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HONG KONG, Nov. 26 (Reuters) - News and developments in Asiaprivate equity from Reuters News for the week ending Nov. 22.
NOVEMBER 22
OAKTREE CAPITAL Group LLC, the world's largestdistressed debt investor, is among a group of firms buyingshares of China Cinda Asset Management Corp as part of its up to$2.5 billion initial public offering, sources said.
NOVEMBER 21
HONG KONG-based private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners andthree South Korean investors have teamed up to buy the Londonheadquarters of retailer Marks & Spencer for around $321million, adding to a string property deals by Asian investorsthis year.
YUANSHENGTAI DAIRY Farm, China's fourth biggestraw milk producer, is set to raise about $425 million afterpricing its Hong Kong IPO below the mid-point of a marketingrange.
BARCLAYS NATURAL Resource Investments (BNRI), a privateequity division of Barclays Bank PLC, and IlexPartners, a Beijing-based advisory firm, said they have formed astrategic partnership to help BNRI develop its portfoliocompanies in mainland China. ()
NOMURA HOLDINGS Inc and Intermediate Capital Grouphave agreed a 50:50 partnership that will structure anddistribute mezzanine investments and funds, to be managed by alocal Japanese fund management company. ()
NOVEMBER 20
FULLERTON FUND Management, a wholly-owned unit of Singaporestate investor Temasek Holdings, is increasing itsexposure to China, encouraged by reform plans that could benefitsectors such as consumer, infrastructure, clean energy andinsurance.
NOVEMBER 19
BLACKSTONE GROUP'S Antony Leung is leaving his roleas Greater China Chairman to lead a Hong Kong-based propertyconglomerate, the private equity firm said.
U.S. PRIVATE equity firm Blackstone and Indian developerPanchshil Realty are close to buying a majority stake in anoffice tower in Mumbai for about 9 billion rupees ($144million), two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.
SINGAPORE WAREHOUSE and industrial park developer AscendasPte Ltd said it has set up a programme with a targetasset size of S$600 million ($481.60 million) to invest inIndian real estate. Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte Ltd is a principal investor in the programme.
CHINA'S TOP securities regulator reiterated commitments toeasing the government's control over the initial public offeringprocess, but said the government will also intensify itsauditing of companies hoping to list.
ASIAN-INSPIRED jewellery company John Hardy Group isexploring a potential sale, according to people familiar withthe matter. Bali-based John Hardy, a portfolio company ofBritish private equity firm 3i Group PLC, has hiredRothschild to conduct a sales process, which is in the earlystages, the sources said.
NOVEMBER 18
ASIA PRIVATE equity firm RRJ Capital is launching an up to$1 billion real estate fund that will mostly target investmentsin China, the firm's founder, former Goldman Sachs dealmaker Richard Ong, told Reuters.
A GOVERNMENT body called on Hong Kong's regulators to stepup reforms to maintain the city's competitive edge as a premieroffshore yuan hub and a global financial centre.
