France
EUROPE - Permira hires new senior adviser
Permira has hired David Williams as a senior adviser in the industrial and product services sector.
FRANCE – Atos Origin rejects Candover offer
IT services provider Atos Origin has rejected a EUR 1.6bn takeover approach by Candover for its Atos Worldwide unit, which specialises in electronic payment systems.
EUROPE - Kleinwort Benson appoints new head of alternative assets team
Kleinwort Benson has appointed Alexandre Pigault as new head of alternative assets research.
EUROPE - Private equity attracted to logistics
According to a new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, private equity buyers are increasingly targeting investments in the transport distribution and logistics sectors.
FRANCE - Cognetas appoints associate
Cognetas have recruited Antoine de Péguilhan as a new associate in its Paris office.
FRANCE - CIC and IDI take Alti private
CIC LBO Partners, through the CIC LBO Fund, and IDI have acquired IT engineering company Alti after taking a majority stake in the Euronext-listed holding company Financière Alti.
FRANCE - AXA PE to divest Spotless
AXA Private Equity is reportedly seeking to sell portfolio company The Spotless Group, a producer and distributer of home care and cleaning products, with the price tag expected to be EUR 700m. Lazard is reported to have been mandated to find a buyer.
EUROPE - European Commission to discuss transparency proposals
The European Parliament today voted to send the Lehne and Ramussen reports on the transparency of institutional investors to the European Commission for discussion.
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 - HIG Capital strengthen team
Thomas Mitard has been named assistant director general of HIG Capital.
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