Clare Burrows

As India faces record levels of government, corporate and household debt, entrepreneurs are offering more rational prices to private equity firms, according to a panel at the Milken Institute conference in LA.

The biggest climber in this year’s PEI 300 was China-based RRJ Capital – one of four Chinese firms to make the top 50

The Indian regulator has approved a number of alternative investment funds since last August, including the credit vehicle plotted by KKR.

Yasushi Ujioka, who has 17 years experience in the energy sector, has joined the Southeast Asia-focused clean energy fund just a few months ahead of its anticipated final close.

Entrepreneurs in emerging economies continue to favour bids from corporations over private equity firms, although in Asia this is changing as markets mature, according to an M&A report by Baker & McKenzie.

As implementation of the European Commission's Alternative Investment Fund Managers directive looms, new regulations are unlikely to touch GPs outside the European Union.

The Brahmal Vasudevan-led firm has started fundraising for its second vehicle and has made its first exit from Fund I selling a partial stake in Malaysia’s OldTown White Coffee.

The PE-led consortium that includes Billabong board director Paul Naude expects to reach a deal in the coming weeks, which would conclude months of takeover talks for the Australian retailer.

The government has increased the total amount of debt investment allowed from foreign investors to $51bn from just $1bn, a move likely to provide foreign private equity firms with attractive opportunities in India’s credit market.

The special administrative region follows Singapore in signing a DTA with Guernsey, signaling its desire to become a more attractive fund domicile for private equity firms.