Notz Stucki, one of the largest asset managers in Europe, has joined the race for ICICI Venture's 63% stake in Infomedia (formerly Tata Infomedia). Private equity funds such as General Atlantic, Blackstone and Warburg Pincus have also shown interest to buy out ICICI Venture's stake in the media firm. Infomedia publishes the popular business directory Yellow Pages and some well-known niche magazines. When contacted, Anil Singhvi, managing director Notz Stucki India, declined to comment. Sources said Yes Bank is advising Infomedia on the deal. The buyer of ICICI Venture's stake will have to make an open offer, and shell out upwards of Rs 400 crore. On Thursday, Infomedia’s shares closed at Rs 233.90 on BSE, taking the market capitalisation to Rs 461crore. […]

The TVS Group has set up TVS Capital Funds Ltd, which will make late-stage investments in private companies and in mid-cap, family-owned businesses across sectors in India. TVS Capital Funds Ltd, an asset management company, starts its activities with an office in Chennai. “Indian entrepreneurs need a strategic growth partner that understands the nuances of building businesses and can offer a range of professional services along the expansion path. TVS Capital Funds Ltd will strive to be this strategic partner to entrepreneurs and fund their development,” says Mr Gopal Srinivasan, Founder of TVS Capital Funds Ltd. “India has thousands of mid-cap, family owned businesses, especially in Tier 2 and 3 cities, that are anxiously looking to participate in the broader expansion of Indian economy. These businesses are looking for a strategic partner to expand business beyond their existing roots, professionalise their operations and enhance their management team. TVS Capital Funds Ltd will bring a proven business culture, infrastructure, and a wide network of relationships across several sectors and geographical regions including the US, Europe, China and Taiwan, to help manage and grow family-owned businesses,” Mr Gopal Srinivasan has said in a press release. […]

US-Based private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings, currently pitted against Tata Motors in the race to buy Land Rover and Jaguar, is planning to enter India through a large-ticket fund. Ripplewood, which hasn’t ventured anywhere in Asia outside Japan, could be considering a $1-billion fund to invest in Indian securities, sources said. The New York-headquartered private equity is famous for its acquisition, quick turnaround and sale of Japan Telecom and also for the high-profile $2.4-billion buyout of Reader’s Digest in 2006. It was also involved in the turnaround of Shinsei Bank, a bank that has expressed interest in bidding for IFCI. Ripplewood’s move signals the continued interest of large private equity players in India, even as those currently active in the country have started taking equity stakes in large companies, opposed to the earlier norm of investing in mid-cap firms. US-based Blackstone is reported to be in talks to buy a minority stake in Bombay Dyeing. Ripplewood’s proposed $1-billion fund comes close on the heels of last week’s reported move by Actis to market a $1.25-billion global fund.Formed by its current CEO Tim Collins, Ripplewood is now talking to a number of capital market professionals with adequate India experience to head the proposed fund, it is learnt. A number of senior people in various Indian brokerages and financial services companies, have been sounded out for the chief post and for other appointments in the Indian team. […]

Mumbai-based financial services group, ASK, is planning to set up a $1 billion (approximately Rs 4,040 crore) private equity fund by the end of financial year 2009-10. According to industry sources, the group, promoted by brothers Asit & Sameer Koticha, is in the advanced stages of finalising the blueprint of the PE fund. The group, known for its broking business, is expected to make a formal announcement before the end of this calendar year. In fact, the group is also looking to start a mutual fund and real estate businesses in future. “They are currently in the process of making the white paper for this fund. In the next three or four months, the group would start the PE business. They are aiming to set up a corpus of $1 billion by the end of March 2010,” a source told ET. When contacted, Sameer Koticha confirmed that the group is in the process of setting up PE business but refused to elaborate. “Since things are still being worked out, the only thing I can say is that it will be rolled out soon,” he said. […]

It was a particularly trying moment in the negotiations. Blackstone, the US private equity giant, was in last-minute negotiations with the promoters of the Andhra Pradesh-based Ushodaya Enterprises, owners of Eenadu and ETV, to buy a stake in their media business. Broad details had been agreed upon and documents were being prepared when the deal makers realised that the structure can be tweaked slightly. A plain vanilla equity structure (with cash being brought in lieu of equity shares) was fine, but a higher return can be squeezed out if preference shares could be added. The question then was about the fixed dividend on the preference shares. The Blackstone team debated the issue for a long time, but it was proving to be a knotty problem. The dividend should be high enough to cover Blacktone’s interest costs otherwise it wouldn’t make sense. Akhil Gupta, the chairman and managing director of Blackstone Advisors India, didn’t bat an eyelid. “4.5%. It should be at least that much to cover the interest Blackstone is paying globally,” he told his team. In the end, they didn’t have to worry. Blackstone and Ushodaya opted for equity shares. But the incident highlighted Mr Gupta’s level of preparedness and attention to detail. […]