Nordics
SWEDEN - Ratos appoints Johansson deputy CEO and COO
Swedish listed private equity firm Ratos has promoted investment director Leif Johansson to deputy CEO and COO, replacing Thomas Mossberg, who has reached his contractual retirement age and will be transferred to the position of senior adviser.
EUROPE - Law firms Buse Heberer Fromm and Spitzweg to merge
European law firms Die Buse Heberer Fromm and Spitzweg have agreed to merge, effective 1 April 2010.
SWEDEN - Sunstone in EUR 12.5m FlatFrog funding
Financial investor Invus and strategic backer Promethan have co-led a financing round for technology business FlatFrog Labratories, in which existing investor Sunstone Capital also participated, worth EUR 12.5m.
GLOBAL - Hermes creates PE advisory service for responsible investing
Institutional investor Hermes has established a service designed to advise private equity firms on implementing responsible investment principles and good corporate governance, hiring Tom Rotherham as associate director of the new business.
US/EUROPE - Atlas Venture to consolidate in Boston
Atlas Venture has announced that during 2010, the firm will streamline all of its operations from a new office in Boston.
EUROPE - Exciting times for venture
Venture's simple business model of providing equity without relying on cheap finance or financial chicanery stands it in good stead for the future, argues Index Ventures' Ben Holmes in a recent video with unquote's Rikke Eckhoff.
SWEDEN - FSN acquires Baggium
Norwegian buyout firm FSN Capital has acquired the Baggium Group, a Swedish provider of education and care services.
EUROPE - London to be worse hit if AIFM goes through
The call for tighter regulation of the private equity markets, is likely to "hit London far more than anywhere else" says Clare Grayston, partner at Nabarro in a recent video interview with unquote". See the video on www.unquote.com .
GLOBAL – Unigestion's Secondary Opportunity II hits EUR 135m first close
Privately-owned asset manager Unigestion has held a first close of Unigestion Secondary Opportunity Fund II on EUR 135m.
UK – BC Partners looking to raise EUR 5.8bn for new fund
BC Partners is reportedly planning to raise a new EUR 5.8bn fund, proof that the large-cap sector could be reviving.
EUROPE - Carlyle makes senior promotions across Europe
Buyout house Carlyle has promoted 33 professionals to senior positions across its offices globally, with four in the firm's London office.
EUROPE - HgCapital to close sixth fund on £1.85bn
Mid-market investor HgCapital is close to a final close of almost ТЃ2bn for its sixth buyout fund, above its original target.
GLOBAL - Blackstone raises $9bn so far for its sixth fund
According to reports based on a letter to its investors, Blackstone has so far raised about $9bn for its sixth buyout fund, BCP VI, and is hoping to hold a final close of the vehicle in June.
NORWAY - Norvestor promotes Korterud to partner
Norwegian buyout house Norvestor has promoted Fredrik W Korterud to partner.
Carlyle makes senior promotions across Europe
Buyout house Carlyle has promoted 33 professionals to senior positions across its offices globally, with four in the firm's London office.
NORDIC - Hannes Snellman recruits banking and finance partner
Nordic law firm Hannes Snellman has recruited Paula Röttorp as specialist partner within banking and finance. Fredrik Madani (nee Olsson), Magnus Eriksson and Roger Johnson have been promoted to partners.
GLOBAL - Big Apple pensions ripe for private equity
New York City, which boasts a pension pot of $96.4bn, is reportedly naming a private equity veteran to look after its investment, triggering conjecture that the city may put more money to work in the asset class which spent most of last year plagued by...
EUROPE - Riverside makes European promotions
The Riverside Company has promoted Juan Barnechea to head of its European deal origination team. He will be replacing Karsten Langer who will become a transaction partner for Benelux and France.
FINLAND - CapMan takes 12% stake in listed Affecto
CapMan, through the CapMan Public Market Fund, has increased its stake in OMX Helsinki-listed IT services company Affecto plc.
US/EUROPE - US Fidelty Ventures team forms Volition Capital
The US operations of Fidelity Ventures has spun out into Volition Capital, an independent growth equity firm that invests in founder-owned technology companies.
SWEDEN - Industrifonden exits Envirotainer to AAC
Swedish investor Industrifonden has exited Envirotainer, a supplier of temperature controlled logistics to the pharmaceutical industry, in a secondary buyout to AAC Capital Partners.
2010: Leverage renaissance
"Good deals this year shouldn't fall through because of lack of financing as there is enough debt around to service the expected volume of transactions," says Lloyds' Ian Sale, who is optimistic about the prospects for leveraged buyouts in 2010.