Siddharth Poddar

Four Indian institutions will receive about $140m for their combined stakes in UTI Asset Management, which is currently marketing a $500m infrastructure fund established in partnership with HSH Nordbank and Noor Financial Investment Company.

Domestic investors have helped the Mumbai-based private equity firm near a first close on its debut fund, targeting $250m.

The presence of a large number of family offices in the Middle Eastern LP base underlines the importance of relationships in the region, writes Siddharth Poddar.

Asia Environmental Partners, which invests in renewable energy and environmental services companies regionally, is Olympus Capital’s first fund targeting this sector.

Bessemer Venture Partners has acquired a minority stake in Ind-Barath Power Infra. Citi Venture Capital International and Sequoia Capital are reportedly the other investors to have participated in the $100 million transaction.

India Equity Partners has acquired a stake in A2Z Maintenance and Engineering Services in what is the company’s third round of funding.

Prithvi Sustainability Innovation and Technology Fund, which will invest ‘in anything that can protect air, water and soil’, is targeting a $100m first close by January 2010.

The Mumbai-based private equity firm has raised capital entirely from domestic investors for the first close of India Advantage Fund Series III.

A private equity fund headed by Mark Mobius and managed by Templeton Asset Management has acquired a minority stake in the Singapore-based oil and gas industry service provider.

The Malaysia- and Singapore-based private equity firm has acquired Babcock & Brown’s interest in the latter’s Asia Infrastructure Fund, marking the firm’s first investment in Thailand.