DACH
Some sunny day...
Following a near barren second half of 2008, which saw an almost complete drying up of debt financing amidst a collapse in the global banking sector, buyout houses will now be looking optimistically to the year ahead. However, it may be some time before...
Q&A: Weathering the 'perfect storm'
Following an almost doubling of activity in the German small- and mid-cap segment January and September 2008, the financial crisis finally began to take its toll on the space in the final quarter. Mareen Goebel speaks with Andreas Schober , vice-chairman...
Evolving infrastructure
In recent years the amount of capital being raised for dedicated infrastructure funds has risen substantially and the sector has emerged into a major new area for investment. With raising and deploying capital in the traditional LBO market becoming increasingly...
GERMANY - Vestar promotes Boege
Vestar Capital Partners has promoted Daniel Boege to executive director.
GERMANY - TVM Capital promotes principal
TVM Capital has promoted Dr Peter Neubeck to principal.
GERMANY - DPE acquires bakery business
DPE Deutsche Private Equity GmbH has acquired bakery chain Bäckerei Wilhelm Middelberg GmbH for an undisclosed amount.
SWITZERLAND - Ventizz founds management consulting company
German venture investor Ventizz Capital Partners has established a new management consulting unit in Switzerland, Ventizz Management Consulting AG, which will be led by Guido Bollue and will focus exclusively on the firm's portfolio companies.
EUROPE - Final quarter records lowest deal value for a decade
Though it will come as no surprise that private equity investment in Europe dropped considerably in the final quarter of 2008, the scale of the decline just might; with deal value sliding 59% against the preceding three months from around EUR 20bn to...
GLOBAL - CalPERS hires investment chief
US pension fund CalPERS has appointed Joseph Dear, the head of the Washington state fund, as its new chief investment officer following a nine-month search.
GERMANY - S-Refit sells DRONCO stake
S-Refit AG has sold its stake in abrasives company DRONCO AG to the wife of the firm's majority shareholder and CEO for an undisclosed sum.
SWITZERLAND - Cross acquires Schwab Verkehrstechnik AG
Cross has acquired rolling stock technology company Schwab Verkehrstechnik AG from Schwab Holding AG for an undisclosed sum.
GERMANY - Alster Equity Partners and WMS back GEMAC MBO
Alster Equity Partners GmbH (AEP), alongside Wachstumsfonds Mittelstand Sachsen (WMS) and company management, acquired micro electronics company GEMAC Gesellschaft für Mikroelektronikanwendung Chemnitz mbH (GEMAC).
SWITZERLAND - HS LifeSciences launches QureInvest AG fund
HS LifeSciences has launched QureInvest AG fund, which will invest in biotech start-ups.
GERMANY - HTGF supports HiperScan GmbH with EUR 500,000
High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) has acquired a minority stake in near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) analytic company HiperScan GmbH for EUR 500,000.
GERMANY - K&L Gates opens in Frankfurt
K & L Gates has established its second office in Germany and the firm's 29th worldwide with the opening of a Frankfurt location, which includes the addition of partners Dr Mathias Schulze Steinen and Dr Frank Thomas.
GLOBAL - Blackstone to invest in South Korea
According to reports, Blackstone Group will open a unit in South Korea in January.
GERMANY - Private equity said to be interested in HeidelbergCement
According to reports, Goldman Sachs, TPG, Bain Capital and PAI partners are among several large buyout firms considering an investment in building materials company HeidelbergCement, which is said to be struggling with its debt after the takeover of British...
EUROPE - Unigestion to raise two funds in 2009
According to reports, Geneva-based Unigestion will raise two new funds in 2009: a secondaries fund targeting EUR 150m, and a sustainable development vehicle with a USD 250m target.