Nordics
SWEDEN - Sixth Swedish pension fund buys Arvika from administration
The Sixth Swedish Pension Fund (AP6) has acquired Arvika Gjuteri, a manufacturer of parts for trucks, agricultural and construction equipment that recently went into administration.
GLOBAL - SVG Capital makes two executive hires
Listed fund-of-funds SVG Capital has appointed Lynn Fordham as CEO of the company and Tony Dalwood as CEO of SVG Advisers.
EUROPE - Close Brothers Corporate Finance acquired by Daiwa for £75m
Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe, the European subsidiary of Japanese investment bank Daiwa Securities SMBC Co, has agreed to acquire Close Brothers Corporate Finance from Close Brothers Group plc for ТЃ75m.
GLOBAL - Barclays looks to sell $ 10m asset management unit
Barclays is reportedly in talks with US asset manager Black Rock and Bank of New York Mellon to sell its asset management unit, Barclays Global Investors (BGI), with the price tag thought to be around $10bn.
SWEDEN - STF backs SEK 15m Swebo funding
Sustainable Technologies Fund (STF) has, alongside Norrlandsfonden, invested SEK 15m into Swebo Bioenergy, a supplier of heating devices based on bioenergy solutions for heating.
SWEDEN - Amadeus and Northzone lead EUR 16m Tobii funding
Amadeus Capital Partners and Northzone Ventures have led a EUR 16m series-B funding round for eye-tracking systems developer Tobii, alongside exisiting backer Investor Growth Capital, the venture capital arm of industrial holding Investor AB.
Mezzanine to soldier on
Lenders are currently struggling under the weight of an underperforming legacy portfolio, but there may be brighter prospects on the horizon. Emanuel Eftimiu reports from Paris
Venturing into the unknown
With distributions down since the internet bust, exit doors shut and fundraising at a standstill, the venture capital industry in the US - and elsewhere - is at a crossroads. Smaller firms, lower returns and adapting to a global market are the next likely...
GLOBAL - CALPERS to allocate extra $9bn to private equity
The California Public Employees Retirement System (CALPERS) is considering a new asset mix, which could see the LP allocate an additional $9bn to private equity.
EUROPE - RHJ joins suitors for European GM assets
According to reports, Belgian buyout firm RHJ International is interested in acquiring General Motor's European assets, and is said to consider an offer for Adam Opel GmbH, amongst others.
FINLAND - Management buys Sentica's small cap business
Sentica Partners has sold off its small cap business area to key management who will continue operations under the name Canelco Capital Ltd, focusing on MBO and MBI transactions in small- to medium-sized companies.
EUROPE - Skype founders to raise new venture fund
According to reports, Atominco Ventures, the investment vehicle of Skype co-founders Niklas ZennstrУЖm and Janus Friis, is raising a new USD 266m fund.
Europe - Merrill Lynch divests stake in Kreos Capital III
Investment bank Merrill Lynch has reportedly divested its original тЌ150m commitment in venture debt fund Kreos Capital III, the 2006 vintage fund of Kreos Capital.
Europe - 3i confirms £732m rights issue
In a press conference this morning, 3i's CEO Michael Queen confirmed plans to raise ТЃ732m in a rights issue that would optimise the value of its current portfolio, reduce debt and strengthen the company's 'perceived weak position' in the market.
SWEDEN - Hannes Snellman hires PE and financial restructuring expert
Law firm Hannes Snellman has recruited former managing asssociate at Linklaters, Roger Johnson, as a specialist partner within M&A. Johnson will particularly focus on private equity and financial restructuring.
SWEDEN - Priveq takes over 3i stake in Carmel Pharma
Priveq Investment has acquired 3i's 26% stake in medical equipment company Carmel Pharma for an undisclosed sum. The company was part of 3i's Nordic venture portfolio which is understood to be up for sale.
NORWAY - IK-backed Kid in talks with bank over ownership change
IK Investment Partner's (IK) portfolio company Kid Interiør, a textile retail business, is in discussions with its main sponsor Norwegian bank DnB NOR regarding a transfer of ownership to the bank after running into trouble over its loans.
NORWAY - AAC acquires road assistance business in Norway
AAC Capital Partners has, alongside company management, acquired a substantial stake in Norwegian road assistance company Viking Redningstjeneste (Viking) from Suletac Holdings.
GLOBAL - RBS drops global head of financial sponsors position
Royal Bank of Scotland has reportedly scrapped the position of global head of financial sponsors as a response to 'market conditions'. Fiona Paulus, who became global financial sponsors head last year, has been said to have moved to a new position as...
EUROPE - NBGI Venures boosts investment team
NBGI Ventures has hired John Milad to its investment team.
GLOBAL - Houlihan Lokey hires corporate finance MD
International investment bank Houlihan Lokey has hired Tad Flynn as managing director of corporate finance.
EUROPE/ITALY - Foresight expands European Solar Team
Foresight Group has strengthened its Solar Team with the appointment of Pietro Zerauschek as technical director in the firms Rome office.
SWEDEN - Sustainable Technologies Fund and InnKap back Hexaformer
Sustainable Technologies Fund has alongside existing investor InnovationsKapital (InnKap) invested SEK 35m into Hexaformer, a Swedish developer of transfomer technology and reactor solutions.