Nordics
CalPERS private equity manager steps down
Leon Shahinian stepped down as head of the private equity portfolio at CalPERS amid a fraud lawsuit.
Dealflow: Autumn boom expected after slow summer
As the summer holiday season draws to a close, Europeтs private equity market is set to pick up. While activity has slowed significantly in some regions, industry players are expecting a deal-doing boom in the coming weeks and months.
CapMan in second IPO attempt of Cardinal Foods
CapMan has filed for an IPO of the Norwegian white meat and egg supplier Cardinal Foods.
Scope portfolio company Wright Trafikkskole expands
Scope-backed Wright Trafikkskole has acquired Norwegian Transportfagskolen and Sikkerhetshallen and Swedish Kul pand Swedish Kul pУЅ Hjul Trafikskola.
Exits: Private equity IPO prices fall
With a number of high-profile exits so far this year, selling companies has been a hot topic, particularly after the many difficulties of 2009. However, the IPO market has been difficult for private equity players, and new figures show just how tough...
Scope-backed Brand Factory acquires Kariplast
Scope Capitalтs portfolio company Brand Factory has wholly acquired the Finnish producer and supplier of in-store communication Kariplast Oy.
Investor and Accel provide €10m for Telepo
Investor Growth Capital and Accel Partners have invested тЌ10m in Stockholm-based software provider Telepo.
EQT and Goldman Sachs considering IPO of ISS
EQT Partners and GS Capital Partners are considering an IPO of Danish cleaning, catering and security provider ISS A/S, according to reports.
Ratos in possible exit of Bisnode
Ratos AB has entered negotiations regarding the sale of its portfolio company Bisnode, according to reports.
KTH Chalmers and ALMI inject SEK 9m into Apica
KTH Chalmers Capital and ALMI Invest have provided SEK 9m for Swedish IT company Apica.
HitecVision portfolio companies form AT Group
HitecVision has merged its portfolio companies Aarbakke, Technor, Valco and Vector to form AT Group (ATG).
Inventure invests in IPTune
Inventure Oy and two business angels have injected тЌ1.3m into Finnish software solutions provider IPTune.
Exits: Carving out value
With exit maximisation key in todayтs economically unstable times, a number of private equity funds have recently chosen to sell their assets in smaller chunks, in the hope of attracting more specialist buyers. John Bakie reports
Triton acquires Ovako
Triton Partners has wholly acquired the bar, bright bar, tube and ring divisions of Swedish steel producer Ovako.
Consortium exit TPACK in trade sale
VУІkstfonden, Slottsbacken Venture Capital and Novi A/S have sold their stakes in Danish telecommunication equipment provider TPACK for $32m to AppliedMicro.
HitecVision expands exploration and production team
HitecVision has appointed Harald VabУИ and Svein Arild Killingland to join the firmтs exploration and production investment team.
Nordic unquote" August/September 2010
Nordic buyout activity has more than doubled in the second quarter of 2010, according to the unquoteт Private Equity Barometer.
Luxury brands: Private equity's leadership challenge
Towerbrookтs plan to sell Jimmy Choo this year for an estimated ТЃ500m, more than twice its value three years ago, highlights the significant benefits that can be reaped from investing in the luxury apparel sector. However, the deal also brings to the...
Banks seek to make hay while the sun shines
Looking around Europeтs buyout markets, it is clear that some banks are well and truly back in the game. But the recent rise in deal completions, including those at the top end of the scale, masks an altogether more complex marketplace. Julian Longhurst...
Atlantic-Pacific Capital hires Sandström as partner
Atlantic-Pacific Capital has hired Sarah McFadden SandstrУЖm as a partner in its Private Funds business, in a bid to bolster its European project management and advisory services.
Money to burn?
Instead of the expected, traditional summer lull in activity, the unquoteт editorial team has been busy reporting on a continuous stream of deal announcements and rumours over the past fortnight. While it is difficult to put any exact number on deals...
Blockbuster season
The industry is certainly in better shape than 12 months ago. The latest unquoteт Private Equity Barometer confirmed the sentiment, showing total private equity investment has more than doubled to тЌ25.5bn in the first half of the year compared to H1...
Second nature
News of institutions cutting back on their private equity exposure by offloading their private equity assets has interrupted the lull in deal activity that one is more accustomed to during this time of year.
Solvency II criticised for 'inappropriate' stress test
European regulators have come under fire for choosing an тinappropriateт way to measure the stress caused by private equity investments on insurance companies. Research from Partners Group suggests the regulatorтs favoured method of calculating private...