Siddharth Poddar

The government wants to make investing in New Zealand simpler, faster and less expensive for foreign investors. It also hopes to prevent issues like those seen in 2007 with CPPIB's bid for Auckland Airport.

Unicorn Investment Bank's private equity arm has sold a 10% stake in Regional Energy Services, generating a 124% return.

Matrix and Intel have also backed Itz Cash Card, which provides cashless payment services India's 'under-banked' population.

Chinese government-backed private equity firm Fortman has reportedly appointed Arthur Zhu as its CEO. Zhu was earlier expected to set up his own private equity firm.

Differences over 'certain strategic issues that could not be resolved’ have caused former BHP Billiton chief Chip Goodyear and the sovereign fund to cancel plans for Goodyear to assume Temasek's CEO role.

The South and Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm is targeting a final close on $1.25bn for Fund VI.

The Indian money manager has teamed with HSH Nordbank and Noor Financial Investment Company to invest in unlisted companies in India's infrastructure sector.

The sovereign fund, which already owns a portion of Blackstone's management company, will reportedly pay $258m for new shares in the Hong Kong-based alternative investment firm.

The Seoul-based firm has closed the largest Asia-focused fund to date this year, but fell short of its reported initial target range of $2.5bn to $3bn.

Venture investments in Israel declined 40% as compared to the second quarter of 2008, but showed a 5% increase over the first quarter of 2009.