TPG Leads $100 Million Equity Investment in Five Star Business Finance

Mumbai – July 31, 2018 – TPG, the global alternative asset firm,  today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to invest in Five  Star Business Finance Limited (Five Star) a fast-growing, fully-secured small  business financing company focused on South India. Existing investors Norwest  Venture Partners, an investment fund managed by Morgan Stanley, and Sequoia  Capital are investing alongside TPG Capital Asia. The company’s first investor,  Matrix Partners, continues to stay invested in the company. Additional terms of  the transaction were not disclosed.

Five Star is a non-bank finance  company providing loans to nearly 40,000 customers. The company focuses on  lending to the under-banked population, which typically lacks the financial  records necessary to participate in the organized financial sector. Five Star’s  customers include small business owners such as single shop retailers like  vegetable vendors, provision stores, food retailers and self-employed individuals.  The company maintains a healthy asset quality, managing approximately Rs. 1220  crores in assets across more than 150 branches.

“Our 30 years of experience as a  hands-on partner to our customers has led us to establish a business model that  directly addresses the needs and risks unique to their businesses,” said D.  Lakshmipathy, Chairman and Managing Director, Five Star. “In TPG we’ve found a  partner that is fundamentally aligned with our mission to empower India’s  under-banked segment. The firm has a long track record of partnering with  financial services companies like us that are providing risk-focused,  market-specific tools to help businesses grow. TPG is a great addition to our  strong roster of investment partners. The firm’s investment in us is a  testament to our success and potential as an organization, and we look forward  to working together to continue to grow the company.” 

“For many years, small  enterprises across India have struggled to gain access to traditional financial  systems due to their inability to meet formal requirements for credit. In South  India and across the country, demand for funding continues to significantly  outpace supply,” said Puneet Bhatia, Managing Partner at TPG Capital Asia.

“Five Star is bridging the  funding gap for small business owners, providing them with tailored,  risk-conscious financial solutions. We are impressed by the company’s differentiated  business model and skilled team, and are pleased to partner with them in their  next stage of growth,” said Gaurav Trehan, Partner at TPG Capital Asia.

The financial services sector is  a key focus area for TPG in India and Asia more broadly. For more than 15  years, the firm has been partnering with dynamic companies across the region,  including BFI Finance, BTPN, Jana Small Finance Bank, Shenzen Development Bank,  Shriram City Union Finance, Shriram Transport Finance, and Union Bank of  Colombo.

About Five Star Business Finance

Five Star Business Finance is a  registered non-banking finance company and is headquartered in Chennai. The  company was founded in 1984 and has over the years evolved into a specialist  business finance company focusing on fully secured small business loans. The company  has its presence in six states of India with over 150 branch locations.  The company enjoys a healthy asset quality,  managing approximately Rs. 1220 crores as of June 30, 2018. As of that date,  Five Star’s overall employee base stood at 1450. For more information, visit www.fivestargroup.in

About TPG

TPG is a leading global  alternative asset firm founded in 1992 with approximately $84 billion of assets  under management and offices in Austin, Beijing, Boston, Dallas, Fort Worth,  Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Moscow, Mumbai, New York,  San Francisco, Seoul, and Singapore. TPG’s investment platforms are across a  wide range of asset classes, including private equity, growth venture, real estate,  credit, public equity and infrastructure. For more information, visit www.tpg.com

Media Contacts
Five Star  Business Finance
D. Lakshmipathy
Chairman & Managing Director
Tel: +91 44 4610 6200

TPG
Snigdha Nair
Adfactors PR (TPG India)
Tel:  +91 9920481191
Email:  snigdha.nair@adfactorspr.com