Turning on the tap for water investment

BDA Partners has significant experience across the water M&A spectrum and is actively engaged on multiple on-going mandates in the sector. We take this opportunity to provide you with a deep dive into the water landscape, including:

Please reach out to our dedicated Sustainability team to discuss further.

Download the full report


Sources: (1) NASA; (2) The Guardian; (3) United Nations; (4) Borgen Magazine; (5) The Guardian; (6) EWG; (7) Financial Times; (8) US Water Alliance; (9) The Guardian; (10) Carbon Brief; (11) US Water Alliance; (12) Desalination Latin America; (13) Water.org; (14) Umweltbundesamt; (15) European Commission; (16) Global Citizen; (17) The National News; (18) Asian Development Bank ; (19) United Nations; (20) China Dialogue; (21) Japan International Cooperation Agency; Financial valuation metrics and M&A activity from CapitalIQ, Mergermarket and BDA transactions


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

In recent years, many companies have re-evaluated the potential of their businesses and are now considering divesting their non-core assets. This enables the firms to focus on assets providing long-term value, whilst at the same time, presenting M&A opportunities for well-funded companies.

Key considerations and drivers

The post COVID world has seen greater strains on supply chain security, inflation in wages, labour scarcity and heightened commodity volatility. Geopolitical tensions, increasing trade friction, and renewed interest in industrial strategy are all accelerating non-core divestment considerations.

Today, boardrooms are consumed with the topic of supply chain de-risking, in particular with reference to China. De-risking- as opposed to economic decoupling- is a nuanced view that sees global trade and investment as deep-rooted. Solutions include diversification and avoidance of excessive concentration by country and industry. Connected to this trend of de-risking is nearshoring. A Buck Consultants survey, published in February 2022, found more than 60% of European companies are looking to on-shore or re-shore Asian production in the next three years, with the main winners being Central and Eastern Europe, including Turkey.

These megatrends of de-risking and nearshoring are combining to spur further divestments. Below we explore additional factors that are prompting non-core disposals:

Governance of international assets has become increasingly fraught

  1. Regulatory changes and local compliance: trends continue to favour local management and a deep local presence. The ability of foreign owners to respond to international changes is becoming ever more costly and challenging
  2. Prioritization of domestic factors: Foreign brands and companies are at a strategic disadvantage (e.g. consumer preferences, trade policies)
  3. Opportunity cost relative to home market: In a fragmenting world with increasing cross-border barriers, home market advantage can lead to increased profitability and/or simpler forms of control and management structure
  4. Risk appetite: Increasingly, asset owners must decide on multi-year, global strategies. A decline in risk appetite is leading to a flight to safety
  5. Variation by sector: Industrial strategy has focused on politically sensitive sectors that affect employment or security; however some sectors such as healthcare and outsourced technology services have been less impacted.

M&A considerations:

BDA’s view

With changing market conditions, corporates are re-evaluating their operations with a view to exiting certain business lines to focus on long-term core business areas. We anticipate an important increase in ownership rationalisation driven by risk mitigation, regional compliance and a focus on domestic comparative advantage.

BDA is well placed to support our clients as they confront these opportunities and challenges by virtue of our global presence and significant experience in corporate carveout and cross-border divestments.

Recent selected BDA examples of cross-border divestments between Asia and the West:


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

Anthony Siu, Partner and Co-Head of China at BDA Partners, was interviewed by Wancheng Hu, a reporter at South Reviews. The publication is a political and economics magazine published under the Guangzhou Daily Press Group in Southern China. The following is a translated version of the article published on June 5, 2023.

China’s outbound M&A volume dropped to its lowest point last year. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the total value of M&A transactions in China fell to US$485bn in 2022, representing an 80% decline from the peak in 2016, and is comparable to 2009 when investment activities plummeted in the wake of the global financial crisis.

The Covid-19 pandemic and increasing geopolitical tensions led to varying degrees of restrictions on capital flow. Combined with stringent national security reviews, China’s outbound M&A has suffered a dramatic slowdown in recent years.

As the pandemic came to an end in early 2023, investment activities gradually picked up again. China’s outbound investment policies have not changed significantly, and the central government’s focus remains on encouraging foreign direct investments in healthcare, technology, advanced manufacturing, energy, and resources.

In the first half of 2023, the M&A market is back on a recovery path, with domestic transactions dominating China’s M&A. Cross-border M&A will likely see a pick-up in the second half of 2023, with Asia Pacific and the Middle East becoming the preferred markets for Chinese acquirers.

