France
France unquote" April 2012
European corporates are getting serious about venture. A new venture initiative dubbed OpVentures has been spawned by French businesses France Télécom and Publicis, when they acquired a 24.5% stake in Iris Capital Management, a CDC spin-out.
French asset manager launches PE unit
Meeschaert Capital Partners, focusing on growth capital and small- and mid-cap buyouts, has been established by French asset management group Meeschaert Gestion Privée.
State-funded FSN PME invests €1m in TalentSoft
FSN PME, the French State's €400m venture fund, has made its second investment by providing €1m to HR solutions software developer TalentSoft.
Business Growth Fund: Myth versus reality
The newest kid on the block т made up of lots of the old boys in the industry т is struggling to make friends. People say the Business Growth Fund (BGF) is too big and too threatening. But is the BGFтs reputation warranted? Kimberly Romaine investigates...
PE-owned SPIE in €375m high-yield refinancing
French engineering group SPIE, acquired by a consortium of private equity houses last year, has priced a €375m high-yield bond to refinance the debt structure put in place at the time of the buyout, according to reports.
Idinvest and Entrepreneur Ventures invest in animation house
Idinvest Partners and Entrepreneur Ventures have invested $5m in French animation house Cyber Group Studios.
Michael Queen steps down from 3i
3i chief executive Michael Queen has announced his intention to step down.
Crédit Agricole PE becomes Omnes Capital
Coller Capital has finalised the acquisition of Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE), which has been renamed Omnes Capital.
Sofinnova Partners lists DBV
Paris-based Sofinnova Partners has listed DBV Technologies, raising €40.5m in the IPO on NYSE Euronext Paris.
LBO France delays fundraising effort
French mid-cap GP LBO France has pushed back the launch of its next €1.5bn White Knight IX vehicle - which was supposed to take place in Q1 - to Q3 2012, according to French publication Capital Finance.
Bank investments in PE down 69%
Anecdotal evidence highlights that PE houses cannot rely on banks and insurance companies to raise the bulk of their funds anymore. Data from French association AFIC backs this up with worrying numbers. Greg Gille reports
Hedge funds: A new source of dealflow
The credit crisis has left hedge funds holding on to unwanted equity stakes. Could this be a new source of dealflow for private equity buyers? Sonnie Ehrendal investigates
Entrepreneur Venture invests in Société Financière JF3H
Entrepreneur Venture has made a growth capital investment in Société Financière JF3H, the holding company of French coach travel operators Regnault Autocars and Nouvelle Aisne Tourisme.
Montagu strengthens French team
Montagu Private Equity has hired Antoine de Peguilhan as investment director and Adrien Sassi as analyst in its Paris office.
Fresh €1.5m round for Novapost
Existing investors including Alven Capital and Fa Dièse have contributed to a €1.5m funding round for French electronic HR solutions provider Novapost.
CDC Entreprises et al. in €7m round for E-Blink
CDC Entreprises has joined existing shareholders 360 Capital Partners, Masseran Gestion, I-Source Gestion and Alven Capital Partners in a €7m round for French telecoms company E-Blink.
De Pardieu Brocas Maffei appoints new counsel
French law firm De Pardieu Brocas Maffei has hired Maxime Dequesnes as counsel in its private equity practice.
Seventure and Lundbeckfond inject €5m in Enterome
Seventure Partners and Lundbeckfond Ventures have provided French biotech company Enterome with a €5m series-A round of funding.
XAnge PE and Creathor Venture in €2.5m round for Mobiles Republic
XAnge Private Equity and Creathor Venture have invested a joint €2.5m in French mobile apps developer Mobiles Republic.
Buyout recovery stalls at one third peak levels
Europeтs buyout market recovery stalled at just a third of the level seen at its peak, according to data from the unquoteт European Buyout Review 2012.
Alvarez & Marsal expands French team
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has appointed Olivier Dubois as managing director, based in the Paris office.
€30m first close for TCR Capital
French GP TCR Capital has raised around €30m for its latest fund, a small-cap buyout vehicle.
Groupama to sell private equity arm
Groupama has announced it is looking to sell its private equity business which manages assets worth €1.8bn.
DFJ Esprit and Tempo Capital merge secondary businesses
VC firm DFJ Esprit and venture secondaries firm Tempo Capital are set to merge their venture secondaries businesses to form DFJ Esprit Secondaries.