Ventures India and Helion Venture Partners have invested in two separate e-commerce start-ups sites last week, adding to the perception of India's online shopping space as an effective proxy for capitalizing on consumer and digital growth.
Yahoo tipped to sell Asian assets, pay shareholder dividend
Yahoo is likely to close the door to potential private equity suitors by divesting its Asian assets and redistributing the proceeds to shareholders. The redistribution might take the form of a special divided or share buyback.
Vogo to sell down part of its Tong Yang Life Insurance holding
Vogo Investment is planning to sell down part of its 61% stake in Tong Yang Life Insurance, a subsidiary of mid-size South Korean conglomerate Tong Yang Group.
ICICI's Puri-Buch to launch Greater Pacific Singapore office
Former Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Securities Madhabi Puri-Buch will join UK-based Asian PE investor Greater Pacific Capital to set up its Singapore office.
PE-backed SkyLand starts production on China-focused movie
SkyLand, the $100 million China-focused film venture backed by Hollywood entertainment firm Relativity Media, SAIF Partners and IDG China Media, has begun production on the film "21 and Over." It is the company's first movie since announcing its partnership...
GIC takes 20% of PE-owned aircrafter leaser Avolon
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) has paid $300 million for a 20% stake in Dublin-based aircraft-leasing group Avolon. The company is owned by private equity firms CVC Capital Partners, Civen and Oak Hill Capitall Partners.
Submit your nominations for the 2011 AVCJ India Awards
Nominations are open for the AVCJ Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Awards. This is the second year we have sought to recognize and honor firms and practitioners who have helped drive the growth of Indian private equity. Presented in conjunction...
Blackstone sees opportunities in China's 'economic dislocations'
China’s slowing GDP growth should create “economic dislocations” that translate into acquisition opportunities for foreign investors, according to Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and CEO of The Blackstone Group.
Mitsui backs US mobile advertising platform
Mitsui & Co. has participated in a $14 million round of fundraising for US-based mobile advertising and media company 4INFO, alongside Vulcan Capital and existing investors Draper Fisher Jurveston, Gannett, Mezzanine Capital and US Venture Partners. Vulcan...
China's debt-ridden Railway Ministry to set up PE fund
China’s Ministry of Railways will set up a private equity fund to support the expansion of the rail network, 21st Century Business Herald reported, citing a source familiar with the situation. The vehicle could raise up to RMB100 billion ($15.7 billion)...
Godrej Properties looking for PE partner - report
Godrej Properties is reportedly looking to exit up to 49% of a commercial realty project in Mumbai to a private equity investor by March as part of a capital-raising initiative.
VIDEO: PE's top names sound off on Asian talent
Asia has been a major recipient of capital in recent years given the growth potential of key markets, but the region's top professionals aver that finding an experienced fund manager to deploy these dollars remains a key issue.
Blackstone-backed Gokaldas closes in on export contracts
Indian apparel manufacturer Gokaldas Exports, a portfolio company of The Blackstone Group, is expected to land supply contracts from Wal-Mart and nine niche European fashion houses. The move is seen as part of a wider trend under which Western buyers...
Quadrant’s Summerset raises $99m through IPO
Quadrant Private Equity-owned Summerset Group, New Zealand’s third-largest retirement village operator, has raised NZ$123.6 million ($99.5 million) in the largest IPO seen in the country in two years. The company sold 88.3 million shares at NZ$1.40...
NSR co-founder Rajat Gupta indicted for insider trading
Chairman and Co-Founder of New Silk Route (NSR) Rajat Gupta was indicted for insider trading by a US federal court on Wednesday. He is charged with one count of conspiracy and five counts of securities fraud.
Lone Star sells distressed Japanese golf course asset PGM
Lone Star will divest its 64% stake in distressed Japanese golf course operator PGM Holdings to pachinko pinball machine maker Heiwa Corp. for JPY39.5 billion ($521 million).
India's Kiran Energy gets $50m from PE consortium
Argonaut Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners and New Silk Route Partners have invested $50 million in Kiran Energy Solar Power, a solar power project developer in India.
Saab ends investment agreement with Chinese firms
Swedish Automobile has terminated an agreement to sell a majority stake in Saab to two Chinese companies, leaving the carmaker reliant on a $70 million commitment from US private equity firm North Street Capital to cover its immediate expenses.
Asia ex-Japan pension fund assets to reach $4t by 2015
Assets held by pension funds in Asia ex-Japan and Australia stood at $2.2 trillion at the end of last year and are set to reach $4 trillion by 2015, largely fueled by an expanding middle class.
KKR seeks $6b for second Asia buyout fund
KKR is targeting $6 billion for its second Asia buyout fund, coming as a host of global private equity firms prepare new regional vehicles.
VIDEO: PE's top names on the key challenges in Asia
In the lead-up to 24th-annual AVCJ Forum 2011, held in Hong Kong November 7-11, AVCJ TV asks private equity’s top fund managers about the major challenges facing the industry.
Lone Star may be told to sell down KEB stake next month - report
South Korean regulators may order Lone Star to sell down its 51% stake in Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) to less than 10% next month. The move comes after the US private equity fund was found guilty of manipulating KEB’s stock price ahead of purchasing the...