Amid early signs of an increase in activities, China’s outbound M&A will face challenges as well as opportunities in the near term. The following are key factors to consider for China’s outbound M&A:

1. Impact of increasing regulations on cross-border M&A 

BDA Partners specialises in cross-border M&A advisory and has been the top-ranked investment bank for cross-border M&A (enterprise value up to US$1bn) in Asia since 2016.

Mr. Siu moved to Shanghai from Hong Kong in 2008 and has been engaging in Chinese M&A advisory ever since. Having witnessed a long period of unprecedented growth of Chinese M&A, he was apprehensive about the recent downturn.

Siu said “For M&A practitioners, a lot has changed in recent years. The number of Chinese companies looking to engage in outbound M&A has shrunk significantly. The combined impact of the pandemic and the geopolitical tensions have led to a dramatic decline in M&A volume.”

While he believes that the pandemic impact is temporary, the geopolitical impact on cross-border M&A will be longer-lasting. In particular, the heavy regulatory scrutiny on China’s outbound M&A transactions is likely to stay for some time.

Among the affected regions, the US has been impacted the most. In January 2020, the US Treasury published new regulations based on the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act that significantly expanded the scope of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

“When a non-US company wants to acquire a US company, it needs to go through CFIUS review. The review will take a long time if the target’s industry is considered sensitive and involves national security concerns” said Siu, “although many transactions were not vetoed, they did not receive CFIUS approval and therefore were unable to close.”

In addition, countries that were previously considered to be open to foreign investments are moving toward increasingly stringent FDI reviews.

Germany, for instance, the country with the largest number of Chinese investments in the EU, had promulgated the Foreign Trade and Payments Act, imposing strict review measures for investments by non-EU countries and expanding the scope of mandatory filing obligations involving “critical infrastructure” and “critical technology.” Industry practitioners say that a large number of transactions were abandoned due to a slim chance of passing FDI or anti-monopoly review.

“Obtaining regulatory approval is a common concern for companies involved in cross-border M&A. If a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) decides to conduct a transaction overseas, it requires approval from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). Moreover, when the transaction amount exceeds US$300m, further approval is required from the China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). These approvals will typically take time to go through,” said Siu.

The aforementioned includes only the approval procedures required from the Chinese side, while each country has its own jurisdiction and approval procedures, which further complicates the closing of a transaction. A few high-profile cases involving SOE acquirers over the years include:

In addition to national security considerations, Chinese acquirers face increased scrutiny in areas such as information transparency, financing sources, and shareholding structure.

2. Where will the China capital go?

Despite some challenges, outbound M&A activities are showing signs of recovery.

Countries around the world are welcoming investments in industries that are deemed important to the country’s economic development. In addition, industries that have been hit hard by the pandemic, including transportation and logistics, tourism and hospitality, basic materials, and consumer goods, are recovering, giving acquirers renewed confidence in investing in the future upside of these industries.

Siu is bullish on the China outbound M&A market. The resumption of international air travel and the normalization of business activities will allow Chinese acquirers to become more active in engaging in outbound M&A activities. However, he believes that this wave of outbound M&A will be different from the past. Rather than focusing on the U.S. and Europe, Chinese acquirers will be shifting their focus to new markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

“China today is playing a role similar to the US in the 1990s and early 2000s,” said Siu.

During those periods, US companies, facing a saturating domestic market, expanded their international footprint to high-growth emerging markets via M&A.

China is doing something similar now. In the past, the focus was on acquiring Western technologies and know-how to bring them to the Chinese market. This coming wave will be about investing in opportunities that allow Chinese acquirers to export self-developed technologies and products to the international markets. Instead of facing head-on competition in a crowded domestic market, they go abroad to look for new growth opportunities. Companies in the technology, media and telecom (TMT) space and the electric vehicle (EV) sector are among those industries with growth potential.

Southeast Asia, due to its close geographical proximity to China, has been a favourite destination for China’s outbound investments. Indonesia is one such example.

Indonesia has the world’s fourth-largest population with 274 million people and a young labour force. In 2022, investments made by Chinese companies in Indonesia reached US$8.2bn the second largest source of FDI in Indonesia. Today, Chinese investments are present in e-commerce, ride-hailing services, online food delivery, digital financial services, and online gaming sectors in Indonesia.

“Unlike trading and manufacturing companies that have gone to the West in the early days, Chinese high-tech and smart manufacturing companies looking to expand overseas now select Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa as their priority markets to enter,” said Siu.

