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Headlines
News From EMPEA EMPEA invites NewsWatch readers to participate in LP Interest in Emerging Markets Private Equity Survey... EMPEA and Norton Rose announce Role of Sovereign Wealth Funds in Private Equity Survey... Industry News "Mekong Capital Jumps Into Fashion Field" (Asia) "AIC Caribbean Fund II Acquires Columbus Communications" (Latin America and the Caribbean) "Istithmar Buys Bahrain Unit of UK Insurer" (Middle East) "Osian's Sells Stake for US$20 Million to Abraaj Capital" (Asia) "Citigroup Acquires 20 Percent Stake in ABCH" (Africa) "Chinese Bank, Standard Agree to Issue US$1 Billion Resource Fund" (Africa) "Baring PE Buys 12 Percent of Indian Brokerage" (Asia) "Dragon Capital and East Capital Bering Ukraine Fund Acquire 70 Percent Stake in Chumak" (Central and Eastern Europe and Russia) "Capital Trust Launches EuroMena II" (Middle East) "Boart Sells South African Mining Capital Equipment Firm" (Africa) "Renaissance Concludes Biggest Fundraising to Date" (Central and Eastern Europe and Russia) "ePlanet Ventures Invests in FRiENDi Mobile" (Middle East)
News From EMPEA
EMPEA invites NewsWatch readers to participate in LP Interest in Emerging Markets Private Equity Survey... EMPEA's 2008 Survey of LP Interest in Emerging Markets Private Equity measures year-over-year changes in LP appetites for the asset class, including geographic allocation strategies, returns expectations, and drivers of interest. Last year's results are available at: www.empea.net/research/EMPEA_LPSurveyExecSum_2007.pdf To participate in the 2008 LP Survey please visit www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=IQ8fnrIBdVu01sRgWjNKIA_3d_3d Results will be available later this spring. Web Link | Return to Headlines EMPEA and Norton Rose announce Role of Sovereign Wealth Funds in Private Equity Survey... EMPEA and Norton Rose LLP are conducting a survey on the views of GPs and LPs regarding the evolving Role of Sovereign Wealth Funds in Private Equity. To participate in this survey please visit: response.questback.com/nortonrosellp/sovereignwealthfunds/ Results will be available later this spring. Web Link | Return to Headlines Industry News "Mekong Capital Jumps Into Fashion Field" (Asia) VietNamNet Bridge (03/14/08) Mekong Capital has invested US$5 million in fashion firm Mai Son Joint Stock Company, the distributor of the Mango brand in Vietnam. The investment was made through the US$50 million Mekong Enterprise Fund II, whose current investments include International Consumption Products, Ngo Han Magnet Wire, thegioididong.com (Mobile World), Venture International (Vietnam), and MK Smart Joint Stock Company. Return to Headlines "AIC Caribbean Fund II Acquires Columbus Communications" (Latin America and the Caribbean) Jamaica Observer (03/19/08) AIC Private Equity's AIC Caribbean Fund II has made its first acquisition with a US$60 million investment in Barbados-based Columbus Communications, a leading regional provider of cable television, Internet telephone, and broadband services. AIC Caribbean Fund II originally sought US$240 million in capital commitments but has since raised expectations, now targeting up to US$400 million. It plans to make up to eight investments in the Caribbean region, with 80 percent of the fund dedicated to Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic. Columbus Communications has a controlling interest in a number of leading Caribbean telecom players, including Cable Bahamas, Caribbean Crossings, and Flow. Return to Headlines "Istithmar Buys Bahrain Unit of UK Insurer" (Middle East) Business24/7 (03/22/08) Istithmar World, the private equity arm of the Dubai government, has acquired PWS International, Bahrain, the Middle East operating arm of U.K-based reinsurance broker PWS Holdings. