Industry
Lenders urge GPs to talk about refinancing
The well-documented 2014 “wall of debt” is pushing many GPs down the refinancing route. Easier said than done given the current lending climate – but early birds could stand a better chance of catching the proverbial worm. Greg Gille reports
Corporates make push into venture capital
As Europe’s newest corporate venture fund makes it first investment, figures suggest corporates are making a heavy push into early-stage financing. Greg Gille investigates.
French asset manager launches PE unit
Meeschaert Capital Partners, focusing on growth capital and small- and mid-cap buyouts, has been established by French asset management group Meeschaert Gestion Privée.
Portfolio companies optimistic on 2012
Portfolio companies have an increasingly positive outlook for the future despite ongoing concerns regarding the economy, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers survey.
Cognetas rebrands as Motion Equity Partners
Mid-market firm Cognetas has been rebranded as Motion Equity Partners, operating out of Paris and Milan.
EU Commissioner disregards AIFMD lobbying efforts
Lobbying efforts from the alternative investments sector will not have a major influence on upcoming EU regulation, says an EU commissioner.
PE-backed floats stage a comeback
The Ziggo float – and strong post-float performance – illustrates that PE can still pull off a strong exit on the public markets. Kimberly Romaine talks with Warburg Pincus’ Joe Schull about strategies for floating a business in today’s market.
PE-owned SPIE in €375m high-yield refinancing
French engineering group SPIE, acquired by a consortium of private equity houses last year, has priced a €375m high-yield bond to refinance the debt structure put in place at the time of the buyout, according to reports.
unquote" regulation update: Dodd-Frank
In this week's unquote" regulation update, Anneken Tappe looks at the latest developments regarding the Dodd-Frank Act.
Queen abdicates, predicts "new peak" for PE
The departure of 3i CEO Michael Queen is the end of an era, but not the end of the industry.
Swedish compromise on carried interest taxation
The Swedish Ministry of Finance has proposed that a proportion of carried interest be taxed as standard income, after which any proceeds are taxed as capital gains.
Crédit Agricole PE becomes Omnes Capital
Coller Capital has finalised the acquisition of Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE), which has been renamed Omnes Capital.
LP Spotlight: Fondinvest Capital
Fondinvest Capital partners Charles Soulignac and Catherine Lewis La Torre talk to John Bakie about the demands of LPs in the post-crisis environment and the rapid growth of secondary fund investments.
LBO France delays fundraising effort
French mid-cap GP LBO France has pushed back the launch of its next €1.5bn White Knight IX vehicle - which was supposed to take place in Q1 - to Q3 2012, according to French publication Capital Finance.
Bank investments in PE down 69%
Anecdotal evidence highlights that PE houses cannot rely on banks and insurance companies to raise the bulk of their funds anymore. Data from French association AFIC backs this up with worrying numbers. Greg Gille reports
Hedge funds: A new source of dealflow
The credit crisis has left hedge funds holding on to unwanted equity stakes. Could this be a new source of dealflow for private equity buyers? Sonnie Ehrendal investigates
£14bn raised: but how to spend it?
European fund closes totalling nearly €14bn have been announced in the past fortnight. Deal data suggests it may be a bit much, and that not all are equipped to manage it. Kimberly Romaine reports
unquote" regulation update: Basel III
In this week's unquote" regulation update, Anneken Tappe looks at the latest developments regarding Basel III.
Exit volumes surge despite tough conditions
unquote” data shows that exit volumes surged in 2011 as private equity houses sought to satisfy investor demands, but it is uncertain if this trend will continue in 2012. Anneken Tappe reports.
Groupama to sell private equity arm
Groupama has announced it is looking to sell its private equity business which manages assets worth €1.8bn.
unquote" regulation update: Solvency II
In this week's unquote" regulation update, Anneken Tappe looks at the latest developments in Solvency II.
Fifth Cinven fund holds first close at €3bn
Cinven has held a тЌ3bn first close for its fifth fund.
BVK calls on industry to remain calm on regulation
Despite its economic importance, the German private equity industry is struggling against a tide of regulatory pressure and a hostile political environment. But the BVK says despite recent negative publicity, new regulations are not set out to destroy...
Endless moves into asset-based lending
UK-based turnaround specialist Endless has launched Encina, a new business providing both asset-based lending (ABL) and equity investments.