Siddharth Poddar

JPMorgan is reportedly looking to increase to $1bn its Indian private equity investments. Last month, PEO reported the firm held a $500m first close on an Asian infrastructure fund.

Actis, Cornell Capital and Nexent Ventures are among a group of private equity firms reportedly looking to partner with India's PFC to fund power projects in the country.

BTS Investment Advisors is backing the growth plans of Sai Sudhir Infrastructures with the sixth investment from its $80m fund.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts has hired Makram Azar, former global head of sovereign wealth funds at Lehman Brothers. Azar will lead its push into the Middle East and North Africa, setting up KKR's first office in the region.

The Middle Eastern private equity firm has done its debut deal from is maiden $1bn telecom, media and technology-focused fund.

ICICI Venture is to suffer another high profile departure. Deshpande is set to leave the firm, reportedly to take a position with NEA, just months after Aluri Rao left to lead Morgan Stanley Private Equity’s India operations.

Abraaj Capital has appointed four executive directors across its investment, portfolio management and finance teams as it looks to continue its expansion in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

The buyout firm has appointed Yoshiharu Fukuhara, honorary chairman of luxury cosmetic line Shiseido, as a senior advisor in Japan.

Two former JPMorgan bankers have set up Ancora Capital Management, an Indonesia-focused private equity firm, to invest in the country’s natural resources and infrastructure sectors.

IDFC Private Equity, its parent company IDFC and CDC Group are part of a consortium participating in a second round of funding for Moser Baer PhotoVoltaic.