Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

HK Type 4 license through Ballingal Investment Advisors Ltd. ("BIA" or "BIAL")

BACKGROUND
I have 20+yrs experience in Asia doing alternative strategies (i.e. non-delta1 non long-only) in fixed income, equity derivatives, and activist/catalyst/event-driven and long-short equity strategies with most of that time spent managing money. 

4 years in fixed income macro, 8 years running internal hedge fund and 4yrs investment banking at Citi in Japan, 3 years running an Asia multi-strat portfolio at a hedge fund, 4+yrs as an independent special situations analyst.

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

In 2016, a Blackstone fund purchased 60.5% of India-based IT Solutions Provider <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mphasis-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7672:1" rel="noopener">Mphasis Ltd (MPHL IN)</a> from Hewlett Packard (which had been looking to sell its stake for quite a while after having purchased it in 2008 when it bought out EDS) at Rs 430/share, then conducted an Open Offer to buy more shares at Rs 457 and change. The deal was to purchase 106.2mm shares from the sellers and another 26% or 54.93mm shares via an Open Offer, and if no shares were acquired in the Open Offer, the Blackstone fund would buy the other 20.9mm shares from the HPE entity selling and HPE would own no more shares. 
When the deal was announced, the price was just below Rs 500/share and during the course of the summer the price rose further so that the Open Offer at the time obtained only 0.001% of shares out. 
The shares rose, doubling reasonably quickly as Blackstone quickly revamped operations. Over the years, Blackstone opportunistically bought and sold small slices of the company in market operations. Late last year, it became clear that Blackstone was weighing the possibility of selling its 56.16% stake in the company as the valuation had run and shares were three times where they were when they bought. There were suggestions it might also be related to the possible departure of Blackstone India senior managing director Amit Jain who was rumored to be quitting to take up the co-head spot at Carlyle India. By January, seller due diligence had been conducted, banks were engaged, and Blackstone was en route to selling its stake (and the Buyer would be liable to launch an Open Offer) in its largest India investment to date to one of the four PE houses which were expected to put in bids - Brookfield, Bain, Carlyle, and Permira. 
Final round bids were due 24 February and by early March, the sale had been called off as the prospective lead buyer Carlyle and Blackstone as seller couldn't come to terms.
Today, we have a deal. But it's not Carlyle.
Blackstone is selling to Blackstone.

In 2016, a Blackstone fund purchased 60.5% of India-based IT Solutions Provider Mphasis Ltd (MPHL IN) from Hewlett Packard (which had been looking to sell its stake for quite a while after having purchased it in 2008 when it bought out EDS) at Rs 430/share, then conducted an Open Offer to buy more shares at Rs 457 and change. The deal was to purchase 106.2mm shares from the sellers and another 26% or 54.93mm shares via an Open Offer, and if no shares were acquired in the Open Offer, the Blackstone fund would buy the other 20.9mm shares from the HPE entity selling and HPE would own no more shares. 
When the deal was announced, the price was just below Rs 500/share and during the course of the summer the price rose further so that the Open Offer at the time obtained only 0.001% of shares out. 
The shares rose, doubling reasonably quickly as Blackstone quickly revamped operations. Over the years, Blackstone opportunistically bought and sold small slices of the company in market operations. Late last year, it became clear that Blackstone was weighing the possibility of selling its 56.16% stake in the company as the valuation had run and shares were three times where they were when they bought. There were suggestions it might also be related to the possible departure of Blackstone India senior managing director Amit Jain who was rumored to be quitting to take up the co-head spot at Carlyle India. By January, seller due diligence had been conducted, banks were engaged, and Blackstone was en route to selling its stake (and the Buyer would be liable to launch an Open Offer) in its largest India investment to date to one of the four PE houses which were expected to put in bids - Brookfield, Bain, Carlyle, and Permira. 
Final round bids were due 24 February and by early March, the sale had been called off as the prospective lead buyer Carlyle and Blackstone as seller couldn't come to terms.
Today, we have a deal. But it's not Carlyle.
Blackstone is selling to Blackstone. 

Blackstone Sells Mphasis Stake To.... Blackstone and Investors Get a CHEAP Option