France
FRANCE - PAI hire Lionel Zinsou
PAI partners has appointed Lionel Zinsou as a member of the executive committee.
FRANCE - XAnge Capital completes first exit
XAnge Capital has exited its 28% stake in software company A2iA, which it originally backed in March 2006 alongside Développement & Partenariat.
EUROPE - Nomura raising new EUR 400m mezzanine fund
The European arm of Japanese Investment bank Nomura has begun raising a new EUR 400m mezzanine fund for Europe.
FRANCE – Edmond de Rothschild CP acquires AJ Tech
Edmond de Rothschild Capital Partners has taken a majority stake in heat pumps manufacturer AJ Tech in an LBO transaction. Joël Amisse, the company’s founder, retains a significant stake in the company, while the deal also sees Roger Gubanski join the...
FRANCE - Elaia Partners promotes associate
Elaia Partners has promoted Marie Eckland to associate.
FRANCE –Ten purchase offers for LBO France-backed Cegelec
LBO France has reportedly seen around ten offers for portfolio electrical engineering company Cegelec. Potential trade buyers are said to include BTP, Vinci and Eiffage, while private equity firms rumoured to be interested include PAI, which holds a stake...
GLOBAL - Lionhart to raise at least $500m for private equity fund
London-based hedge fund Lionhart has launched its debut private equity fund, Lionhart Talon, which will initially seek to raise $500m.
FRANCE - Candover recapitalises Qioptiq Group
Candover has completed a recapitalisation of portfolio optical solutions company Qioptiq Group. Financial terms were not disclosed, other than that European Capital and parent company American Capital collectively invested USD 85m in a mezzanine tranche....
FRANCE – Elaia leads EUR 10m investment into Wyplay
Elaia Partners has led a EUR 10m second round investment into audiovisual equipment manufacturer Wyplay. Elaia was joined by A Plus Finance and existing investor Sofinnova Partners, which contributed EUR 4m to Wyplay's first round of financing in October...
FRANCE – Duke Street Capital recruit Jean-Marc Dayan
Duke Street Capital has recruited Jean-Marc Dayan as Partner.
GLOBAL – Carlyle signs MoU with Chinese provincial government
The Carlyle Group and the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (SDFTEC) under the Shandong Provincial Government in China have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop trade cooperation and stimulate investment in the...
FRANCE – Sofinnova et al. inject EUR 7m into Qosmos
A syndicate comprising Sofinnova, Alven Capital and GFK AG has invested EUR 7m into software company Qosmos in a third financing round.
EUROPE – Keravac joins Campbell Lutyens from Calyon
Unquoteт can reveal that Jean-Phillppe Keravec is to join private equity advisory firm Campbell Lutyens in June as a partner. Keravec joins the practice from Calyonтs private placement team.
GLOBAL – Morgan Stanley close USD 4bn fund
Morgan Stanley has announced the closing of a USD 4bn private equity fund dedicated to infrastructure projects. The fund far exceeded its initial USD 2.5bn target and is one of the largest infrastructure funds raised to date.
GLOBAL – Cerberus seeks Eastern alliance
According to sources Cerberus Capital Management, is in the midst of talks with Chinese sovereign wealth fund CIC about a possible co-operation agreement. The talks come on the heels of CICтs investment in Blackstone last year, under the terms of which...
FRANCE - VC consortium exits Realviz
A venture capital consortium consisting of Intel Capital, Eurazeo, MVI Sverige, HPI Holding SA, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners and Solaris Asset Management have all realised their investments in Realviz after it was purchased in its entirety...
UK/GERMANY - Exponent investee company buys Hobsons
Target Holdings Ltd, a recruitment business and portfolio company of Exponent Private Equity, has acquired UK- and Germany-based graduate recruitment business Hobsons Plc for ТЃ26m.
EUROPE - ACP plans to raise €150m
ACP Mezzanine Ltd has announced plans to raise тЌ150m in a secondary share placement to fund its strong deal pipeline.
FRANCE – Activa takes 37% stake in Sport 2000
Activa Capital has acquired a 37% stake in sports retailer Sport 2000. The deal will lead to a demutualisation of the company's current co-operative structure and the regroupment of all 398 ‘co-op’ members to transform it into a private company structure....
FRANCE - Colony and Eurazeo to raise stakes in Accor to 30%
Colony Capital and Eurazeo plan to raise their stakes in publicly listed Accor to a combined total of 30%. On 13 May 2008 Eurazeo will thus own 19,561,291 shares, which is 8.5% of Accor’s share capital, and over time will seek to increase this position...
EUROPE – PAI close EUR 5.4bn fund
PAI partners has held the final close of PAI Europe V on EUR 5.4bn. The fund is the largest ever raised in Continental Europe.
FRANCE – BPE to divest Converteam
Barclays Private Equity (BPE) is reportedly seeking to divest its power conversion portfolio company Converteam. An auction process, which could see the company sell for around EUR 1bn, has attracted interest from a number of private equity houses.
FRANCE – EdRIP supports duel acquisitions for CEME
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners' (EdRIP) portfolio company Compagnie d’Entreprises Mechaniques et Electroniques (CEME), which comprises a number of diverse industrial businesses, has completed the joint acquisitions of air conditioning specialists...
GLOBAL - BC Partners to bid for Kroll
It was reported today that BC Partners has recruited David Buchler, former chairman at restructuring business Kroll, now at security group Marsh & McLennan, to lead the buyout of Kroll.