Middle East

Carlyle brings in North African specialist for MENA push(2)

The Carlyle Group has recruited North African specialist Hassan El-Khatib as a managing director to bolster its newly formed MENA team in Cairo.

3i makes two investments in two days

3i has made its second investment in two days as it returns to a third round of $125m fundraising for an Indian broadcaster alongside a US supplier of networking equipment for the internet and Oman Investment Fund.

Trouble for Indian start-ups

A study by Stanford University and TiE shows India is drastically falling behind its counterparts when it comes to early-stage VC funding, and the study’s author warns this could have dire consequences for the quality of later-stage companies down the road. Dave Keating reports.

Investcorp buys inspection company from Close Brothers for $311m(4)

Investcorp has made its first investment in the energy sector with the $311 million acquisition of an inspection services company from Close Brothers.

Roberts: ‘We don’t believe there is a bubble’

Henry Kravis and George Roberts of KKR shared their thoughts on the current state of the private equity industry in a rare interview published today in The Wall Street Journal.

VC firms invest $12m in telecoms group

XConnect Global Networks, a service provider to the telecommunications industry, has received $12 million of funding from a venture capital consortium led by Accel Partners and Venrock Associates.

Former PCG heavyweights found rival firm

Monte Brem, the former president of gatekeeper Pacific Corporate Group, has founded a competing firm in California with two other ex-PCG executives.

Battery grows Silicon Valley team

Battery Ventures has hired away two tech industry professionals, VeriSign’s Matt Niehaus and Google’s Satya Patel.

Qatar National and Oxford Capital launch venture firm

Qatar National Bank has teamed up with Oxford Capital Partners to found Qatar Capital Partners, which will back technology companies in Qatar.

Sainsbury’s faces fresh takeover interest

Three Delta, a Qatar-based investment group, has bought a 15 percent stake in UK retailer Sainsbury’s, increasing the pressure on the board to realise greater value from its real estate assets.