China's property markets are luring investors from around the world, but corruption and kickbacks can make any real estate a tricky proposition. By Robin Marriott
5 min read · 12 January 2013
In October, H&Q Asia Pacific realised its ground-breaking investment in Beijing Mei Da Coffee, selling a controlling stake in the local operator of more than 60 Starbucks retail stores in Beijing and Tianjing back to Starbucks for an undisclosed amount. Here, H&Q Asia Pacific founder and chairman Hsu Ta-Lin shares his views on backing brand names in Asia's rapidly growing consumer markets.
3 min read · 12 January 2013
Following the Asian crisis, non-performing loan investment helped establish private equity in Asia. Motoya Kitamura of Alternative Investment Capital tells the story so far and looks at the future of Asian distress.
10 min read · 12 January 2013
Sanjiv Kapur, the former head of Asian private equity at Henderson Private Capital, is returning to the industry with a new mission in Singapore.
3 min read · 12 January 2013
In October, Merchant Equity Partners, a new private equity firm launched by former Deutsche Bank executive Henry Jackson to invest in struggling European businesses, completed its first transaction with the PTP of the loss-making retail unit of MFI Furniture Group in the UK. The firm acquired the unit for a nominal £1, with up to £73 million of follow-up investment by 2008. The terms of the deal also included an entitlement for the company, rebranded as Galiform, to a minimum of five percent of any sale proceeds in excess of £300 million over the next five years. Here, Jackson talks about the deal and how it fits into Merchant Equity Partners' investment strategy.
3 min read · 12 January 2013
Despite being targeted at stock markets with apparently voracious investor appetite, some recent European private equity-backed new issues have been forced into sharply lowering their price expectations. Andy Thomson looks at what's sparking investor resistance.
9 min read · 12 January 2013
How do you steer an LP super tanker through the sometimes choppy waters of global private equity? In October,Wim Borgdorff, head of fund investment at AlpInvest Partners, spoke to Philip Borel about the challenges facing Europe's largest limited partner.
10 min read · 12 January 2013
Apollo and Texas Pacific face excruciating regulatory approvals in their $15.5bn buyout bid for Harrah's.
4 min read · 12 January 2013
FIRST ROUND 2006-11-01 Staff Writer Here's a tip for the GP who needs to close a deal in a timely manner – be pregnant. This pressure tactic worked brilliantly for Raquel Vargas Palmer, a principal at New York-based distressed investor KPS Special Situations Fund. Palmer, who led the firm in its turnaround a
2 min read · 12 January 2013
Lawton Fitt, who became the first female partner in Goldman Sachs’ equity division in 1994, has been hired by distressed-investment firm GSC Partners as a senior advisor and as a member of the firm’s board of advisors.
2 min read · 12 January 2013
