Fundraising

New York Life Capital Partners has doubled its capital and LPs for its second mezzanine fund, as demand for mezzanine debt soars amid a credit liquidity freeze.

Dubai International Capital has jointly raised a $300 million infrastructure and energy fund with two other firms as the Middle Eastern investor continues at a frenetic pace.

Canadian private equity firm Onex revealed currency-related losses of $77 million during a conference call following the release of its third quarter earnings report.

Private equity icon Thomas H. Lee has said the credit crisis is ‘not a cash crisis’ but a crisis of confidence that will primarily affect the availability of debt financing for private equity deals valued at more than $1 billion.

The principals of Chicago-based Walton Street Capital, the private equity real estate firm founded by JMB Realty head Neil Bluhm, has been investing in Mexico for more than a decade - the firm did its first property investment in the country in 1998. Walton Street's Mexico operations are headed up by Sandor Valner, who was formerly the chief executive officer of VALOR, a real estate merchant bank he founded in 2001. Prior to this, Valner had leadership roles with M&A advisor EMVA and Credit Suisse in Mexico. Walton is raising its sixth global fund, which has exposure to Mexico. In addition, the firm is raising a dedicated Latin America fund, with a target of $350 million and a majority allocation to Mexico. Between the two funds, Walton Street will have around $700 million to invest in the region, with 75 percent of the capital going to Mexico. Last year, the firm opened an office in Mexico. Valner took a few minutes to speak with PERE about the attractions of Mexican real estate.

Sovereign wealth funds are becoming major forces in the global investment market thanks to surging oil revenues and swollen currency reserves. These national funds are set to have a big impact on private equity real estate. By Dave Keating

Heitman started four decades ago as a mortgage origination shop. Today, the firm has $20 billion in assets around the world. PERE recently spoke with firm head Maury Tognarelli about Heitman's history, its pioneering move into Central Europe and where the company is headed next. By Aaron Lovell

With the acquisition of Singapore-based Pangaea Capital, Howard Marks adds Asian real estate vet Robert Zulkoski to the Oaktree team. By Sharon Lim

The 2007 Ernst & Young Real Estate Private Equity Market Outlook painted a rosy picture of private equity real estate fundraising, but GPs who attended a breakfast meeting unveiling the results of the survey had mixed reviews on the investment climate.

Asian private equity fund formation 2008: here is what the experts believe will happen in the coming year.