However, with benefits also come challenges. Just like many foreign companies find it difficult to adapt to the Chinese market, many Chinese companies that entered new markets have encountered challenges in working with local management, understanding the local culture, and dealing with workers that are not accustomed to long working hours.

The above are all common problems encountered by Chinese acquirers in outbound investments. Essentially, it is the lack of attention and effort paid to post-acquisition integration and understanding of cultural differences that hinder the acquirer’s success. For example, Chinese companies often lack experience in managing employees under a union-led workforce. If appointed Chinese executives attempt to impose a top-down culture, employees are likely to express dissatisfaction. Over time, a growing estrangement will develop between the local employees and the Chinese executives.

3. Focus on building up M&A expertise and acquiring talent

Having worked on M&A for over two decades, Siu has witnessed many successful acquisitions, while others failed and had to go through a difficult period of restructuring.

He observed that the issue faced by Chinese acquirers is usually caused by a breakdown in communication. When a Chinese acquirer becomes the controlling shareholder, the target’s management is often concerned about how the new owner will affect its corporate culture and management style, soft issues that are often overlooked by the Chinese acquirers. If these problems are not handled properly, the target’s management team will ultimately choose to leave.

These kinds of issues can often be mitigated if the acquirer has already established a presence in the target’s region, along with a team that understands the local system and culture. If the acquirer can understand the target company’s pain points, it can address these issues upfront more effectively, and the chance of a successful integration will increase.

Siu pointed out as an example a cross-border transaction that BDA and its strategic partner, William Blair, served as the sell-side advisors for Summa Equity, a Finnish private equity firm, on the sale of its portfolio company, HyTest, to China’s Mindray for €532m in 2021.

HyTest is a leading global supplier of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) raw materials, with in-house R&D and production capabilities for high-quality antigens and antibodies. This acquisition has helped Mindray broaden its international footprint and strengthen its value chain coverage while fulfilling the need for top-graded IVD upstream raw materials in China.

Simeng Zhang, Director at BDA Partners and the project lead for the sale of HyTest, stated “compared to other companies, Mindray has a professional in-house M&A team composed of talent with prior experience at accounting firms, law firms, and investment banks. Having this talent on the team made the due diligence, negotiation management, and decision-making process much smoother.”

She also mentioned that Mindray and HyTest had already established a good level of trust in prior business relationships. “In the past few years, more than half of HyTest’s revenue came from the China market, and with Mindray’s globalization strategy, the acquisition of HyTest became particularly attractive to Mindray.”

Though BDA Partners often takes on the role of a sell-side advisor, when the transaction involves a Chinese buyer, BDA Partners will also take the initiative to coordinate with the buyer to elaborate thoughts from the seller’s side, including management’s concerns on the transaction and key transaction terms.

Siu believes that the days of relying on the China growth story to win over the seller’s and target’s management are gone. Chinese acquirers should have a clear plan for globalising the target’s business beyond just China. “We are actively working with our clients to search for quality investment targets on a global scale to help them expand their international footprint,” said Siu.

The history of globalisation proved that successful M&A transactions can generate higher shareholder returns and help global players strengthen their competencies and maintain their market-leading position.

Being able to survive the pandemic will make a company stronger, while others facing challenges will become more open to being acquired. “For ambitious Chinese companies, now is a good time for M&A,” said Siu.

However, overseas competitors will not just sit back and wait. To grasp the opportunity and secure a meaningful position among global leaders, Chinese acquirers should further enhance their in-house M&A capabilities and attract talent with international experience and M&A expertise.


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

The private equity (PE) landscape in Vietnam is becoming increasingly attractive to global investors due to improvements in regulations, governance and corporate profiles. In the early 2000s and before, there was very limited PE activity in Vietnam, a market characterized by a shortage of private enterprises and unclear regulatory framework on private investments. It was not until the 2005 Enterprise Law came into effect that Vietnam first established a common legal framework for the establishment and management of both State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and private enterprises, boosting investors’ confidence for investments in private companies.

Along with the rapid growth of Vietnam’s economy, PE activity has soared since the second half of the 2000s. This can be attributed to a number of factors:

From the quiet days when there was only a handful of small value deals in the early 2000s, PE investors have been gradually playing a much bigger role in Vietnam’s M&A market. Larger deals involving PE investors have become more common – there were more than 30 deals valued at US$100m or higher over the last five years[1], while the top ten largest PE transactions of all time in Vietnam all occurred during this period. For Vietnamese businesses, PE funding brings in not only much needed capital for growth or additional liquidity for shareholders, but also important corporate governance guidelines and operational know-how of international standards for optimal value generation. Institutional presence among the cap table would also highlight the legitimacy and sustainability of the business models of local enterprises, which in turn enhance their attractiveness to more global investors.

