I Squared Joins Bidding for $4 Billion Equis Renewable Portfolio

I Squared Capital, the infrastructure investment firm, is among suitors preparing bids for Equis Energy’s renewable power ( for example: GOAL ZERO GUIDE 10 PLUS SOLAR KIT ) business, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Orix Corp. is also planning to make an indicative offer by this week’s deadline for the portfolio of Asia Pacific assets, according to the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. The Japanese firm is bidding together with Dutch asset manager APG Groep NV, the people said. Singapore-based Equis, which has appointed banks for a strategic review, is seeking to value the portfolio at more than $4 billion including debt, the people said.

State Power Investment Corp., the Chinese state-owned electricity generator, and French utility Engie SA have also been considering bids for the Equis business, people with knowledge of the matter said last month. Equis expects a transaction to close in the fourth quarter, the firm’s Communications Director Roberto De Vido said at the time.

Renewable energy assets are drawing increased investor interest as governments throughout Asia are encouraging the use of non-fossil fuels to combat pollution in the region. Announced acquisitions of Asian alternative power companies total $6 billion so far this year, up from $5.1 billion during the same period in 2016, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

No final decisions have been made, and there’s no certainty the deliberations will lead to firm bids, according to the people. Representatives for APG, Equis and Orix declined to comment, while a representative for I Squared Capital didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Equis, run by former Macquarie Group Ltd. executives, is pursuing a sale after delaying plans for an initial public offering of its operational assets, people with knowledge of the matter said in March. Its portfolio includes about 4.7 GW of solar, wind and hydro generation across Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, according to an April statement from the company.

I Squared Capital has a global clean energy portfolio of more than 4,300 MW in operation or under construction in 13 countries, according to a February statement. The investment firm agreed last October to buy Duke Energy Corp.’s South and Central America businesses for about $1.2 billion including debt.

Online Security – Covering All the Bases for Small Businesses

As a small business, you probably have so much on your mind that you cannot even think about online safety right now, and for good reason. The odds of success are firmly against you, so you need every ounce of energy to grow and make a profit.

However, what you might not realise is that online safety attributes to that success. With the right safety strategy, you can incorporate a solid and safe foundation for your business to expand. Without it, you could end up on the scrapheap with the rest of the failed small businesses. Here’s how to cover your business with regards to online safety.

Who and What?

Make sure you know who and what makes you vulnerable from a business standpoint. A little tip – your employees are the who. Employees are very blasé about safety and often leave you open to attack. For example, they might create an email account on the server. No big deal, right? It’s no big deal as long as said email account is secure. Hackers can attack the weak points – the what – and gain access to your whole server.

What’s the Safest Way to Start a Business in 2017?

The general consensus across the board is that the US economy is continuing its slow but steady rise from the Great Recession that started in 2007. Of course, that entire sentence is loaded with important qualifications: “general consensus”, “slow but steady”… what does it all really mean? Basically, as you probably already know if you’ve found this article, the climate for startups and successful business ventures has never been a sure thing. In fact, it can be downright risky.

Everything you know is wrong.

An article by Jim Clifton, CEO of Gallup, came out earlier this year with some really sobering statistics from the polling experts themselves. It was called, “American Entrepreneurship: Dead or Alive?” and I strongly recommend reading it when you have a few minutes.

The Cliff Notes version, however, is simply this – many of the statistics you hear touted on TV and published online regarding the recovery of the US economy and specifically about US entrepreneurship are misleading. The actual facts show that, although the economy is certainly in a better place than it was several years ago, starting a business and keeping it alive is not as easy now as it was prior to the recession.

How to Get Ahead in Business with Simple Mind Techniques

Who says only CEO has all the power to influence people? In any organizations even those at the bottom of the rung can exert considerable influence as long as you know the right people and have right techniques. Simple strategies can help you get others do whatever you want them to do without having them even realize it. No, these are not dark arks intended to harm someone, but are psychological methods you can use to your advantage.

Want to be more successful at work and life? Then here is what Steve Liefschultz suggests you do.

Nod

There is scientific evidence that if people are nodding along as they listen to something, there is a greater probability of them being in agreement with it. Adding to this, scientists also observed that if someone is continuously nodding while speaking, then the recipients will also start to do the same. Mimicking behaviors, particularly ones with positive meanings, is a well-known human trait.

What you need to do is to nod frequently without being awkward to make your argument extra convincing. The person in front will be persuaded automatically. Try it the next time you ask a question or a favor.