A new breath

01 July 2008

Tweet
Facebook
LinkedIn
Google plus
Send to

What interesting months we have had lately. Despite a sombre economic and financial ambience, the threat of a new tax law currently in discussion in the Dutch lower house that will dramatically raise carried interests, the industry is performing tenaciously and seems to be experiencing a revival

Over the last two months private equity has positively shot up. Luxembourg saw its first deal of the year while Belgium - often accused of progressing too slowly - has recorded five transactions for this month already. The Netherlands saw several transactions that spiced up the traditional flow of biotech expansion deals and buyouts, including the recap of IIE by European Capital, three mezzanine deals (among them this month's buyback of Arcomet), a PIPE (Binck Bank), the country's first billion euro deal for the year with the sale of InterGen, and Waterland, which closed its latest fund on EUR800m.

Benelux has proven once again in 2007, that despite its small size, it ranks among the most competitive markets in Europe (see EVCA report, page 13). 2008 won't thwart these new records and will surely push Benelux up with the leaders in Europe this year again.

Yours sincerely,

Domitille Lainey

Benelux editor, unquote"

Tel: +44 20 7004 7475

domitille.lainey@incisivemedia.com.