Rohatyn Group sells stake in Sharekhan to BNP

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Rohatyn Group sold its stake in Sharekhan, India's leading online retail brokerage, to BNP Paribas, according to a source familiar with the deal, marking the latest in a series of exits on a portfolio bought by the private equity firm two years ago.

No terms could be obtained for the deal but The Rohatyn Group, which invests about $5 billion exclusively in emerging market assets, has realized roughly $2 billion in value over the last 12 months, the source said.

BNP was not immediately available to comment.

The fund has had an internal rate of return of 17 percent over its eight year life.

Most recently, the firm sold Egypt's Amoun Pharmaceuticals to deal making powerhouse Valeant Pharmaceuticals and before that it sold a stake in Bulgarian pharma company Huvepharma to Advance Properties.

The sales are noteworthy because the investment manager bought what analysts called largely illiquid holdings from Citi in 2013 and has exited them in a short time.

The Rohatyn Group is run by Nick Rohatyn, the son of legendary financier Felix Rohatyn, and bought Citigroup's emerging markets fund when the bank was forced to shed assets to comply with new financial rules.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Andrew Hay)