CEE
US/EUROPE - Houlihan Lokey re-hires Justin Abelow
International investment bank Houlihan Lokey has re-hired Justin Abelow to resume his role as managing director of the financial sponsors coverage group.
EUROPE - SEP appoints general counsel
Venture capital firm SEP has hired Andrew Buchan as general counsel.
EUROPE - 3i sells venture portfolio for less than half value
London-based private equity firm 3i has reportedly sold its venture portfolio to an unnamed bidder for around ТЃ100m, a substantial discount to the approximate ТЃ250m book value.
EUROPE - Platina launches new asset management company
London-based Platina Partners, a private equity fund manager specialising in renewable energy and buyouts in turnaround situations, has launched a new asset management company, Engineering Renewables Ltd (ERL).
EUROPE - Barclays boosts European mergers advisory business
Barclays plans to hire as many as 65 bankers for its European mergers advisory business in an attempt to become one of the top three global securities firms.
UK/SWITZERLAND/SWEDEN – KKR's Alliance Boots circles Swedish pharmacies
KKR portfolio company Alliance Boots is reported to be interested in acquiring a portfolio of pharmacies being sold by Apoteket, which is owned by the Swedish state.
EUROPE - Perella hires partner in advisory group
US-headquarted Perella Weinberg Partners has hired Stefan Jentzsch as a partner in its advisory group. He will be based in the firms London office.
EUROPE - Max Planck Innovation and LSP launch DDC Ventures
Max Planck Innovation GmbH, the technology transfer arm of Germany's Max Planck Society, has teamed up with Life Sciences Partners ( LSP) to launch DDC Ventures, a EUR 100m venture fund.
CEE - Recovery to be protracted
The economic recovery of the Central and Eastern European region is going to be long and protracted, resembling much more a "fish hook" than a V- or U-shape, according to Tibor Almássy of PricewaterhouseCoopers, speaking today at the 3rd annual unquote"...
HUNGARY - Launch of EUR 100m SME fund for CEE
ELAN SBI Capital Partners, an arm of Japanese financial services business SBI, and MFB Invest, the investment banking arm of the Hungarian Development Bank, have launched SBI Europe Fund, a EUR 100m vehicle designed to invest in small- and medium-sized...
GLOBAL - SVG Capital makes two executive hires
Listed fund-of-funds SVG Capital has appointed Lynn Fordham as CEO of the company and Tony Dalwood as CEO of SVG Advisers.
POLAND - Enterprise invests EUR 3m into R&C
Enterprise Investors, through the Enterprise Venture Fund, has pumped EUR 3m into Polish restaurant chain R&C Union, taking a 48% stake in the business.
EUROPE - Close Brothers Corporate Finance acquired by Daiwa for £75m
Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe, the European subsidiary of Japanese investment bank Daiwa Securities SMBC Co, has agreed to acquire Close Brothers Corporate Finance from Close Brothers Group plc for ТЃ75m.
RUSSIA - Aurora holds first closing of £50m LP fund
Aurora Investment Advisors (AIA), which currently manages the AIM-quoted vehicle Aurora Russia Ltd, has reached an undisclosed first closing of Aurora II LP, a £50m Guernsey-based limited partnership dedicated to investments in Russia.
GLOBAL - Barclays looks to sell $ 10m asset management unit
Barclays is reportedly in talks with US asset manager Black Rock and Bank of New York Mellon to sell its asset management unit, Barclays Global Investors (BGI), with the price tag thought to be around $10bn.
Mezzanine to soldier on
Lenders are currently struggling under the weight of an underperforming legacy portfolio, but there may be brighter prospects on the horizon. Emanuel Eftimiu reports from Paris
Venturing into the unknown
With distributions down since the internet bust, exit doors shut and fundraising at a standstill, the venture capital industry in the US - and elsewhere - is at a crossroads. Smaller firms, lower returns and adapting to a global market are the next likely...
GLOBAL - CALPERS to allocate extra $9bn to private equity
The California Public Employees Retirement System (CALPERS) is considering a new asset mix, which could see the LP allocate an additional $9bn to private equity.
EUROPE - RHJ joins suitors for European GM assets
According to reports, Belgian buyout firm RHJ International is interested in acquiring General Motor's European assets, and is said to consider an offer for Adam Opel GmbH, amongst others.
CEE - EBRD to commit to Bancroft fund
The EBRD is considering investing up to EUR 30m in Bancroft Private Equity third fund, Bancroft 3 LP.
EUROPE - Skype founders to raise new venture fund
According to reports, Atominco Ventures, the investment vehicle of Skype co-founders Niklas ZennstrУЖm and Janus Friis, is raising a new USD 266m fund.
Europe - Merrill Lynch divests stake in Kreos Capital III
Investment bank Merrill Lynch has reportedly divested its original тЌ150m commitment in venture debt fund Kreos Capital III, the 2006 vintage fund of Kreos Capital.
Europe - 3i confirms £732m rights issue
In a press conference this morning, 3i's CEO Michael Queen confirmed plans to raise ТЃ732m in a rights issue that would optimise the value of its current portfolio, reduce debt and strengthen the company's 'perceived weak position' in the market.