Fund Management

Vivek Tandon is the founder and a general partner of Aloe Private Equity, an investment firm based in London and Paris. Aloe expects to close Aloe Environment Fund II, its second clean energy and environmental fund dedicated to the clean energy and environment sector, in the third quarter of 2007 with a target of up to $200 million. The fund has attracted the support of the International Finance Corporation and many of the investors in the first fund. Aloe's strategy is to invest in European cleantech companies and help them expand into Asia.

Japanese LPs are looking to increase their exposure to private equity. But can they be tempted to invest outside their comfort zone, asks Sharon Lim.

Upon its founding in 2001, Clearwater Capital Partners determined that investing in distressed debt and special situations across Asia would require local talent and precedents in local courts. Managing partner Rob Petty spoke recently with Rob Kotecki about how Clearwater's patient approach is paying off.

AXA Private Equity has become the latest buyout firm to invest in electronic payments, through the acquisition of Welcome Real-time.

The bumper results of three listed private equity vehicles suggest that the public markets remain positive about the asset class, although ICG chairman John Manser believes the coming year will see a downturn in performance.

A trade union-sponsored study has slammed the evidence cited in support of private equity’s record on job creation, one of the industry’s most commonly-used defences against accusations of asset-stripping. However, the BVCA has hit back at the claims.

The investment arm of SVG Capital has closed its latest structured fund of funds €200 million ahead of target, while introducing innovation in the fund’s gearing.

George Anson, HarbourVest’s managing director in Europe, has warned managers not to be complacent in the face of heightened interest in the asset class from regulators, legislators and unions.

Pacific Equity Partners will not give up on Flight Centre, an Australian travel agency it failed to acquire via a public-to-private process just a few months ago. The Australian buyout firm is now offering to acquire a 30 percent interest in the company via a proposed joint venture structure.

Taking advantage of the downturn in the sub-prime market, the Dallas-based private equity firm has acquired Accredited Home Lenders for $400m.