DateInvestorTargetSectorValue (US$m)Stake
Jun-20KKR’s consortiumVinhomesReal Estate6516%
Oct-18SK InvestmentsMasan GroupConsumer4749%
Aug-18Hanwha Asset ManagementVingroupDiversified403Undisc.
May-21Alibaba, BPEAThe CrownXConsumer4006%
Dec-18Warburg PincusTechcombankFinancial Services3704%
Dec-21TPG, Temasek, ADIAThe CrownXConsumer3505%
Jul-19GIC, SoftbankVNPayTechnology300Undisc.
Jan-19GIC, MizuhoVietcombankFinancial Services2643%
Jun-22Warburg PincusNovalandReal Estate250Undisc.
Jul-21General Atlantic, DragoneerVNPayTechnology250Undisc.
Figure 1: Top ten all-time largest PE transactions in Vietnam

Emerging trends

1. Rising competition in dealmaking from global funds: In the earlier days, most PE transactions in Vietnam involved local funds given their advantages in familiarity with the investment landscape, with examples such as Indochina Capital-Hoang Quan (2006)[2], Mekong Capital-MobileWorld (2007)[3], and VinaCapital-PNJ (2008)[4]. Over time, more and more global PE firms have established local presence in Vietnam, with dedicated investment teams and network of advisors on the ground to start building their track record in the country. While local funds remain active in the market, global funds, with stronger financial capabilities, have been dominating the investment landscape – as evidenced in the list of top ten all-time largest PE transactions in Vietnam

2. Minority vs. control/buyout transactions: Minority transactions are still more popular for PE investors in Vietnam given the lack of onshore deal financing options commonly found in buyout transactions and risk aversion as most funds still have relatively short track record in the country. However, the market has witnessed several buyout transactions in the past, especially in the Healthcare and Education sectors such as CVC-Phuong Chau(2021)[5], BPEA-Vietnam USA Society English Centers (2019)[6], TPG-Vietnam Australia International School (2017)[7], and Navis-Hanoi French Hospital (2016)[8]. From our recent interactions with regional PEs, we understand that there is a growing appetite for control/buyout deals in Vietnam, driven by both record levels of dry powder and the maturation of the investment landscape.

3. Growing importance of ESG topics : ESG topics are no longer considered as a matter of compliance but have become opportunities to unlock value and present key selling points to potential investors. More investors have been appointing specialized ESG advisors for due diligence, while aligning with the target companies on having strong ESG values ingrained in corporate culture as part of deal negotiation and post-deal integration.

Looking ahead – Sectors to watch for PE activity in Vietnam

Consumer

Healthcare

Education:

Financial Services

Logistics:

Technology

The PE market in Vietnam has changed drastically since the early 2000’s as we have experienced more favourable conditions. Going forward, we expect not only the number of deals to increase, but the size of deals in Vietnam to grow as PE investors seek opportunities.   


[1] Source: Mergermarket

[2] https://vnexpress.net/indochina-capital-mua-cp-hoang-quan-2696691.html

[3] https://www.mekongcapital.com/our-investment/mobile-world/

[4] https://www.investegate.co.uk/vietnam-opp-fund-ltd/rns/investment/200805021205506730T/

[5] https://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/cvc-capital-phuong-chau-hospital-307941

[6] https://www.globalprivatecapital.org/newsroom/bpea-acquires-majority-stake-in-vus/

[7] https://www.vas.edu.vn/en/news/he-thong-truong-dan-lap-quoc-te-viet-uc-co-nha-dua-tu-chien-luoc-moi

[8] https://www.naviscapital.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Navis-Press-Release-30-June-2016-Acquisition-of-Hanoi-French-Hospital.pdf

[9] https://en.vietnamplus.vn/over-70-of-vietnamese-population-use-internet/231833.vnp


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

As we approach the halfway point in 2023, it’s clear that the luxury goods market in China and Asia is thriving. This growth is fuelled by the opening of borders post-COVID and the region’s increasing affluence. Today, China alone accounts for over one-third of global luxury sales.


