As valuations continue to rise in China and India, global and regional private equity interest in Southeast Asia, particularly in the consumer sector, has ramped up markedly in the past few years. Indonesia, as both the largest economy and most populous country in Southeast Asia, has entered the foreground of this attention. Hunger for access to Indonesia’s growth story is evidenced by CVC Capital Partners’ $800 million consumer investment at the start of 2010, Northstar Pacific Partners’ third buyout fund which recently closed at $750 million, and by recent plays from industry giants such as the Carlyle Group. Still, in actual dollar terms, PE investment into the country remains relatively small compared to other ASEAN nations and there is much room for growth.
