Siddharth Poddar

Private equity real estate and private equity funds investing in Asia raised $58bn in the first 11 months of 2008, according to a study - almost two-thirds more than for the whole of 2007.

After joining the firm as vice president in early 2007, Jie Gong is relocating from the US to Hong Kong to cover Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners' private equity fund of funds activity in Asia.

Private equity funds investing in Asia raised around $58bn in the first 11 months of 2008, 63% more than in the whole of 2007.

SAIF Partners reportedly joins a growing number of non-state backed private equity firms in China to raise yuan-denominated funds.

The head of Macquarie Fund Management's private equity fund of funds business has quit the firm after eight years, and is to lead KKR's IR activities in Australia.

Regulators have reportedly rejected the joint venture, and instead allowed CITIC to launch a private equity arm expected to raise RMB 6bn for its first fund.

The Silicon Valley venture firm has raised its first India-focused private equity fund for expansion stage investments.

China’s $200bn sovereign wealth fund has said that it will not pump money into troubled western financial institutions citing a lack of ‘sincere cooperation’ on the part of the US government.

The emerging markets private equity specialist, acquired by BMB Group earlier in the week, has hired Chun Min Pang, the former head of Aureos China and Samir Soota, co-founder of investment services firm Principia Management.

The global private equity firm is to buy a 55% stake in Shriram Retail, having originally offered to acquire a 49% stake for $120m.