Nordics
European PE bounces back; will the Nordics follow suit?
A year after the Lehman Brothers collapse and things are looking up, as Q3 value totals are the highest they have been in a year. Ashley Wassall and Rikke Eckhoff take a closer look at the figures
Private Property
With take-privates dominating the Nordic buyout space this month, Rikke Eckhoff investigates timing issues, pricing and the pros and cons of de-listing
Standing firm
Rikke Eckhoff talks deal-doing, fundraising and responsible investment with Helen Steers, partner and head of European primary investments at global fund-of-funds Pantheon
AP6's strategy shift makes sense
A case study in diversification gone too far?
FINLAND - CapMan CFO resigns
Kaisa Arovaara has resigned as CFO of Finnish private equity house CapMan. From 31 January 2010, senior partner Olli Liitola will resume Arovaara's role, until a new CFO is appointed.
SWEDEN - CapMan to acquire SRK Konsultation
Nordic investor CapMan, via its Life Science IV Fund, has agreed to acquire a majority stake in healthcare business SRK Konsultation from the company's founder, Thomas Björkman, for an undisclosed sum.
GLOBAL - Blackstone's shares increase by over 7%
Shares of Blackstone rose by above 7% yesterday, largely a result of the expected positive earnings report to be released on 6 November.
EUROPE - Peter Combe leaves Permira Debt Managers
The head of Permira Debt Managers, Peter Combe, has left the UK private equity firm's debt fund as its second in command is promoted to prepare for the changing credit market opportunities.
EUROPE - YELLing about debt
The painful restructuring of YELL highlights the ills of yesterday's excesses - and shows there is a lot of pain ahead, writes Kimberly Romaine .
Global - Sofinnova Partners sign three biotech deals
French venture investor Sofinnova Partners has participated in funding rounds for three early-stage biotech companies, committing a total of GBP 30m. In the UK, Crescendo raised GBP 4.5m, while US-based Flexion Therapeutics and DNP Green Technology received...
EUROPE – Ogier appoints five
Ogier Group, a provider of offshore legal and fiduciary services, has appointed five new members to its partnership. Jane Pearce, Paul Perris, Nicholas Plowman, Sally Edwards and Edward Mackereth will all join on 1 February 2010.
NORWAY - InnKap et al in NOK 30m share issue for SantoSolve
Existing backers Nordic venture funds InnovationsKapital and Teknoinvest have participated in a NOK 30m share issue for pharmaceutical company SantoSolve AS. New investor, the Norwegian governement-owned venture fund Investinor, contributed NOK 15m for...
DENMARK - EQT Expansion backs Skykon
Swedish private equity firm EQT has through its Expansion Capital II fund taken a minority stake in Skykon, a supplier to the wind energy industry.
SWEDEN - Karnell takes majority stake in Struktur Svenska Kontor
Swedish small-cap buyout house Karnell has acquired a majority stake in office space service company Struktur Svenska Kontor, from founders and management who retain a minority stake.
NORWAY - Hitec invests NOK 160m into GC Rieber joint venture
Norwegian private equity house HitecVision has invested NOK 160m into a joint venture with GC Rieber Shipping to create a new subsea service company, based on GC's existing investments in geotechnical company Bluestone Offshore Pte Ltd, and subsea service...
SWEDEN - Healthcap, KTH and Almi support MIPS with SEK 15m
HealtCap, KTH Chalmers Capital and Almi Invest Stockholm have subscribed to a SEK 15m share issue for MIPS, a developer of head protection equipment.
SWEDEN - Almi et al. back Simatic with SEK 5m
Swedish regional venture investor Almi Invest has invested SEK 5m in Simatic AB, a supplier of logistics solutions, alongside Coach & Capital and a business angel.
EUROPE - PE up 107% in Q3
In the midst of renewed optimism over recovery prospects in the wider economy, private equity investment activity has continued to reverse the slump that had set in at the end of last year, recording a whopping 107% increase to EUR 9.6bn (257 deals) in...
GLOBAL - Blackstone investors look to raise commitments
Reports suggest that investors in Blackstone's sixth fund, Blackstone Capital Partners VI, are looking to increase the size of their original commitments to the vehicle, which launched in January 2008.
DENMARK - EQT Infrastructure acquires Kommunekemi for EUR 35m
EQT Infrastructure has acquired hazardous waste management company Kommunekemi from The Local Government Denmark (LGDK), The Municipality of Copenhagen, and the Municipality of Frederiksborg, for an enterprise value of DKK 260m.
EUROPE - EVCA calls for new RCAP for 2020
The EVCA has today called for an updated Risk Capital Action Plan (RCAP) for 2020, an agreement originally launched in 1998, in an effort to offset the potentially disastrous consequences of the European Commission's AIFM directive on the finance industry.