VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Lazada, the "Amazon of Asia" has raised USD250 million from Rocket Internet to mainstream the company's position as the largest online retailer in Southeast Asia.

Private equity group Southern Capital Partners offered to buy Malaysian tertiary education provider HELP International Corp Bhd for USD111.3 million (MYR359.3 million) and plans to delist the firm should the deal be successful.

Cool Japan Fund is looking to invest in TV channels and retail properties in the US and Southeast Asia to promote the country's culture. Cool Japan is backed by the government as well as Japanese companies and is led by a former Carlyle Group executive.

Singapore-based firm CapitaLand, the biggest developer in Southeast Asia, announced the sale of its 59% stake in Sydney-based Australand Property Group at AUD3.865 to AUD3.750 per share.

Singapore-based consumer-to-consumer marketplace mobile startup Carousell snagged USD800,000 in seed funding to be used for the development of its app and expansion efforts in Southeast Asia.

Buyout firm Northstar Group, with its TPG backing, had opened a fund to surpass its previous high of USD820 million.

South African financial services group Sanlam said it was scouring Southeast Asia to invest in a life insurer.

Thailand's largest shopping mall developer, Central Pattana, said it would be spending THB 15 billion to expand in Southeast Asia.

Maybank announced that Abdul Faril Alias will be the company's new chief operating officer.

UBS stated that it outperformed other share-sale underwriters in the Southeast Asian Region thanks to big deals in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Orix Corp. stated it would invest half a billion dollars in fast growing markets.

AirAsia, on Wednesday, completed its IPO netting more than US$300 million.

Maybank invested on technology firms across four Southeast Asian countries to help its business processes.

Lazada raises US$100 million in investments for its expansion.