Fundraising

Dubai Islamic Bank and Dubai World are establishing a $5bn group of Dubai-based private equity funds, to invest in strategic sectors within the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System has issued two mandates seeking third-parties that could help the giant pension make its private equity portfolio more manageable.

Just six Israeli venture capital funds accounted for the bulk of fundraising last year, amid increasing appetite from foreign pension funds.

Fund formation partner Blair Thompson has resigned from the London-based law firm and will join UK mid-market private equity house TDR Capital.

The Northern European mid-market investor has closed its sixth private equity fund with commitments 25% higher than its predecessor.

Sowood Capital Management, a fund manager founded by former managers of Harvard University’s endowment, has closed a $1.24 bn commodity private equity fund.

Following the recent exit of anchor investor Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, the London-based mid-market firm has changed its name to August Equity.

Private equity firm Actis is in talks to invest $25 million for an 11 percent stake in a listed Indian cement manufacturer Dalmia Cements.

Global investor 3i has made a $20 milllion commitment to Israeli technology VC Giza Venture Capital’s latest fund. Giza CEO Zeev Holtzmann and 3i partners Patrick Sheehan and Eli Efran tell Robert Venes why now is a good time to invest in the region.

Darby Overseas Investments is fine-tuning its approach to emerging market private equity in Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe. Judy Kuan speaks with Darby’s Richard Frank and Michael Barth about the firm’s preparation for its first global private equity fund.