France
FRANCE - Avenir et al. invest EUR 2.5m into Elan
A consortium comprising Avenir Entreprises, Siparex and NCI Gestion has acquired a stake in organic product distributor Elan Nature, making an equity investment of EUR 2.5m.
FRANCE - Seventure invests EUR 1.6m into TalentSoft
Seventure Partners has provided software company TalentSoft with an investment of EUR 1.6m.
EUROPE - Former Northern Rock CEO appointed adviser for Apollo
Adam Applegarth, the former CEO of failed UK bank Northern Rock, has joined distressed debt investor Apollo Management as a senior advisor to the firm's European fund.
GLOBAL - KKR finally completes KPE merger
After over a year of delays and revisions, US-based private equity giant KKR has now completed its merger with its Amsterdam-listed affiliate, KKR Private Equity Investors.
GLOBAL - Hellman closes $9bn seventh fund and management shake-up
International private equity house Hellman & Friedman has announced the final close of its seventh and largest fund, HFCP VII, on a little under $9bn, as well as a major shake-up of the firm's management team.
FRANCE - Abingworth et al. sell Fovea in EUR 370m deal
A syndicate of investors including UK-based venture investor Abingworth has exited its investment in Fovea pharmaceuticals, a specialist in ocular disease treatment, through a sale to strategic buyer Sanofi-aventis for EUR 370m.
EUROPE - GPs must re-invent, LPs must invest
Europe's GPs must change their ways to emerge successful from the current market conditions, and need LPs to back them in order to do so. This was the theme this morning at the fourth annual Deutsche unquote" Private Equity Congress in Munich.
Glorious fizz
The rentree is off to an exceptional start with Blackstone and Lion Capital recording the largest exit (of the few) in France so far this year after they agreed on the sale of Orangina Schweppes Group to Suntory for EUR2.57bn. Both private equity houses...
Top Brass Marches Out
Francois Rowell looks at the implications of key-man departures for large buyout firms
FRANCE - Finorpa and Unigrains provide Demex with EUR 2.5m
French regional investor Finorpa SCR and Unigrains, a French investors focusing on agricultural related industries, have backed packaging and distribution company Demex with EUR 2.5m. The company's founders and management, Isabelle Lioene and Christophe...
FRANCE - Mid-market valuations drop further
According to Argos Soditic's H1 Mid-Market Index 2009, the valuations of unlisted mid-market companies in the euro zone have fallen for a fourth consecutive semester to its lowest level since the index was launched in December 2004.
GLOBAL - KKR appoints Levin as head of IR; merger with KPE expected Thursday
KKR has appointed Jonathan Levin to the newly created position of head of investor relations, a move designed to prepare the private equity firm as it becomes a publicly listed company.
FRANCE - Auriga leads EUR 3.2m Cytoo financing
Augriga Partners has led a second round of financing for technology company Cytoo, raising EUR 3.2m.
FRANCE - Icso backs EUR 4m AT Internet investment
Icso Private Equity and l'IRDI have provided software business AT Internet with an investment of over EUR 4m.
EUROPE - Baird expands institutional equity services team
Baird has hired Said DeSaque as director of institutional sales and investment strategy to be based in London.
FRANCE - Emertec supports Insiteo
Emertec, alongside a group of business angels, has provided a first round of funding for Insiteo, an indoor geo-location company, valued at several million euros.
GLOBAL - HSBC names Alternative Investments managing director
HSBC has promoted the present head of real estate at HSBC Alternative Investments, Chris Allen, to managing director of the unit.
UK/EUROPE - Wellington leads $16m Livebookings funding
Pan-European venture capital firm Wellington Partners has led a $16m funding round for online restaurant marketing and reservations service Livebookings, along existing investors.
FRANCE - NextStage makes EUR 1m Expertissim investment
NextStage has invested EUR 1m in Expertissim, an online art retail platform.
FRANCE - Odysee and AVM acquire AutoReflex in EUR 15m deal
It is understood that Odysée Venture and AVM Associati have acquired an 85% stake in online publishing firm AutoReflex, in a deal that values the company at EUR 15m.
FRANCE - Olivier Dousset leaves LBO France
LBO France partner Olivier Dousset has stepped down after just nine months with the firm.
FRANCE - LBO France set to acquire Geoxia
LBO France is set to purchase Geoxia, a construction company, in a secondary buyout from Natixis subsidiaries NI Partners and Initiative & Finance.