Deals
FRANCE – Colony and Eurazeo seeking to exit Buffalo Grill
Colony Capital and Eurazeo are reportedly seeking to divest restaurant chain Buffalo Grill. The investors staged a EUR 340m public-to-private transaction in October 2005, acquiring a combined 75% stake in the company.
FINLAND - CapMan exits StaffPoint
CapMan funds Finnventure Fund V, Finnmezzanine Fund II B & D and Finnmezzanine Fund III A, B & C have sold a combined 66% stake in StaffPoint, a Finnish staffing agency business, to Oy G W Sohlberg Ab, Varma and the company’s management, for an undisclosed...
FRANCE – 21 Centrale Partners exit Hedis
21 Centrale Partners has exited its stake in hygiene products distributer Hedis in a management buy-back supported by Sofival.
UK - RJD portfolio company acquires Rock Computers
Stone Group, which was acquired by RJD Partners earlier this year, has made its first bolt-on acquisition by buying notebook manufacturer Rock Group Plc for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Aberdeen acquires TC Communications
Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital has led the buyout of marketing and communications agency TC Communications Ltd.
RUSSIA – Renaissance and Da Vinci lead USD 50m round for EPAM
Renaissance Capital and Da Vinci Capital have co-led a USD 50m funding round for EPAM Systems, a provider of software development outsourcing in Eastern Europe and Russia. Euroventures Capital also participated in the financing.
GERMANY - Shareholders invest in HSH Nordbank
According to reports, the shareholders of HSH Nordbank have agreed to increase the capital of the bank with an equity injection of EUR 1.26bn.
NETHERLANDS – Rabo Ventures et al invest EUR 300m in Econcern
Rabo Ventures and Delta Lloyd have formed a joint venture with existing investor SHV that has injected EUR 300m into sustainable energy company Econcern. All together the three firms hold a 50% stake in the company.
SWITZERLAND/CEE – PEF invests EUR 35m in PharmaSwiss
Polish Enterprise Fund VI (PEF), a private equity partnership managed by Enterprise Investors, has invested EUR 35m into PharmaSwiss SA, a provider of support services to the pharmaceutical industry and portfolio company of HBM BioVentures.
GERMANY - LSP sells U3 Pharma AG for EUR 150m
Life Sciences Partners (LSP) has entered into an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd that will see portfolio biotechnology company U3 Pharma AG sold for EUR 150m.
ITALY – Arca Imprese acquires 70% stake in clothing retailer
Arca Imprese has acquired a 70% stake in clothing retailer Finalba Store, with the remaining stake being held by the company’s founder Giancarlo Bassi, who will remain the company’s CEO.
NETHERLANDS - SET et al back CrystalIQ
Sustainable Energy Technology Fund (SET), EPT / Benno Wiersma and E2 Cleantech have invested in CrystalIQ Group, a Dutch provider of sapphire substrates for the production of white LEDs.
ITALY – BS Private Equity sells 20% to Banca Leonardo
Gruppo Banca Leonardo has acquired a 20% stake in BS Private Equity (BSPE), with the option of acquiring the remaining stake in the future. BSPE will remain independent and will continue to be headed by its managing partners Antonio Perricone, Paolo Baretta...
ITALY – US private equity firms in Weather Investment talks
It is understood that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris is in talks with three US private equity firms over the sale of a 10% stake in Italian holding company Weather Investments.
FRANCE – Abénex acquires stake in Réponse
Abénex Capital (formerly ABN AMRO Capital France) has acquired 56.5% of listed design and outfitting business Réponse at a price of EUR 9 per share. Following this purchase Abénex will launch a public takeover bid to acquire Réponse’s remaining...
SWEDEN - EQT acquires Valeo Engine Cooling
EQT Opportunity has acquired the heavy duty engine cooling division of Valeo, a French automotive group, for an undisclosed value.
FRANCE - XAnge Capital completes first exit
XAnge Capital has exited its 28% stake in software company A2iA, which it originally backed in March 2006 alongside Développement & Partenariat.
UK - NorthStar leads £1.5m funding round for Caspian Learning
NorthStar Equity Investors has led a £1.5m funding round for Caspian Learning, a supplier of 3D learning based games.
UK - Balderton exits Bebo
Balderton Capital has agreed to sell its stake in social networking site Bebo to AOL in a deal worth $850m.
FRANCE – Edmond de Rothschild CP acquires AJ Tech
Edmond de Rothschild Capital Partners has taken a majority stake in heat pumps manufacturer AJ Tech in an LBO transaction. Joël Amisse, the company’s founder, retains a significant stake in the company, while the deal also sees Roger Gubanski join...
UK - Private Equity eyes Paperchase
HgCapital, ISIS Equity and Change Capital are said to be frontrunners in the competition to buy stationery chain Paperchase from bookseller Borders.
GERMANY - Equity Partners backs MBO of Nokia unit
Equity Partners GmbH has, together with the manager Razvan Olosu, signed an agreement to acquire Nokia's line fit automotive business for an undisclosed amount. The company will be held by newco novero GmbH.
DENMARK - Nordic Venture Partners completes DKK 235m ZYB sale
Nordic Venture Partners portfolio company ZYB, a Danish free mobile back-up and sharing service, has been sold to Vodafone for DKK 235m.
SWEDEN - CapMan buys Cederroth
CapMan Buyout VIII has acquired the majority of the shares in Cederroth, a Swedish manufacturer and distributor of consumer products, from American listed Alberto-Culver Company, for an undisclosed sum. CapMan Mezzanine IV supplied mezzanine to support...