France
School's out ..
As we enter the holiday season, further good news arrives in the form of the unquote" Q2 Barometer done in association with Candover, which shows the first uptick for European private equity in a year. Unfortunately, France has not performed as well as...
EUROPE - Osmosis appoints Agentius as fund adminstrator; bolsters team
London-based asset manager Osmosis Capital LLP, has appointed Augentius Fund Administration as the administrator for its forthcoming fund-of-funds.
FRANCE - Carlyle acquires 80% stake in Groupe Marle
The Carlyle Group has purchased an 80% stake in Groupe Marle, an orthopedic implant company. The balance is held by the Marle family and management.
FRANCE - NextStage transmits EUR 3m to Konibini
NextStage has provided Konibini, an online television station, with a EUR 3m investment. The company received an initial EUR 700,000 of seed funding in April 2008.
EUROPE - Q2 figures buck downward trend
Amid widespread talk in the press of "green shoots" in the wider economy, there have been signs of a positive shift in private equity investment activity, according to the unquote" Q2 2009 Private Equity Barometer, produced in association with Candover....
Global - BC Partners writes up value of 2005 fund by almost 25%
Private equity firm BC Partners has reportedly marked up its current fund by almost a quarter in the first half, restoring it to face value.
EUROPE - Foresight appoints new sales director
VCT manager Foresight has hired Meredith Lee as sales director, based in the firm's Sevenoaks office.
FRANCE/GERMANY - Demeter holds second close on EUR 182m; backs IGIP
Demeter Partners has held a second close its EUR 200m fund Demeter 2 on EUR 182m. The fund was launched in November 2008, and takes over from its predecessor Demeter, which closed in October 2006 on EUR 105m and is now fully invested. Both funds backed...
FRANCE - Predica joins Duke Street as Proclif backer
Duke Street Capital has sold a stake in French private healthcare group Proclif to Predica, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole, for EUR 70m. Following the deal, Duke Street's stake decreases from 80% to a majority 50.1% share of the business, with Predica...
GLOBAL - Calpers private equity assets plunge 23%
CalPERS' private equity assets have fallen 23% in the last year, the worst annual decline the nation's largest public pension fund has ever reported.
FRANCE - PTV invests in IPDIA
Prime Technology Ventures (PTV), through PTV III, has invested an undisclosed amount to support the buyout of semicondutor manufacturer NXP's facility in Côte de Nacre, which will be renamed IPIDIA. PTV led the co-investment, which also saw Emertec,...
FRANCE - 21 Partners holds first close of fourth fund on €200m+
Franco-Italian buyout house 21 Partners has held a first close of its fourth French private equity fund, 21 Centrale Partners IV, attracting commitments exceeding €200m.
FRANCE - NBGI France closes first acquisition: SPM - Boulangerie Thierry
NBGI Private Equity France has completed its first acquisition, acquiring the bakery business SPM - Boulangerie Thierry for an undisclosed sum. Existing investor also participated in the transaction.
GLOBAL - KKR to merge with KPE
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) and Amsterdam-listed vehicle KKR Private Equity Investors LP (KPE) has obtained the necessary approvals to go through with the merger reported on unquote" news last month.
GLOBAL - Capital Dynamics acquires Silicon-Valley based HRJ
Capital Dynamics has confirmed the take-over of Silicon Valley-based HRJ Capital's private equity and real estate fund-of-funds, as reported on unquote" news in April, following the consent of the LPs of HRJ's funds.
FRANCE - Barclays PE et al. back FPEE buyout
Barclays Private Equity and Pragma Capital have completed a secondary management buyout of building materials company FPEE Group. Previous backers AtriA Capital Partenaires and Euromezzanine have also re-invested in the new structure.
FRANCE - AXA PE increases stake in Planisware
AXA Private Equity has increased its equity stake in Planisware, a software company, to just over 30%. The transaction saw LB3A exit its shareholding in the company.
GLOBAL - LP demand for responsible investment rising
According to a survey published today as part of a guide to responsible investing in pirvate equity, 93% of institutional investors would expect all their potential and future GPs to respond to questions surrounding environmental, social and governance...
FRANCE - N.I Partners-backed CBM employees go on strike
Employees at NI Partners-backed CBM (Car and Bus Maintenance) have gone on strike demanding the reinstatement of Alain Fauconnet, the company manager recently dismissed by the private equity investor.
FRANCE - Turenne and IDF purchase minority stake in Socio
Turenne Capital and IDF Capital have purchased a 30% stake in e-marketing company Socio as part of an OBO deal. The deal was financed with a debt package provided by Crédit du Nord and la Caisse d'Épargne.
FRANCE - Initiative & Finance backs Sogelink buyout
Initiative & Finance has backed the minority owner-buyout of internet company Sogelink, alongside the two founders Ignace Vantorre and Matthieu Ponson. LCL and Banque Populaire Loire et Lyonnais provided a debt package to support the transaction.
FRANCE - Eco-Mobilite Partners invest EUR 1.6m in Lumeneo
Eco-Mobilite Partners, the venture subsidiary of the SNCF, alongside Objectif Gazelle 2 and a number business angels from the XMP-BA group, has led an investment into electric car developer Lumeneo worth EUR 1.6m.
FRANCE - AGF PE and Innovacom sell Steek in EUR 27.5m deal
AGF Private Equity and Innovacom have wholly exited their respective stakes in Steek, a software provider, in a trade sale to F-Secure Corporation worth EUR 27.5m.
UK/DENMARK - Index leads £10.5m Just-Eat funding
Index Ventures, alongside Venrex Investment Management and existing shareholders, has led a series-A funding round for online meal order business, Just-Eat, raising £10.5m.