Benelux
BELGIUM - Clear2Pay receives EUR 15.7m third round investment
Clear2Pay has announced that it has received a EUR 15.7m third round investment which was led by AGF Private Equity, with new investor GIMV as a co-lead. The existing investors, Intel, QuestforGrowth, TrustCapital Management and Big Bang Ventures also...
NETHERLANDS - Industri Kapital to sell Continental Bakeries to NPM Capital
Industri Kapital (IK) has reached a conditional agreement with NPM Capital to sell Continental Bakeries, a leading producer and distributor of private label biscuits in Western Europe.
NETHERLANDS - Vendex KKB continues operations under the name Maxeda
Vendex KKB, the Dutch retail concern which was delisted in August 2004 by a KKR-led consortium, has changed its name to Maxeda. This decision is understood to be motivated by a desire to sound more international, in order to stimulate growth outside of...
NETHERLANDS - Alternext to be launched on 4 September
Euronext has scheduled the operational launch of Alternext Index, a stock exchange for small- and medium-sized companies, for 4 September 2006.
NETHERLANDS - Rabo Participaties has acquired Luzac College
Rabo Participaties and management have acquired Luzac Holding BV, a parent company of among others Luzac College and InterCollege, from USG People. No financial details have been disclosed, but analysts estimate the value to be around EUR 30m.
NETHERLANDS - Friesland Bank acquires minority stake in The Institute of Travel
Friesland Bank has announced that it has acquired a minority stake in The Institute of Travel. The financing will be employed to realise further growth of the company, both organically as well as through acquisitions of specialist travel organisations....
EUROPE - EVCA stats show returns improved in 2005
The European private equity industryтs final performance figures for 2005 show steadily improving returns across all parts of the industry. The long-term returns have now increased to more than 10% due to the improved performance of short-term returns...
EUROPE - EVCA reports 2005 a record year for private equity
EVCA has announced the final fundraising, investment and divestment figures for European private equity in 2005 at its annual Symposium in Monte-Carlo. The annual figures show records for all three stages of activity in the industry. After three years...
EUROPE - EVCA appoints new chairman
At the annual ordinary general assembly of the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EVCA) last night, Javier Loizaga, CEO and Managing Partner of Mercapital, was officially elected as association chairman for the period June 2006 to...
Luxembourg - Taylor Wessing advises IGEFI on Summit Partners equity investment
Taylor Wessing has advised IGEFI Group, a provider of software solutions to the investment funds industry, on its equity investment from Summit Partners.
NETHERLANDS - VNU shareholders approve changes to supervisory board
VNU has announced that new supervisory board members and an interim CEO have been appointed during its 2006 AGM.The changes to the supervisory board were effective immediately following the conclusion of todays AGM.
NETHERLANDS - Centaurus increases its stake in Ahold
Centaurus Capital is believed to have increased its stake in supermarket group Ahold. The private equity firm, which until now held a 4% stake (EUR 400m), is not the only investor increasing its stake in the firm. US-based Paulson, for example, is also...
NETHERLANDS - Rabobank to acquire Connexxion
Rabobank is reportedly looking to acquire transport company Connexxion from the Dutch state, which currently holds a 100% stake in the company.
NETHERLANDS - VNU to be delisted on 11 July
Following a tendering of 98.97% of the share capital of VNU, the Valcon consortium has announced that it will commence a squeeze-out procedure to acquire the remaining shares and that it will delist the company on 11 July.
NL- Valcon acquires more than 97% of VNU shares
Valcon Acquisition BV has announced that it has received more than 97% of the share capital of VNU, allowing it to proceed with a squeeze out procedure to acquire all remaining shares and delist the information and media company from Euronext Amsterdam....
NL- ABP to increase allocation to private equity
ABP, the Dutch pensionfund which currently allocates almost 12% of its EUR 195bn under management to private equity, is reportedly intending to increase its exposure to the asset class.
NETHERLANDS - Halder acquires Hebu in secondary buyout
According to press reports, Halder has acquired a 77,5% stake in hydraulic systems and components business Hebu from Gilde Investment Management and ABN AMRO Capital.
NETHERLANDS - Gilde to exit Peijnenburg
Gilde Participaties has announced that it is negotiating the sale of Koninklijke Peijnenburg BV to Lotus Bakeries BV. Koninklijke Peijnenburg is market leader in the Netherlands in the market for gingerbread products.
NL- Gilde and Van Herk Groep support third financing round for Agendia
Van Herk Group and Gilde Healthcare have provided third round financing to Dutch biotech company Agendia BV. The funds raised will be used to accelerate development of microarray-based late stage products into diagnostic tests for breast cancer and other...
NETHERLANDS - Fidelity tenders VNU shares
Fidelity has given up its resistance to the EUR 29.50 per share bid by Valcon for VNU and has tendered its shares. It is understood that before this announcement, Fidelity had already reduced its share capital to below 15%.
NETHERLANDS - Bencis acquires Winsol Group
Bencis Capital Partners has reached an agreement to acquire a substantial equity interest in Winsol Group, a producer of PVC and aluminium windows and doors, sun protection systems, rollers shutters, sectional doors and balustrades.
BELGIUM - Big Bang Ventures leads investment round for Qlayer
Big Bang Ventures has announced that it has taken the lead in a EUR 1.3m first round of financing for Qlayer, a provider of virtualisation management software for commercial data centers. The transaction represents the first investment of Big Bang Ventures'...
NETHERLANDS - Valcon to buy back VNU debt
Private equity consortium Valcon, which recently declared its EUR 29.50 per share bid for VNU to be unconditional, has now also made an offer for most of VNU's outstanding bonds and notes, worth around EUR 1bn euros.
NETHERLANDS - VNU receives more than 80% of support for IPO
Industry sources suggest that more than 80% of VNU's share capital has been tendered, following Valcon's announcement that it declared its offer unconditional at 78.80%.