GPCA covers the latest fund, investment and industry news across our markets in two newsletters: NewsWatch is a weekly round-up of key transactions across asset classes; the Global Tech Brief is a bi-weekly review of tech transactions and innovations with cross-border applications. Subscribe in the left-hand sidebar.
Access past editions of NewsWatch here.
Amethis Finance and ERES Agree to Invest US$35 Million in Fidelity Bank Ghana (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Amethis Finance, a fund manager that provides debt and equity financing to companies in Africa, and Edmond de Rothschild Europportunities Management II (ERES), a subsidiary of private banking and asset management group Edmond de Rothschild Group, have agreed to invest US$35 million in Ghana-based commercial bank Fidelity Bank Ghana for a minority stake. The investment will be made alongside South… Read More
Axxess Capital Acquires a Stake in Cloud Storage Provider Star Storage (CEE and CIS)
CEE-focused investment manager Axxess Capital has purchased a stake in Romania-based cloud storage provider Star Storage. The transaction was structured through Axxess Capital’s Emerging Europe Accession Fund. Star Storage operates in Romania and Moldova, and intends to use the new capital to grow its capabilities to deliver cloud services, improve its operations and approach new market segments and geographies. Financial… Read More
Baring Private Equity Asia Sells Its 41.7 Percent Stake in Cardig Aero Services for US$93.5 Million (Asia)
Asia-focused private equity firm Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) has sold its 41.7 percent stake in Indonesia-based airfreight and passenger services provider Cardig Aero Services (CAS) to Singapore Airport Terminal Services, a ground handling and in-flight catering service provider at Singapore Changi Airport, for IDR1.1 trillion (approximately US$93.5 million). BPEA, structured through BPEA IV, originally invested approximately US$41 million in… Read More
Ashmore Colombia Exits Fiber Optic Network Cable Provider Lazus (Latin America)
A fund managed by Ashmore Colombia, a subsidiary of emerging market-focused investment manager Ashmore Group, has agreed to the sale of a 100 percent equity stake in Colombia-based telecommunications infrastructure company Lazus, formerly known as Promitel Colombia, to diversified telecommunications company Columbus International. Funds advised by Ashmore purchased Lazus from Promigas in January 2013. Financial details of the transaction were… Read More
The Abraaj Group Agrees to Acquire Cairo for Investment and Real Estate Development (MENA)
Global growth markets investor The Abraaj Group has signed an agreement with the controlling shareholders of Egypt-based education group Cairo for Investment and Real Estate Development to issue a mandatory tender offer on the Egyptian Stock Exchange to acquire 100 percent of the company’s shares. The price per share will not exceed EGP20.5 (approximately US$2.94). Post completion of the tender… Read More
IDFC Alternatives-led Consortium and Temasek Holdings Restructure Their Investment in GMR Energy (Asia)
A consortium of investors led by IDFC Alternatives, the alternative asset management vertical at infrastructure financing company IDFC, and Singaporean investment company Temasek Holdings have agreed to restructure their existing investment in India-based GMR Energy, part of industrial conglomerate GMR Group, by purchasing INR11.4 billion (approximately US$183.2 million) in compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS) in India-based GMR Infrastructure, a GMR… Read More
Olympus Capital Asia and Kilimanjaro Advisors Agree to Finance Atria Convergence Technologies (Asia)
Olympus Capital Asia Credit, the credit arm of private equity firm Olympus Capital Asia, and investment management firm Kilimanjaro Advisors, structured through Kilimanjaro Credit Fund, have agreed to provide structured debt financing to India-based Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT), a provider of information, communications and entertainment through internet protocol, broadband, digital and analog TV. Previously, India Value Fund Advisors, a firm… Read More
Partners Group Acquires a Majority Stake in Gas Pipeline Operator Fermaca for US$750 Million (Latin America)
Global private investment firm Partners Group has acquired a majority stake in Mexico-based gas infrastructure operator Fermaca from asset management firm Ospraie Management in a transaction worth approximately US$750 million. The investment was made alongside management and funded through a combination of mezzanine debt and equity. Fermaca builds, owns and operates pipelines and other energy-related assets in Mexico. Several initiatives… Read More
Triodos Exits Cambodia-based ACLEDA Bank (Asia)
Investment fund manager Triodos Investment Management, a subsidiary of Triodos Bank, has divested a six percent equity stake in Cambodia-based commercial bank ACLEDA Bank, which finances micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses. Structured through three separate funds managed by Triodos, the stake was sold to Japan-based financial services group ORIX Corporation. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
Index Ventures and Earlybird Venture Capital Invest US$26 Million in Socialbakers (CEE and CIS)
Venture capital firm Index Ventures has led a US$26 million Series C financing round in Czech Republic-based social analytics company Socialbakers, alongside existing backer European venture capital firm Earlybird Venture Capital. Previously, Earlybird had led a US$2 million early-stage funding round in Socialbakers in September 2011 and participated in a US$6 million investment round led by Index Ventures in November… Read More
Convergence Partners Invests in 4Di Capital Fund 1, Transfers the Management of Several Portfolio Companies to 4Di Capital (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Africa-focused investment management firm Convergence Partners will join early-stage technology venture capital firm 4Di Capital’s 4Di Capital Fund 1 as a limited partner and transfer management of its current portfolio of technology venture investments to 4Di. The portfolio companies, all based in South Africa, include mobile aggregator Integrat, location systems developer Bloodhound Technologies and gaming platform Skillpod Media. Last year,… Read More
Darby Private Equity Backs Vital Renewable Energy (Latin America)
Darby Private Equity, the private equity arm of Franklin Templeton Investments, has backed Brazil-based renewable energy investment company Vital Renewable Energy (VREC), which operates a sugar and ethanol facility, for US$15 million as part of a US$31 million refinancing. The transaction was structured through Darby Latin American Mezzanine Fund II. The financing will allow VREC to complete the next phase… Read More