Asia Private Equity Weekly News, Nov. 26, 2013

YuanShengTai Dairy Farm

26/11/2013 07:13

HONG KONG, Nov. 26 (Reuters) - News and developments in Asia private equity from Reuters News for the week ending Nov. 22.  NOVEMBER 22 OAKTREE CAPITAL Group LLC  OAK.N , the world's largest distressed debt investor, is among a group of firms buying shares of China Cinda Asset Management Corp as part of its up to $2.5 billion initial public offering, sources said. ID:nL4N0J715M   NOVEMBER 21 HONG KONG-based private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners and three South Korean investors have teamed up to buy the London headquarters of retailer Marks & Spencer  MKS.L  for around $321 million, adding to a string property deals by Asian investors this year.  ID:nL4N0J60OO   YUANSHENGTAI DAIRY Farm  1431.HK , China's fourth biggest raw milk producer, is set to raise about $425 million after pricing its Hong Kong IPO below the mid-point of a marketing range.  ID:nL4N0J541Z   BARCLAYS NATURAL Resource Investments (BNRI), a private equity division of Barclays Bank PLC  BARC.L , and Ilex Partners, a Beijing-based advisory firm, said they have formed a strategic partnership to help BNRI develop its portfolio companies in mainland China. (http://link.reuters.com/feb94v) NOMURA HOLDINGS Inc  8604.T  and Intermediate Capital Group have agreed a 50:50 partnership that will structure and distribute mezzanine investments and funds, to be managed by a local Japanese fund management company. (http://link.reuters.com/ceb94v) NOVEMBER 20 FULLERTON FUND Management, a wholly-owned unit of Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings  TEM.UL , is increasing its exposure to China, encouraged by reform plans that could benefit sectors such as consumer, infrastructure, clean energy and insurance.  ID:nL4N0J51G7   NOVEMBER 19 BLACKSTONE GROUP'S  BX.N  Antony Leung is leaving his role as Greater China Chairman to lead a Hong Kong-based property conglomerate, the private equity firm said.  ID:nL4N0J410Q   U.S. PRIVATE equity firm Blackstone and Indian developer Panchshil Realty are close to buying a majority stake in an office tower in Mumbai for about 9 billion rupees ($144 million), two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. ID:nL4N0J429U   SINGAPORE WAREHOUSE and industrial park developer Ascendas Pte Ltd  ASCND.UL  said it has set up a programme with a target asset size of S$600 million ($481.60 million) to invest in Indian real estate. Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte Ltd GIC.UL  is a principal investor in the programme. ID:nL4N0J40YW   CHINA'S TOP securities regulator reiterated commitments to easing the government's control over the initial public offering process, but said the government will also intensify its auditing of companies hoping to list.  ID:nL4N0J414J   ASIAN-INSPIRED jewellery company John Hardy Group is exploring a potential sale, according to people familiar with the matter. Bali-based John Hardy, a portfolio company of British private equity firm 3i Group PLC  III.L , has hired Rothschild to conduct a sales process, which is in the early stages, the sources said.  ID:nL2N0J40VU   NOVEMBER 18 ASIA PRIVATE equity firm RRJ Capital is launching an up to $1 billion real estate fund that will mostly target investments in China, the firm's founder, former Goldman Sachs  GS.N  dealmaker Richard Ong, told Reuters.  ID:nL4N0J30ZU   A GOVERNMENT body called on Hong Kong's regulators to step up reforms to maintain the city's competitive edge as a premier offshore yuan hub and a global financial centre.  ID:nL4N0J320E  (Compiled by Stephen Aldred; Editing by Sunil Nair) ((stephen.aldred@thomsonreuters.com)(+852 2912 6609)(Reuters Messaging: stephen.aldred.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: PVE WEEKLY/