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. Return to Headlines "Osian's Sells Stake for US$20 Million to Abraaj Capital" (Asia) Sify (India) (03/17/08) Dubai-based Abraaj Capital has acquired a 9.4 percent stake in Indian art auctioneer Osian's Connoisseurs of Art for US$20 million. The investment was made through Abraaj Buyout Fund II. Return to Headlines "Citigroup Acquires 20 Percent Stake in ABCH" (Africa) Africa News Service (03/20/08) Makoshori, Shame Citi Venture Capital International, the private equity unit of Citigroup, has acquired a 20 percent stake in Botswana-based financial company ABC Holdings (ABCH) for US$25 million. In addition to Botswana, ABCH has operations in Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Last year, the International Finance Corp. acquired a 10 percent stake in ABCH for US$20 million. Return to Headlines "Chinese Bank, Standard Agree to Issue US$1 Billion Resource Fund" (Africa) Asia Pulse (03/18/08) South Africa's Standard Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have agreed to launch a US$1 billion fund that will focus on investments in the mining, energy, and resources sectors of Africa and China. Each bank will invest US$200 million in the fund. ICBC acquired a 20 percent stake in Standard through a transaction finalized earlier in March. Standard Bank has 1,501 branches and a presence in 18 African nations. Return to Headlines "Baring PE Buys 12 Percent of Indian Brokerage" (Asia) Reuters (03/18/08) Baring Private Equity has acquired a 12 percent stake in Indian brokerage ShareKhan for US$59 million. Part of the stake was acquired from Citigroup Venture Capital (CVC), which owns 75 percent of ShareKhan. Infrastructure Development Finance Co. (IDFC) owns 10 percent of the brokerage. Both CVC and IDFC acquired their stakes last year from General Atlantic, Intel Capital, and other funds. Return to Headlines "Dragon Capital and East Capital Bering Ukraine Fund Acquire 70 Percent Stake in Chumak" (Central and Eastern Europe and Russia) Business Wire (03/17/08) Dragon Capital and East Capital Bering Ukraine Fund have jointly acquired a 70 percent stake in Ukrainian food company Chumak. Dragon Capital is a leading investment firm in Ukraine. Stockholm-based East Capital is an independent asset manager specializing in Eastern Europe. Return to Headlines "Capital Trust Launches EuroMena II" (Middle East) AME Info (UAE) (03/19/08) Capital Trust has announced plans to launch EuroMena II, which will focus on investments in the Middle East and North Africa. The investment group aims to raise between US$200 million and US$250 million for the new fund. The US$63 million EuroMena I has invested in the Intercontinental Bank of Lebanon, the Palestine Securities Exchange, and the Arab Manufacturing Pharmaceutical Company, among others. Return to Headlines "Boart Sells South African Mining Capital Equipment Firm" (Africa) Australian Associated Press (AAP) (03/17/08) Nedbank Capital Private Equity and Matasis Investment Holdings of South Africa have acquired MCE of South Africa from Boart Longyear for US$16.2 million. MCE is based in Johannesburg and builds underground utility vehicles, load haul dump units, graders, and hydraulic rock drills for the underground mining industry in South Africa. Return to Headlines "Renaissance Concludes Biggest Fundraising to Date" (Central and Eastern Europe and Russia) Financial News (03/18/08) Smiddy, Oliver Renaissance Partners, the private equity unit of Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital, has held the final closing of a US$660 million fund focused on investments in the metals, telecommunications, and energy sectors of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The fund held its first closing in December with US$325 million in committed capital. Return to Headlines "ePlanet Ventures Invests in FRiENDi Mobile" (Middle East) Business Wire (03/17/08) U.S.-based venture capital firm ePlanet Ventures has made an undisclosed investment in Dubai-based telecommunications service provider FRiENDi Mobile. ePlanet Ventures has offices in New Delhi, Bangalore, Singapore, Shanghai, and Beijing. FRiENDi has a presence across the Middle East and North Africa. Return to Headlines Abstract News © Copyright 2008 INFORMATION, INC. 
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26 March 2008
Emerging Markets Private Equity NewsWatch provides a selection of noteworthy articles pertaining to private equity investing in emerging markets and is distributed weekly to a wide audience. The Emerging Markets Private Equity NewsWatch is a publication of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association. For more information on EMPEA and advertising inquiries, please contact: Emerging Markets Private Equity Association  |