Middle East & North Africa

ECP buys Djibouti salt producer for $30m

The pan-African investor, nearing full deployment of its first independently raised fund, is betting that the East African nation’s biggest saltwater lake can produce four million tons of salt by 2012. The fresh capital will be used for buying equipment and facility renovations.

Arcapita channels $2bn to China wind farms

The Bahrain-based investment firm is betting on China’s alternative energy sector through a joint venture with India’s Tanti Group. The deal is Arcapita’s first in China.

DLJ buys education travel company for £100m

Bowmark Capital has made four times its money from a consolidation play in the UK educational travel market. DLJ plans to take advantage of trends driving the market to outsourced travel providers.

Arcapita leads $35m venture round in insulation company

The Shariah-compliant venture firm has invested in Aspen Aerogels along with Lehman Brothers Venture Partners, Reservoir Capital Group and Rockport Capital Partners.

Alcazar invests in Indian engineering company, to launch new fund

Alcazar Capital has invested in Bumi Geo Engineering and plans to launch its maiden third-party fund to invest in infrastructure services and logistics in India

Israeli animation company receives $10m investment

Draper Fisher Jurvetson, DFJ Tamir Fishman Ventures and Evergreen Venture Partners are backing aniBoom’s expansion and content-creation plans.

Indian film distributor gets $28m funding from ICICI Venture, JPMorgan

The two firms have invested in Delhi-based PVR Pictures to fund the expansion of its film production and distribution business.

Private equity in MENA to display strong growth

Rapid economic growth and large pools of available capital are positive indicators for the industry, though a shortage of skilled investment professionals and restrictive foreign ownership regulations remain a concern.

Infinity backs Chinese telemedicine provider

Infinity Equity is funding the expansion plans of China Medicine On-Line with an $8m investment from its I-China Fund.

Och-Ziff-backed African fund ups stake in mining company

African Global Capital, a private equity fund backed by Och-Ziff, Palladino Holdings and Mvelaphanda Holdings, has agreed to up its stake in Coal of Africa from 9.1 percent to 26.4 percent for £138.75 million.