The Hindu Business Line : ChrysCapital eyes new growth sectors for investment

The company recently showed interest in funding low-cost airline Air Deccan when the latter was seeking private equity funding of about $100 million for its expansion plans. When asked if aviation was a new segment the company was looking at entering, Mr Sanjiv Kaul, Managing Director, Chrys Capital said, "It depends on the situation.

It (aviation) may be part of our consumer discretionary portfolio but certainly not a separate portfolio." As of now, Chrys Capital's portfolio is spread across six sectors — financial services, ITES/BPO, manufacturing, infrastructure, life sciences and consumer discretionary.

However, the company is open to exploring other emerging growth sectors in the country, Mr Kaul said.

The company's deal size has doubled in its last two transactions to $100 million each. When asked if that would impact its holding period in the companies, Mr Kaul said no. "We have been a long-term investor (over three years) and will remain so."

In the past, Chrys Capital has funded companies with turnover of about Rs 60 crore. It is unlikely to do that now. "Such companies need venture capital funding. We would put them on to venture capitalists," he told Business Line on the sidelines of a seminar on `Financial Partnerships for Quantum Growth', organised by the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry.