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Kerogen Capital Invests US$100 Million in HKN Holding (MENA)
Private equity fund manager Kerogen Capital has invested US$100 million in convertible preference shares in HKN Holding, a holding company for Iraq-based oil developer HKN Energy. The investment, which was structured through Kerogen Energy Fund will be used for the initial development of an oil project on the Sarsang block in northern Kurdistan, as well as for additional drilling activities.… Read More
GGV Capital Closes US$620 Million Fund (Asia)
Venture capital firm GGV Capital has closed its fifth fund with US$620 million in capital commitments. The new fund’s geographic focus will be roughly split between China- and United States-based companies. GGV aims to invest between US$5 million and US$25 million per company. Read More
African Development Partners II Invests US$20 Million in Université Privée de Marrakech (MENA)
Africa-focused private equity firm Development Partners International will invest US$20 million in Morocco-based private university Université Privée de Marrakech (UPM). The investment, which will be structured through African Development Partners II, will be used to support UPM’s growth plans in Morocco and Sub-Saharan Africa. UPM provides undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs in fields that include tourism, engineering, health sciences… Read More
Earlybird Venture Capital Invests in Real Estate Platform Metrekare and Recruitment Firm Tjobs (CEE and CIS)
Europe-focused venture capital firm Earlybird Venture Capital has invested in Turkey-based real estate listings platform Metrekare. The transaction was structured through Earlybird Digital East Fund. Separately, Earlybird has backed Romania-based online recruitment portal Tjobs. The fresh funding will support the company’s European expansion. Financial details of the two transactions were not disclosed. Read More
Emerging Capital Partners Partially Exits Oragroup (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Pan-African private equity firm Emerging Capital Partners (ECP) has partially exited its stake in Togo-based Oragroup, a commercial banking holding company with operations in West and Central Africa, through a sale to Gabon’s Strategic Investment Fund. The divested stake had originally been acquired through ECP’s Central Africa Growth (CAGS) fund. The exit represented a reported 2.2x return on CAGS’s initial… Read More
AION Capital Partners Reaches a US$825 Million Final Close (Asia)
AION Capital Partners, a joint venture between private equity firms Apollo Global Management and ICICI Venture, has reached a final close on its India-focused special situations fund with US$825 million in capital commitments. The close exceeded the fund’s initial US$500 million target. AION completed its first transaction in September 2013, investing US$23 million in Jyoti International, a subsidiary of India-based… Read More
The Terranum Group and Equity International Acquire Decameron Hotels & Resorts (Latin America)
Latin America-focused real estate investment firm The Terranum Group and real estate investor Equity International have acquired Colombia-based hospitality company Decameron Hotels & Resorts. This investment allows Terranum Hotels, a business unit of Terranum Group, to add Decameron Hotels & Resorts to its existing portfolio of hotels. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
Olympus Capital Asia to Lead US$65 Million Financing Round for Aster DM Healthcare (Asia)
Private equity firm Olympus Capital Asia will lead a US$65 million financing round for India-based hospital chain Aster DM Healthcare. India Value Fund Advisors (IVFA), a firm focused on investing in mid-sized businesses, will also participate in the transaction. Post-investment, IVFA and Olympus Capital Asia’s collective stake in the company will increase from 37 percent to 42 percent. This is… Read More
GIC, Kaszek Ventures, Tiger Global Management, Temasek Holdings and Iconiq Capital Back Netshoes
Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC has led a US$170 million financing round in Brazil-based online sports goods retailer Netshoes. Other investors in the round included venture capital firm Kaszek Ventures, hedge fund and private equity firm Tiger Global Management, Singaporean investment company Temasek and global multi-family office Iconiq Capital. Netshoes intends to use the funding to strengthen its capital structure. Read More
Processed Food Company Maiyas Beverages and Foods Raises INR1 Billion from Ascent Capital (Asia)
India-focused private equity firm Ascent Capital has invested INR1 billion (approximately US$16.6 million) in Maiyas Beverages and Foods, an India-based vegetarian processed food company. Maiyas intends to use the funding to increase its marketing efforts and strengthen its brand. Read More
L Capital Asia Acquires Restaurant Chain Crystal Jade (Asia)
L Capital Asia, the private equity fund sponsored by global luxury goods distributor LVMH Group, Groupe Arnault and YTL, has agreed to buy more than a 90 percent stake in Singapore-based restaurant group Crystal Jade for a reported US$100 million. Crystal Jade operates food and beverage outlets in 18 cities across nine countries in Asia, with plans to expand to… Read More
Wave Entertainment Buys Navis Capital Partners’ Stake in Efficient English Services (Asia)
Thailand-based television production and distribution company Wave Entertainment has acquired a 100 percent stake in Efficient English Services (EES) from Asia-focused private equity firm Navis Capital Partners and Thailand’s Government Pension Fund for THB800 million (approximately US$24.8 million). EES holds the license to operate Wall Street English schools in Thailand. Navis originally acquired a 75 percent stake in the company… Read More