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Abris Capital Partners to Acquire Urgent Curier, Plans to Merge Urgent Curier with Cargus (CEE and CIS)
Central and Eastern Europe-focused private equity fund manager Abris Capital Partners has agreed to buy Romania-based courier service provider Urgent Curier. Abris plans to merge the company with its existing portfolio company Cargus International, a Romania-based domestic parcel shipping company, which it had acquired in October 2012. Post-merger, the new company will have a fleet of more than 1,800 courier… Read More
Resource Partners Increases Its Investment in World Class Romania (CEE and CIS)
Central and Eastern Europe-focused private equity investor Resource Partners has increased its investment in Romania-based fitness chain World Class Romania by completing the buyout of minority shareholders. Resource Partners previously acquired a 71 percent stake in the company in March 2014. World Class Romania plans to continue the expansion of its network organically and through acquisitions. Financial details of the… Read More
The Carlyle Group, Signet and OrbiMed Partially Exit Claris Lifesciences (Asia)
Private equity firms The Carlyle Group, Signet Healthcare and OrbiMed have partially exited their investment in India-based pharmaceutical company Claris Lifesciences by participating in the company’s buyback offer. Claris Lifesciences offered a buyback issue worth INR2.3 billion (approximately US$39 million) in March 2014. The buyback was offered at a price of INR250 (approximately US$4.23) per share. The Carlyle Group sold… Read More
InVenture Partners, Intel Capital and FinSight Ventures Invest US$3 Million in Gill Business Systems (CEE and CIS)
Venture capital firms InVenture Partners, Intel Capital and FinSight Ventures have invested US$3 million in a Series A financing round for Ukraine-based bus ticket platform developer Gill Business Systems, which operates the Gillbus brand. Gill Business Systems consists of four ventures: a software development company in Ukraine and distribution and sales companies in Russia, Ukraine and Thailand. The company intends… Read More
GP Investments to Exit Sascar Participações (Latin America)
Latin America-focused alternative investment company GP Investments has agreed to sell its stake in Brazil-based fleet management and cargo tracking services provider Sascar Participações to Compagnie Financiere du Groupe Michelin, a company that holds Groupe Michelin’s industrial and commercial companies outside of France, as part of Groupe Michelin’s acquisition of 100 percent of Sascar. GP Investments’ exit will be structured… Read More
Yunfeng Capital and CITIC Private Equity Agree to Invest RMB2 Billion in a Subsidiary of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (Asia)
Private equity firms Yunfeng Capital and CITIC Private Equity have agreed to invest at least RMB2 billion (approximately US$325 million) in an unlisted farming subsidiary of Shanghai-listed dairy producer Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group. Post-transaction, the two private equity investors will together hold a 60 percent stake in Yili Group’s dedicated farming unit, Inner Mongolia Yili Livestock Development. The investment… Read More
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia Receives Approval for Yongye International Take-Private (Asia)
A take-private bid supported by Asia Pacific private equity investor Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) to delist China-based agricultural nutrient company Yongye International from the NASDAQ Stock Market has received shareholder approval. The investing consortium, which is led by Yongye's chairman and CEO Zishen Wu and includes MSPEA, will pay US$7.10 per share for all outstanding American depository shares,… Read More
Syntaxis Capital Provides Financing for the Management Buyout of Expert Petroleum (CEE and CIS)
Syntaxis Capital, a provider of mezzanine financing in Central Europe, has supplied financing to support the management buyout of Romania-based oil and gas services business Expert Petroleum. The transaction was structured through Sytnaxis Capital’s second mezzanine fund. Expert Petroleum intends to use the financing for the development of production-enhancement activities across Romania and internationally. Financial details of the transaction were… Read More
CNEI Invests US$10.5 Million in Qinghai Weide Special Sugar (Asia)
China-focused growth capital fund manager China New Enterprise Investment (CNEI) has invested US$10.5 million in China-based Qinghai Weide Special Sugar, a producer of inulin and fructooligosaccharide, two prebiotics and dietary fiber products that are used in baby formula, drinks, food, animal feed, cosmetics and personal care products. CNEI’s investment will help Weide develop better planting and production techniques and upgrade… Read More
KKR Invests in Afriflora, Forms Partnership with Baring Private Equity Asia, Hopu and Boyu to Invest in COFCO Meat (Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa)
Global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) has invested a reported US$200 million in Afriflora, a rose grower and distributor with a main growing facility in Ethiopia. The transaction was structured through KKR’s European fund. Afriflora grows about 730 million flowers a year for export to Europe. Separately, KKR and private equity firms Baring Private Equity Asia, Hopu… Read More
PineBridge Investments Reaches a First Close on GCC Real Estate Fund I (MENA)
Global asset manager PineBridge Investments Middle East has held a first close on PineBridge GCC Real Estate Fund I with more than US$140 million in capital commitments. The Shari’a compliant fund, which has a final target of US$200 million, will invest in income-producing real estate assets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with a focus on logistics and warehousing,… Read More
Octro Receives a US$15 Million Funding Round from Sequoia Capital (Asia)
India-based gaming company Octro has received a US$15 million Series A financing round from venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. Octro, which takes existing games and makes them available on a mobile platform, has a portfolio that includes games such as Rummy and Tambola. Read More