France
FRANCE - Lafarge sale draws interest
Ahead of the deadline for bid submissions on 6 September, a dozen private equity firms are reportedly set to take part in the auction for two thirds of Lafarge's roofing business. One or two trade buyers are also said to be preparing a bid.
FRANCE - Netvibes raises EUR 12m in its second round
Netvibes, a personalised home-page website, has raised EUR 12m in its second of financing. The financial investors are Index Ventures, which had already taken part in the first round in March this year, and US venture capitalist Accel Partners.
FRANCE - IPO and Siparex build neon-sign empire
Visotec, a neon light manufacturer acquired by an IPO-led syndicate in a 2003 secondary buyout, has integrated Poland-based Socha wihin its group. Visotec had held a 20% stake in Socha since 2004, and had already shared a part of its manufacturing process...
FRANCE - Electra Partners bolsters its Paris office
Electra Partners Europe has announced three new additions to its Paris office.
FRANCE - 21 Centrale Partners in Batisanté secondary buyout
21 Centrale Partners has bought health and safety services provider Batisanté from CDC Entreprises, following an auction process run by Transaction R.
FRANCE - Authorities approve the sale of Taittinger
Starwood Capital, has announed it has received the approvals it required for the sale of champagne-maker Taittinger to Crédit Agricole du Nord Est.
FRANCE - DLA Piper appoints new partner for its Paris office
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, the global legal services organisation, has announced the appointment of Frédéric Bucher as a partner in the Paris office's corporate group.
FRANCE - Activa Capital refinances Mont-Blanc and Delpharm
Activa Capital has announced it had returned 75% of equity investment in Mont-Blanc to its investors, and 73% of commitments to Delpharm.
FRANCE - French WiMAX chips supplier raises additional EUR 19m
In its third round of funding, Sequans Communications has raised $24m (approximately EUR 19m) from a syndicate of investors, led by Kennet Venture Partners.
FRANCE - Apax Partners agrees to buy FTMSC from France Telecom
Apax Partners has signed a agreement to acquire 100% of France telecom Mobile Satellite Communications SA (FTMSC).
FRANCE - KKR in exclusive talks for PagesJaunes
According to press reports, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts has entered exclusive negotiations with France Telecom for the acquisition of its 54% stake in telephone directory business PagesJaunes, for EUR 3.3bn
FRANCE - Tornier announces investment by Warburg Pincus
Tornier, a global orthopedic company based in Grenoble, France, announced today that it closed a transaction with an investor group led by Warburg Pincus to acquire a majority interest in the company. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. In...
FRANCE - Deadline for PagesJaunes bids
Bidders for France Telecom's 54% stake in directory service PagesJaunes are expected to place binding offers today.
FRANCE - Alven generates a 40% IRR on trade sale of financial software developer
Alven Capital has sold its entire stake in middle and back-office software developer Emos Futures to its main competitor, GL Trade, a deal which generated an IRR of 40%.
FRANCE/GERMANY - Aforge Finance in cross-border partnership
Giuliani Capital Advisors (US), Aforge Finance (France) and Sal Oppenheim (Germany) have agreed to form an alliance focused on cross-border acquisitions.
FRANCE - Société Générale to finance acquisitions from new Hong Kong office
Société Générale Coporate & Investment Banking has announced the expansion of its activity to Asia, with the opening in September of an office in Hong Kong.
FRANCE - Jean-Hubert Vial to join Astorg Partners as portfolio manager
Astorg Partners has announced the appointment of Jean-Hubert Vial to their team as portfolio manager. He will be joining from Rothschild & Cie, where he worked for six years as director of the mergers and acquisitions department. Mr. Vial has a degree...
FRANCE - LBO France reinforces its team
LBO France is reinforcing its team by appointing Bruno Cremel as investment manager.
FRANCE - Triago-X appoints new principal
Triago alternative eXchange (Triago-X) has today announced the appointment of Justin Grover as principal. He will strengthen the team and contribute in the international development of the company.
FRANCE - French investor backs MBO of home hairdressing service
Edmond de Rothschild Capital Partners (EdRCP) has taken a significant majority stake in home hairdresser, Viadom.
FRANCE - Jaques-Philippe Gunther to join Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has today announced the appointment of Jaques-Philippe Gunther as an associate, and will be joined by David Tayar who will join the European Counsel.
FRANCE - Pharmaceutical R&D firm get EUR 1m
CIC Vizille Capital Innovation (CIC Vizille CI) and Sudinnova have led a first round of financing for pharmaceutical R&D laboratory, Transmedi, together contributing 70% of the EUR 1m injected. The balance is provided by regional investor Institut Lorrain...
FRANCE - Médica France sold by Bridgepoint to BC Partners
BC Partners has agreed to acquire Médica France, one of the country's largest nursing home groups, for EUR 750m. BC Partners alongside AXA Private Equity have backed the management of Médica allowing Bridgepoint and AlpInvest to exit having held the...
FRANCE - Montefiore takes majority stake in art equipment distributor
Montefiore Investment has acquired a 78% of Promo Art, for an undisclosed sum. Management retains the balance. As a result of the transaction, BNP Private Equity, IDPC and Naxicap Partners exit the first round investment they made in 2001.