As consumers in the region spend more on retail, beauty, food, lifestyle, and luxury items than ever before, BDA sees opportunities for foreign investors and companies to reach an eager and widespread Asian market.


In our latest insights report, we discuss China’s economy and explore opportunities in other Asian markets. We also identify the subsectors in the consumer and retail space which we anticipate will shine.

The key takeaways in this report are: 

Download the full report


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

Solar energy in ASEAN presents a compelling investment opportunity for both financial and strategic investors. This is a result of the recent (and potentially continuing) advances in technology and levelized cost of energy (“LCOE”) and the expected regulatory developments.

Energy demand in the ASEAN region:

Investment opportunities:

Download the full report


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

China’s private equity (“PE”) industry faced strong headwinds in 2022 due to factors including a slowing economy, Covid-19 restrictions, increased regulatory scrutiny, and higher prevailing interest rates globally which weighed on public market valuations. PE exits and fundraising had been challenging during the past year.
 
However, the China market underwent a dramatic change in recent months as the country’s Zero-Covid policy was relaxed and borders were reopened. The Chinese government implemented measures to boost the economy and private sector investments. This report provides our perspectives on how these changes may impact PE activities and China M&A market in 2023. 

The key takeaways in this report are: 

Download the full report


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

BDA PE Conference: The premier Asian deal networking event for PE investors


This year’s BDA PE Conference saw 52 leading private companies conducting one-on-one meetings with more than 300 Asian and global PE investors in Shanghai and Singapore. More than 50 senior bankers from BDA’s global team were also in attendance.

52
Presenting companies
80+
GPs and Investors
300+
Senior PE investors
>US$10bn of EV>US$12bn of dry power300+ 1×1 meetings


Paul DiGiacomo, Managing Partner and Head of the Financial Sponsors Group, BDA Partners, said: “Every year our flagship PE Conference has grown, and this year we had a great line-up of companies presenting across the consumer, health, industrial, services and tech sectors.”

“We were also pleased to see some companies and management teams participating again as presenters after having presented at previous conferences. It signals that they find this event to be a worthwhile use of their time. It also is indicative of the growing recognition in Asia that private equity has an important role to play as good owners of high-quality companies over a long term. We are starting to see more companies in Asia successfully transition to their 3rd or 4th private equity owner in a row, a trend which we believe is set to grow.”

“Thank you for the support from all our participants, presenting companies, investors and our colleagues to make this event a great success. We look forward to seeing you all again at the 2023 BDA PE Conference.”


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

The FinTech sector in Southeast Asia (SEA) has been flourishing in recent years, with ever-increasing capital flowing into the region from global investors and market leaders. In our latest insight, we take a closer look at the key trends that make SEA an attractive FinTech market, the dynamics within key FinTech verticals, and how we expect financing activity to evolve.

Key takeaways:

State of the Tech markets

SEA FinTech landscape and exit thoughts

Download the full report


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com

Although COVID-19 did not completely hamper M&A deal flow in Vietnam, travel restrictions and a strict lockdown in the second half of 2021 posed major challenges for buyers and sellers alike. With the gradual unwinding of COVID-related restrictions and the resumption of international flights in October 2021, M&A activity has accelerated. The economy has recovered quickly and the outlook for dealmaking is positive.

Top 10 M&A transactions in Vietnam (October 2021 – August 2022)

DateInvestorTargetDeal size (US$m)Stake
Oct-21SMBC Consumer FinanceFE Credit1,40049%
Jul-22Swire PacificCoca-Cola Indochina1,015100%
Dec-21TPG, Temasek, ADIAThe CrownX3504%
Nov-21SK HoldingsThe CrownX3455%
Dec-21MizuhoMomo200Undisclosed
Feb-22AC EnergySuper Energy’s nine solar plants16549%
Oct-21UBS, Mirae, STICTiki136Undisclosed
Apr-22Hana Financial GroupBIDV Securities11835%
Aug-22MasanPhuc Long15534%
Apr-22Indorama VenturesNgoc Nghia Industry9498%

 Source: Mergermarket

Key drivers propelling post-pandemic deal flow

Vietnam’s economic recovery has proven appealing to investors – it was one of the few countries that recorded two consecutive years of GDP growth in 2020 and 2021 during the height of COVID. According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam achieved 2.58% GDP growth in 2021[1], despite experiencing one of the strictest lockdowns in the world during the second half of that year. Looking ahead, the Asian Development Bank is forecasting that Vietnam’s economic growth will recover to 6.5% in 2022[2]. In fact, GDP growth in Q2 2022 was 7.7%, the highest quarterly growth in the last ten years.[3]

Pent-up dealmaking demand is a key driver. Both strategic investors and financial sponsors have a large amount of capital to invest and are keen to identify new opportunities or revive discussions that were on hold. Industry leaders are actively looking for acquisitions to consolidate market share within their verticals, taking advantage perhaps of competitors weakened by COVID and slower to rebound. In addition, many companies are looking to position themselves for recovery in the post-pandemic economy and need new capital injections for internal transformation and further growth in order to remain competitive.

