CCMP doubles up for new fund

CCMP Capital Asia is almost doubling its deal capacity and targeting $3 billion (€2.2 billion), for its third fund, CCMP Asia Opportunity Fund III, according to Reuters. The previous fund, CCMP Asia Opportunity Fund II, closed in 2005 on $1.6 billion.

Private equity activity in the region has increased substantially – with $48.8 billion invested in 2006, up from $15.6 billion in 2005. So far in 2007, $28.2 billion of private equity capital has been invested in Asia, according to Dealogic.

Founded in 1999, CCMP was a captive arm of US bank JPMorgan in 2005. It re-branded itself as CCMP Capital Asia and has $2.7 billion under management with offices in Australia, China, Japan, Korea and Singapore.

The firm recently bought Yellow Pages in New Zealand with Teachers’ Private Capital for $1.54 billion. It beat KKR and CVC in the auction.