France
FRANCE - Xange invests EUR 3m into NovaWatt
Xange Private Equity has invested EUR 3m in a first round of financing for electricity producer NovaWatt.
GLOBAL - Permira appoints senior adviser
Permira has appointed David Williams, former CEO of SIG Plc, as senior adviser.
FRANCE - Sigefi-backed Batilor completes merger
Sigefi Private Equity-backed construction company Batilor has merged with sector rival Babeau Seguin to form Groupe Performance Construction.
FRANCE - I-Source exits NETIA
I-Source has sold its stake in software developer NETIA to GlobeCast, a subsidiary of France Telecom.
EUROPE – European Parliament demands greater transparency
MEPs are demanding tough new regulations to force greater transparency from hedge funds and private equity groups.
GLOBAL - KKR hires new MENA head
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) has appointed Makram Azar as managing director and head of Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
FRANCE - Private equity returns remain high
Figures recently released by AFIC reveal that the performance of French private equity funds continued its upward trend in 2007.
FRANCE - Finadvance Capital acquires Decitre
Finadvance Capital has acquired a 57% stake in bookstore brand Decitre. The founding family will retain a 37% stake, with the remaining 6% being held by Espin Participations.
FRANCE - Demeter 2 reaches first closing on EUR 125m
Paris-based European growth capital firm Demeter Partners has reached the first closing of its second fund, Demeter 2, on EUR 125m.
GLOBAL - HIG appoints former Apax exec
HIG Capital has appointed Tim Armstrong as managing director.
FRANCE - Seventure leads EUR 3m investment into CodaSystem
Seventure Partners has led a EUR 3m third financing round for software company CodaSystem, alongside existing investors OTC Asset Management and CapDécisif Management.
FRANCE – AtriA invests in Groupe Phythéa
AtriA Capital Partenaires, through AtriA Private Equity Fund III, have taken a significant minority stake in food supplements company Phythéa. AtriA invested via their fund.
FRANCE – Advent International in talks regarding Experian division
Advent International is in exclusive negotiations to acquire Experian’s electronic payments activities.
FRANCE - AXA and Barclays back CDC
AXA Private Equity and Barclays Private Equity have added their support to Caisse des Dépots et Consignations (CDC), which operates under the government backed initiative France Investissement.
Trouble brewing
Although there are signs that France is navigating the credit crunch, with the major French lenders still active, there is pain to come as portfolio companies struggle to avoid defaults, writes Nathan Williams
FRANCE - Initiative & Finance complete Webnet MBO
Initiative & Finance has completed the management buyout of IT consultancy business Webnet for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - CAPE and Avenir support Coiff'idis
Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE) and Avenir Entreprises have made an undisclosed investment into Coiff’idis, a provider of hairdressing products, alongside the company’s management.
GLOBAL - Lehman Brothers restructures management team
Lehman Brothers is restructuring its management team, appointing Eric Felder and Hyung Soon Lee as global co-heads of fixed income to replace Andrew Morton, who is leaving the firm after just seven months in the position.
FRANCE - Inserm Transfert et al invest EUR 800,000 into DNA Therapeutics
A syndicate of investors comprising Inserm Transfert Initiative, G1J Ile de France, Blue Medical Investment and a group of international business angels have invested EUR 800,000 in DNA Therapeutics, a developer of innovative medicines in oncology, in...
FRANCE - Innovacom et al invest EUR 7m in Active Circle
Returning investor Innovacom has led a EUR 7m second round of investment into Active Circle, a technology solutions company, alongside OTC and Quest for Growth.
GLOBAL - Bear Stearns Private Equity re-brands
Bear Stearns Private Equity Ltd will change its name to JP Morgan Private Equity Ltd (JPEL).
UK/NETHERLANDS – Apollo joins bidding for Reed
Apollo, alongside former non-executive director Strauss Zelnick, have jointly made a bid for publisher Reed Elsevierтs business information division.
EUROPE - Fortis launches EUR 400m clean energy fund
Fortis Investment has launched a new EUR 400m fund dedicated to investments in clean energy companies in Europe.
FRANCE – XAnge and CVC sell GeneSystems
XAnge Private Equity and CVC Enterprises have sold GeneSystems, a French developer of molecular diagnostics platform, to Pall Corp.