Southern Europe
Fondo ICO launches second tender
Spain’s €1.2bn state-backed fund-of-funds, Fondo ICO Global, has launched its second tender process.
Consilium hits €95m first close
Italian GP Consilium has held a first close for Consilium Private Equity Fund III on €95m after just three months on the road. Amy King reports
Basque government launches €28m venture fund
The Basque government has launched a €28m venture capital fund, to be managed by Gestión de Capital Riesgo del País Vasco (GCRPV).
Rekindling VCs' passion for online dating
As the internet dating industry enjoys its busiest period, with singletons rushing online to prevent a lonesome Valentineтs Day, Ellie Pullen asks if European venture is ready to rekindle its romance with the sector
Trade buyer appetite boosts mid-cap valuations
Mid-cap valuations
Riverside to scale back Spanish operations
Following the recent departure of Juan Barnechea, Riverside is to downsize its Madrid office.
Italian GPs cash in as valuation gap narrows
Last year was challenging for Italian private equity; fundraising remained low and exits were few and far between – though stuttering deal volume was punctuated by a handful of large buyouts, boosting deal value. But it wasn’t all bad. Amy King reports...
Deal in focus: Montezemolo, Amadeus and Keensight sell Octo
Octo Telematics' backers, seeking a buyer for the Rome-based firm, profited from Renova Group's appetite for high-tech investments relevant to the Russian market.
Q4 Barometer: dealflow bounces back
Following a weak Q3, the final months of 2013 marked the strongest quarter of the year, according to the latest unquoteт Private Equity Barometer, published in association with SL Capital Partners.
Amadeus, Montezemolo sell Octo Telematics for €405m
Amadeus Capital Partners and Montezemolo & Partners have sold Rome-based Octo Telematics, a provider of telematics services and systems for the insurance and automotive market, to Russia's Renova Group for €405m.
AnaCap buys €700m UniCredit loan portfolio
AnaCap Financial Partners is understood to have acquired a €700m portfolio of non-performing loans from UniCredit Credit Management Bank (UCCMB), the debt collection unit of UniCredit.
HIG Capital appoints MD of new Italian office
Raffaele Legnani, HIG Capital
KKR opens Madrid office
After months of speculation, KKR has opened a Spanish office in Madrid.
United Ventures holds second close on €50m
Italian venture capital firm United Ventures has held a second close on more than €50m with the support of the European Investment Fund (EIF).
Grupo Ono files IPO documents with Spanish regulator
Spanish broadband operator Grupo Ono is to pursue a listing and has filed documents with the Spanish regulator CNMV.
CoBe Capital buys Hatria from Marazzi
CoBe Capital has acquired Italian ceramics company Hatria from Marazzi Group, owned by NYSE-listed Mohawk Industries.
Vodafone in talks for Spanish broadband firm Ono
Vodafone is thought to have approached the private equity backers of Spanish firm Grupo Corporativo Ono, a cable and broadband operator, regarding a potential £7bn offer for the asset.
Placement agents: a dying breed?
The placement agent industry has attracted criticism of late, with some labelling it as nothing more than a glorified introductory business. As fundraising becomes more complex, Alice Murray investigates how relevant this advisory service is
N+1 Mercapital elects new CEO and chairman
Gonzalo de Rivera, N+1 Mercapital
Hutton Collins injects €50m into Dedalus
Hutton Collins has made a €50m investment in Dedalus, an Italian healthcare IT systems provider, along with a further €15m from co-investors.
KKR injects €100m into Gruppo Argenta
KKR has made a debt and equity commitment of around €100m to vending machine firm Gruppo Argenta to stabilise its capital structure and provide growth capital.
Deal in focus: Alto buys Dolciaria Val D'Enza stake
Alto Partners has acquired a 41.88% stake in baked products maker Dolciaria Val D'Enza.