The resumption of international travel is also significant. In-person due diligence and site visits have facilitated many deals that were previously put on hold, especially for asset-heavy industries such as industrials, logistics, and healthcare. Since October 2021, BDA has met with numerous foreign investors who have expressed a strong interest in Vietnam. After a two-year hiatus, BDA organised its annual networking event in Ho Chi Minh City in May 2022 with over 200 participants – mainly investors and corporate shareholders – and all appreciated the opportunity to reconnect in person and discuss the future.

Trends expected to persist post COVID

Domestic investors had an advantage over their foreign counterparts during COVID given their local presence, and this led to an increase in domestic deal flow and volume. Although COVID-related border restrictions have now been lifted, BDA has seen local conglomerates continuing their acquisition spree in a market that has historically been dominated by foreign buyers. For example, in addition to its investment in Phuc Long, Masan also acquired a 25% stake in Trusting Social, a company engaged with credit scoring based on social data, for US$65m in April 2022. This was another transaction in which BDA acted as the exclusive advisor to the target company. Nova Group has been on an acquisition spree, expanding its ecosystem with a focus on Consumer businesses, having acquired and taken over the operations of major F&B establishments such as Jumbo Seafood, Sushi Tei, Crystal Jade, and PhinDeli.

From a deal negotiation perspective, BDA has observed several points that have become particularly important during deal negotiations. With material adverse change (“MAC”) clauses, buyers and sellers now need to acknowledge the risk of a significant downturn in the business as a result of COVID. MAC provisions typically exclude market-wide macroeconomic impact, but since COVID has different effects on different industries, the negotiation of specific triggers in MAC clauses needs to be scrutinised. Earn-outs have become more common by bridging valuation gaps under scenarios of temporary uncertainty, while also enabling sellers to share in the upside of long-term growth. Warranty and indemnity (“W&I”) insurance, a rare option in Vietnam deals in the past, is also being used more frequently, as both buyers and sellers appreciate the benefit of a smoother and faster signing and closing process.

During the height of domestic lockdown and border restrictions in 2021, virtual interaction was the only option in most cases for M&A transactions in Vietnam. We expect that for non-key discussions, virtual meetings will continue to be a common option in the future. However, for other key parts of the transaction process such as site visits and due diligence, which were supported by on-the-ground advisors and virtual tours during COVID, and especially for negotiations, in-person participation will still be preferred going forward.

Global slowdown in M&A in 2022 and beyond

Global M&A in H1 2022 is down 21% by value and 17% by volume compared H1 2021[4], partly due to the cooldown in SPAC-related transactions. Inflationary pressure across the supply chain, geopolitical tensions, and a rising interest rate environment have also contributed to the volatility that could become a recurring theme in the M&A market over the next year or so.

Inasmuch as businesses in Vietnam are not immune to these factors, we still believe that 2022 will remain another busy year for Vietnam’s M&A market. Investors have not shown any reduced appetite in dealmaking in Vietnam, as evidenced in their interest in BDA’s ongoing mandates. We believe that there are a lot of high-quality assets that have proven resilient against turbulence brought about by COVID that are now well-positioned for robust growth, and we look forward to a busy period ahead with a long list of current live deals and ongoing opportunities.

Tailwinds for future growth in M&A in Vietnam include:

Most attractive sectors in Vietnam for M&A

Consumer

Healthcare

Education

Logistics

Financial Services

Renewable Energy


[1] https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/data-speaks/vietnam-finishes-2021-with-2-58-pct-gdp-growth-4409596.html

[2] https://www.adb.org/countries/viet-nam/economy

[3] https://baochinhphu.vn/gdp-quy-ii-2022-tang-truong-772-102220629090231152.htm

[4] https://www.allenovery.com/en-gb/global/news-and-insights/publications/global-ma-transactions-drop-over-20-percent-but-bright-spots-remain


About BDA Partners

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese Government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. bdapartners.com