DACH
GERMANY – EMBL Ventures leads EUR 4.5m vasopharm funding
EMBL Ventures, alongside HeidelbergCapital, Entrepreneurs Fund and KfW, has backed biotechnology company vasopharm GmbH with an investment of EUR 4.5m.
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 £75m.
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.
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...
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
GERMANY/UK- PAI struggles to reach agreement with Monier Group's lenders
Private equity group PAI Partners is reportedly being challenged for its stake in German-based building materials company Monier Group (formerly Lafarge Roofing) by a group of distressed debt investors.
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.
SWITZERLAND - AIG Private Equity credit facility terminated
Lenders to Switzerland-based AIG Private Equity Ltd have terminated the investor's $100m credit facility and requested repayment of the outstanding balance of $86m.
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.