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VTB Capital and Bromak Announce the Acquisition of a Controlling Stake in Vivacom (CEE and CIS)
VTB Capital, the investment arm of Russia’s VTB Group, and co-investor Bromak, a Bulgarian investment brokerage firm, have acquired a controlling stake in Bulgarian integrated telecommunications company Vivacom through a EUR130 million (approximately US$165 million) investment. Vivacom used the equity injection to partially repay the company’s debt as part of a general balance sheet restructuring. Vivacom’s total leverage has been… Read More
Successful IPO for Actis in Uganda (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Ugandan electrical distribution company Umeme, a portfolio company of pan-emerging markets private equity investor Actis, has raised US$66 million through an initial public offering of 38 percent of the company’s total shares. Actis, which acquired 100 percent of Umeme in 2005, retains a post-IPO stake of 60 percent in the company. The offering was targeted at international investors (46 percent… Read More
Southern Bridge Capital Closes SBC Latin America Housing Fund at US$150 Million (Latin America)
Latin America-focused private equity real estate fund manager Southern Bridge Capital (SBC) has closed its SBC Latin America Housing Fund with committed capital of US$150 million in committed capital. SBC raised capital from public and private pension funds, multilaterals, funds of funds, charitable foundations and family offices. The fund seeks to invest in low- and middle-income housing developments in Peru,… Read More
Conduit Capital and CAF Invest in 40 Megawatt Peruvian Solar Project (Latin America)
Conduit Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on the power industry in Latin America, and the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), a Latin American multilateral development bank, have invested in the Tacna and Panamericana solar projects in southern Peru. Together, the projects total 40 megawatts. The transaction marks Conduit’s first investment in solar power, and is expected to be… Read More
Taiwanese Quick Service Restaurant, YPX Cayman, Completes Third Round of Financing (Asia)
YPX Cayman Holdings, the operator of Chinese restaurant chain Cloud 9, has received an US$11.5 million investment from Chinese private equity firm LionRock Capital, U.S.-based venture capital firm Ignition Capital and Ignition’s Chinese affiliate, Qiming Venture Partners. YPX intends to operate 30 Cloud 9 restaurants, which specialize in Taiwanese cuisine, in China by the end of 2012. YPX plans to… Read More
Mediterra Capital Partners Invests in a Turkish Fleet Telematics Service Provider (CEE and CIS)
Mediterra Capital Management, a Turkey-based private equity fund manager, has invested in fleet telematics service provider Mobiliz and its 100 percent subsidiary Filoturk. Mobiliz’s fleet telematics services allow Turkish companies to monitor and manage their drivers, vehicles and operations. The investment came from Mediterra Capital Partners I, which held a second close at EUR135 million (approximately US$172 million) in September… Read More
Venture Fund Closes Four New Investments in Regional Technology Start-ups (MENA)
Middle East-focused venture capital firm Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP) has completed four Series A investments during the third quarter of 2012. MEVP invested in two Lebanese companies: Wixel Studios, a developer of games for tablets and smartphones, and Shahiya.com, a website and mobile application for sharing user-generated Arabic food recipes. The firm also invested in Gate2Play, a Jordanian electronic… Read More
Permira in US$870 Million Macau Casino Exit (Asia)
European private equity firm Permira has agreed to sell its remaining 5.9 percent stake in Chinese casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Holdings for US$870 million. The firm had previously sold parts of its stake Galaxy Entertainment in August 2011 for US$613 million and September 2012 for US$755 million. Following the completion of the final sale, Permira will have earned a cash… Read More
Kenyan Private Equity Firm Catalyst Raises US$125 Million (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Catalyst Principal Partners, an East Africa-focused private equity firm, has secured US$125 million in commitments for its first private equity fund. Catalyst Fund 1, which was targeting US$100 million in commitments, will invest in the consumer goods, retail, technology, services, manufacturing and engineering sectors in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Investors in the… Read More
Warburg Pincus Increases Stake in Capital First to 68.4 Percent (Asia)
Warburg Pincus has invested INR2.7 billion (approximately US$49.7 million) in Indian financial services company Capital First, formerly Future Capital, for an additional 24.43 percent stake, raising its total stake in the company to 68.4 percent. The investment took place through a share purchase on the Bombay Stock Exchange, following a September 2012 purchase of a 42.73 percent stake for INR4.7… Read More
GP Investments Announces the Acquisition of Centauro (Latin America)
Brazilian private equity firm GP Investments, along with multiple co-investors, will invest BRL450 million (approximately US$221 million) to acquire a 30 percent stake in SBF Group, the owner of Brazilian sporting goods retailer Centauro. GP Investments will contribute US$150 million through its GP Capital Partners V private equity fund, with the remainder of the capital coming from co-investors. SBF operates… Read More
Warburg Pincus Makes US$54 Million on Greentown China Exit (Asia)
Global private equity firm Warburg Pincus has fully exited its investment in Greentown China, a Chinese residential property developer. Warburg reportedly sold shares amounting to a 4.86 percent stake in Greentown China on the public market for approximately US$54 million. Previously, Warburg partially exited the company through a similar share sale in 2009. Read More