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Kotak Private Equity Group Buys Stake in Samson Maritime, JM Financial and IFC Exit (Asia)

Mid-market growth investor Kotak Private Equity Group has acquired a minority stake in India-based offshore logistics support services company Samson Maritime for around INR1.5 billion (approximately US$24.2 million). The deal provided an exit to existing shareholders development finance institution International Finance Company (IFC) and JM Financial Investment Managers, a subsidiary of Indian asset management company JM Financial Group. In 2008,… Read More

Sequoia Capital Leads Financing Rounds in Cheyipai and to8to (Asia)

Venture capital firm Sequoia Capital has led a US$50 million financing round in China-based second-hand vehicle e-commerce platform Cheyipai. Venture capital firms Morningside Ventures, Matrix Partners and CITIC Capital, which each took part in the previous two rounds of financing, also participated in the new round. Cheyipai intends to use new funding to optimize the online-to-offline service experience and speed… Read More

Elbrus Capital Closes Elbrus Capital Fund II with US$550 Million in Commitments (CEE and CIS)

Russia and CIS-focused private equity firm Elbrus Capital has reached a final close on Elbrus Capital Fund II with US$550 million in capital commitments, exceeding its target of US$500 million and hitting its hard cap. In addition, the fund secured US$150 million in financing from U.S. development finance institution Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which will bring the total capital available… Read More

Agri-Vie Invests US$5 Million in Flower Export Business Kariki Group (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Sub-Saharan Africa-focused private equity fund Agri-Vie, which targets food and agribusiness investments, has made a US$5 million investment in Kenya-based flower exporting business Kariki Group. The funding will allow Kariki to expand its business and explore growth opportunities in European, Japanese, Middle-Eastern and Australasian markets. Read More

Temasek Holdings, IDG Capital Partners, Ceyuan Ventures and SAIF Partners Participate in US$100 Million Financing Round for Vancl Led by Xiaomi’s Lei Jun (Asia)

Lei Jun, a Chinese angel investor and co-founder of smart phone maker Xiaomi, had led a US$100 million financing round for China-based online clothing retailer Vancl. Existing investors Singapore investment company Temasek Holdings and venture capital firms IDG Capital Partners, Ceyuan Ventures and SAIF Partners also participated. Vancl previously received a US$230 million round of financing in June 2011. Read More

CDH Venture and Unity Ventures Invest in Travel Service Provider Lailaihui (Asia)

CDH Venture, a venture capital team under the umbrella of alternative asset fund manager CDH Investments, has led a new funding round for China-based backpacker travel service Lailaihui alongside existing investor Unity Ventures, a China-focused venture capital firm. The transaction was reported to be around US$1 million. Lailaihui intends to use the proceeds to improve after-sales service and launch new… Read More

Mid Europa Reaches EUR665 Million First Close on Fund IV, Sells Stake in T-Mobile Czech Republic for EUR828 Million (CEE and CIS)

CEE and CIS-focused buyout investor Mid Europa Partners has reached a first close on Mid Europa Fund IV with EUR665 million (approximately US$906.6 million) in capital commitments. Investors include sovereign wealth funds GIC and China Investment Corporation and fund of funds managers HarbourVest Partners, Pantheon and AlpInvest Partners. Separately, Falcon Group, a consortium of investors 75 percent-controlled by funds managed… Read More

CDH China Fund V Reaches US$2.6 Billion Final Close (Asia)

Alternative asset fund manager CDH Investments has closed its fifth private equity fund, CDH China Fund V, with US$2.6 billion in capital commitments. The vehicle, which was originally targeting US$2 billion with a US$2.5 billion hard cap, was oversubscribed. Investors in the fund include pension funds, endowments and sovereign wealth funds, evenly split between the United States, Asia, Europe and… Read More

The Carlyle Group Sells Its Majority Stake in Cyberoam Technologies to Sophos (Asia)

Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group has sold its majority stake in India-based network security appliances company Cyberoam Technologies to global provider of IT security solutions Sophos. The transaction was structured through Carlyle’s affiliate First Carlyle Ventures Mauritius, which had acquired a majority stake in IT products and software solutions company Elitecore Technologies in 2007. The network security business… Read More

Darby Private Equity and ARX Equity Partners Invest in Gramex (CEE and CIS)

Darby Private Equity, the private equity arm of Franklin Templeton Investments, ARX Equity Partners, a private equity investor focused on mid-sized companies in CEE, and food industry executive Gerard Lenihan have completed the buyout of Hungary-based manufacturer and bottler of nonalcoholic beverages Gramex 2000. The transaction was structured through Darby Converging Europe Fund III and ARX CEE III. Darby, ARX… Read More

Aureos South Asia Fund Sells a Ten Percent Stake in Central Hospital to Actis-backed Asiri Hospital Holdings (Asia)

Global growth markets investor The Abraaj Group has sold a ten percent stake in Sri Lanka-based private tertiary care hospital Central Hospital to Asiri Hospital Holdings, both of which are owned by Asiri Group of Hospitals. The transaction was structured through The Abraaj Group’s Aureos South Asia Fund. Asiri Hospital Holdings, which is backed by pan-emerging private equity firm Actis,… Read More

Verod Acquires a Minority Stake in Upstream Oil and Gas Business SacOil (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Verod Capital Management, a Nigeria-based private equity firm, has acquired a minority stake in South Africa-based upstream oil and gas business SacOil Holdings. SacOil intends to acquire and develop near production assets across Africa, building a portfolio while seeking partnerships with local and international oil and gas companies. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More