Benelux
2010: a step towards recovery
In the end, 2010 has turned out to be the year of the recovery. Deal activity is up, the mega-buyout has reappeared, many houses have managed to record lucrative exits and there have even been some successful fundraisings.
Capricorn and LRM invest €20m in Ducatt
Capricorn Venture Partners and LRM have invested €20m in Belgian solar glass start-up Ducatt.
The year that was 2010: Economy fears dampen slow recovery
As the end of 2010 approaches, it will likely be remembered as a year of considerable uncertainty. Fear of a double-dip recession, major debt crises, a fragile economic recovery and the return of mega-buyouts are among the major developments affecting...
Buyouts spring back in 2010
Preliminary figures for the European Buyout Review 2011 confirm the general feeling in the market that buyout activity has bounced back in 2010. Emanuel Eftimiu gives an overview
A shakeout?
Remember a study titled тGet ready for the private equity shakeoutт published two years ago? Not really? To refresh your memory, it was a white paper published jointly by IESE Business School and The Boston Consulting Group and made headlines by claiming...
Fundraising market continues to confound
Fundraising conditions are at their toughest for nearly a decade and the market is awash with rumours of stalled fundraising programmes. But there are also regular reports of highly successful fundraisings that fly in the face of the current trends. Julian...
Last chance to have your say: unquote" end-of-year survey
As 2010 draws to a close the industry can perhaps breathe a sigh of relief. While it has no doubt been a difficult year, unquote.com has noted increased deal completions and more capital flowing into the market.
Bain buys IMCD from AAC
Bain Capital has purchased specialty chemicals distributor IMCD from mid-market buyout firm AAC Capital Partners via a secondary buyout.
GP relationships under scrutiny
Both GPs and LPs expect average private equity returns to fall by as much as 10%, according to new research. The figures, gathered by bfinanceтs Global Private Equity Poll, add weight to suggestions that GPs will need to do more to differentiate themselves...
Spanish private equity goes against the grain
Spain has undoubtedly lagged behind the rest of Europe in its race to return to prosperity. However, amidst speculation regarding a national bail-out, the countryтs private equity market has shown promising signs during 2010. Susannah Birkwood reports...
Renewables: A maturing industry?
While the prominence of renewable energy may have faded when the financial crisis erupted more than two years ago, private equity and venture capital investors have continued to show high levels of interest in this developing industry. But what kind of...
Buyouts: All-equity deals on the wane
All equity buyouts have been a common feature in the private equity market since the onset of the financial crisis. Driven by poor leverage availability and high prices at the time, this trend is now in decline as markets return to normal. John Bakie...
Cause to cancel Christmas?
With one month to go until Christmas, private equity professionals have other things on their minds than making holiday arrangements for the season.
Fund lifetimes: Extend and pretend?
With market fears that a capital overhang could encourage reckless investments and artificially high valuations, would it make sense to redesign the private equity fund model to allow for longer investment and holding periods? The argument has gained...
PPM Oost invests in Syntarga
PPM Oost has invested in Dutch biopharmaceutical company Syntarga B.V.
Secondary buyout activity stable despite market fears
Despite widespread concern over the number of secondary buyouts being seen in the market, unquoteт research suggests they are no more common today than they were in 2005. John Bakie investigates
Advent Venture holds final close of $120m fund
Advent Venture Partners has announced the final close of its Advent Life Sciences fund, having raised $120m.
3i acquires Stork subsidiary for €150m
3i has acquired Dutch engineering company Stork Materials Technology, a subsidiary of Stork BV, for €150m.
Video Interview: 3i's Michael Queen
The private equity landscape has changed since the financial crisis, and firms will need to adopt new strategies to make a success of their portfolio companies, according to 3i's chief executive, Michael Queen.
Mid-market: The next big thing?
Even though big buyouts have staged a spectacular comeback in 2010, mid-market transactions are widely expected to be at the forefront of dealflow and value creation going forward т but strong headwinds could make for a rough, if ultimately rewarding,...
Secondary buyouts: black sheep of the industry?
Secondary buyouts have often come under fire, accused of offering poor returns for LPs. But new research suggests secondary returns can match those seen in primary buyouts. John Bakie investigates
Isle of Man pitches for business in the new PE environment
It may seem counter-intuitive, in a particularly bleak fundraising environment, to be heavily promoting the latest iteration of a specialist tax-efficient fund structure, but that is what the Isle of Man has been doing. Julian Longhurst investigates....
Intel Summit: The future of tech investment
The Intel Capital CEO summit not only shed a light on future technology but also brought back some well known faces. Emanuel Eftimiu reports.
Benelux unquote" November/December 2010
MEPs have now agreed on the final text of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) Directive, bringing 18 months of discussion to an end.