BusinessLine (Chennai)

Dubai’s NBD Emirates, Japan’s Mizuho Bank eye KKR stake in Avendus

- Hamsini Karthik Mumbai

Japan’s Mizuho Bank and Dubai government-owned NBD Emirates are frontrunne­rs to take over KKR’s stake in Avendus Capital. The two foreign investors are said to be at advanced stages of due diligence and are expected to submit their bids in the next 2-3 weeks.

The deal is said to be valued at $430-450 million (₹3,5003,750 crore), which is slightly lower than KKR’s earlier expectatio­n of $500 million. Nomura is said to have been engaged to handle the mandate.

KKR holds about 63 per cent in Avendus Capital with the rest held by Gaja Capital and Yogesh Mahansaria, Founder and CEO of Alliance Tire Group. According to sources, both Mizuho Bank and NBD Emirates are interested in more stake in Avendus beyond buying the KKR interest.

TO PICK UP 80%

“Emirates and Mizuho have shown interest to pick up at least 80 per cent stake in Avendus Capital, though that would depend on whether the other shareholde­rs are willing to exit in the current round of secondary transactio­n,” said a highly

The deal is said to be valued at approximat­ely $430–450 million

placed source aware of the developmen­t.

Gaja Capital and Mahansaria came into play at Avendus in the 2017 round of fund infusion, when the company raised ₹980 crore. Best known for its investment banking capabiliti­es, Avendus Capital is a 24year-old homegrown boutique financial services firm with interests ranging from credit solutions including structured credit funds, to wealth and asset management and institutio­nal equities. The firm was originally promoted by Kaushal Aggarwal, Ranu Vohra and Gaurav Deepak.

In 2015, KKR picked up 58 per cent in Avendus at a valuation of about $200 million.

Emails sent to NBD Emirates and Mizuho Bank remained unanswered till press time, while a spokespers­on for Avendus said, “we do not comment on stories of this nature as per company policy”.

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