M&A Pulse in APAC

The Asia Pacific M&A Newsletter
brought to you by
Natixis, Vermilion Partners and Azure Capital

Issue 14

Pinned

IWD Podcast: Giving to Gain in APAC M&A

06 Mar 2026

EDITORIAL

The Enablers and Dis-Enablers of APAC M&A

Raghu Narain, Head of IB, Asia Pacific

The APAC M&A landscape is evolving, influenced by a variety of factors that can be largely classified as three main themes: enablers of investment, dis-enablers that hinder transactions, and neutral factors that exist as a matter of course.

Embracing a Growth Mindset in a Changing World

Miranda Zhao, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Asia Pacific, Natixis CIB

In recent years, the world has undergone profound transformations, reshaping the landscape of various sectors and industries.

FOCUS ON...
 

Relative resilience in Australia's M&A market

18 Mar 2025
Tony Kogan, Director, Azure Capital
Australia | Focus on

As we journey through 2025, the outlook for M&A activity in Australia remains positive, with several key trends expected to shape the industrial, mining, and infrastructure sectors.

Cautiously optimistic on cross-border M&A uptick in China

18 Mar 2025
Edward Radcliffe, Managing Partner, Vermilion Partners
Australia | Focus on

The year of the Wood Snake, promises introspection, wisdom and growth. These are all in much demand as geopolitical tensions mount, a new president has entered the White House, and several major economies appear to be stagnating.

High growth sectors look set for strong 2025 in South East Asia

18 Mar 2025
Abbas Rangwala, Head of M&A, South East Asia & India
Australia | Focus on

The M&A landscape in South East Asia experienced a relatively muted period in 2024. However, underlying trends indicate a resurgence in M&A activity in the region as we look ahead to the rest of 2025.

ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT

Alicia Garcia Herrero, Chief Economist, Asia Pacific, Natixis

The geopolitics of artificial intelligence after DeepSeek
The   sudden   emergence   of   DeepSeek,   a   relatively   unknown Chinese   artificial   intelligence   start-up,   has   led   to   a   massive correction  in  the  stratospherically  high  valuations  of  the  United States tech giants involved in AI. DeepSeek claims it can do what AI  leader  OpenAI  can  do –and  more –with  a  much  smaller investment and without access to the most advanced computer chips,  which  are  restricted  by  US  export  controls.  DeepSeek’s model seems to run at much lower cost and consumes much less energy than its American peers.

Further Reading 

DEAL SNAPSHOT
 

NEW FACES
 

Tony Kogan

Tony Kogan

Director
Azure Capital

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Harris Holley

Harris Holley 

Associate Director
Azure Capital

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Matthew Turner

Matthew Turner

Associate Director
Azure Capital

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NETWORK IN THE NEWS

Asia-Pacific bank debt issuance rebounds in November as Chinese lenders return

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China’s M&A deals to rise from decade-low as DeepSeek, AI spur interest, experts say

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Asia-Pacific finance sector M&A set for rebound despite Q3 decline

Read more here

How Private Equity Navigated Exit Slowdown in South East Asia

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Abbas Rangwala in a front-page The Business Times article, in print and online on 2025 M&A outlook in South East Asia. He sees several key buyer trends that support his forecast of a rise in M&A activity this year.

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Disclaimer: This document has been prepared by Natixis as commercial documentation for discussion and information purposes only. It is highly confidential and it is the property of Natixis. It should not be disclosed or transmitted to any person other than the original addressee(s) without the prior written consent of Natixis. This document does not constitute a personalised recommendation. It is intended for general distribution and the opinions, analysis, products or services described herein do not take into account any specific investment objective, financial situation or particular need of any recipient.

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