Benelux
US - Linklaters hires Jeffrey Schmidt for New York office
Linklaters has appointed Jeffrey Schmidt as partner in the New York office.
GLOBAL - Permira beefs up Asian presence
UK-based buyout house Permira has appointed longtime Goldman Sachs banker Henry Chen as its head for Greater China.
NETHERLANDS – Icos invests in ReSteel
Icos Capital has invested in base metals recovery company ReSteel.
EUROPE - Earlybird closes new fund on EUR 127m
Earlybird has held a final closing of its new fund Earlybird IV, with investors from Germany, the US, Asia and the Middle East committing EUR 127m towards the early-stage financing of young, innovative companies.
EUROPE - Apollo and Lazard join forces
US buyout house Apollo Management and investment bank Lazard have announced a strategic partnership for private equity in Europe.
GLOBAL - Private equity investments drop 40%
A new report published by International Financial Services London has revealed that private equity investments have declined by approximately 40% in the first half of 2008 compared to the corresponding period last year.
LUXEMBOURG - CDC commits EUR 7m to Advans
CDC Group has committed EUR 7m to Advans SA SICAR, a venture capital company investing in greenfield microfinance institutions in Africa and Asia.
BELGIUM - CVC-backed DWB to acquire Atlanta
CVC portfolio company De Weide Blik (DWB) has received the European Commission’s approval on the proposed acquisition of German fruit and vegetable importer and wholesaler Atlanta.
EUROPE - RBS et al sell ABN assets for £156m
Reports suggest that Royal Bank of Scotland, alongside Fortis and Santander bank, has sold a portfolio of seven private equity assets controlled by ABN Amro to a consortium led by Goldman Sachs in a deal thought to be worth around £156m.
GLOBAL - Secondaries market set to grow as credit crunch squeezes returns
The private equity secondaries market could see strong growth in activity in 2008 in the wake of fears of underperformance in large buyout funds, with US private company exchange Nyppex estimating that total value could reach a record breaking USD 18bn...
GLOBAL - Blackstone forms cleantech group
The Blackstone Group has formed a cleantech group, which will both make investments and advise Blackstone portfolio companies on renewable energy strategies.
A Pipe Dream Or Reality?
Andrew Carpenter and Mike Hinchliffe of Addleshaw Goddard on why PIPEs may make a lot of sense
GLOBAL - Syndicate eyes up Rio Tinto Alcan division
A private equity syndicate comprising Eurazeo, Apollo, AXA Private Equity, TPG and la Caisse des Dépots are considering an offer for mining company Rio Tinto Alcan’s aeronautics and automotive unit, Alcan Engineered Products, which could value the...
NETHERLANDS - PPM Oost invests in Exendis
PPM Oost has backed the buyout of Exendis, a designer and manufacturer of energy conversion equipment for the mobility, infrastructure and renewable energy sectors.
NETHERLANDS - Rabo acquires 60% in Koop Bronbemaling
Rabo Participaties has acquired a 60% stake in Koop Bronbemaling, a Netherlands-based company providing dewatering system services.
WORLD - Blackstone opens Beijing office
The Blackstone Group will open a representative office in Beijing and has appointed Shan Fu, a former official with various economic bodies within the Chinese government, as its chief representative.