Southern Europe
Germany: Lagging behind?
While France and the UK saw a dramatic return of mega-buyouts in the summer of 2010, Europeтs other powerhouse economy, Germany, was host to just a single deal valued at over тЌ1bn. John Bakie investigates
Proa-backed Palacios acquires Tortillas Palacios
Proa, Partners Group and Talde-backed Grupo Palacios Alimentación has acquired meat product manufacturer Tortillas Palacios.
Clave Mayor participates in €12.6m Nextel round
Clave Mayor has participated in a €12.6m funding round for Nextel Engineering Application Modernización, an affiliate of Nextel Engineering Systems.
AC Desarrollo-backed Musgo files for bankruptcy
AC Desarrollo, the private equity unit of Ahorro Corporación, has been forced to initiate bankruptcy proceedings on behalf of interior design chain Musgo.
Hands appeals against Citi ruling
Terra Firma CIO Guy Hands has appealed against the US court ruling that cleared Citigroup of all charges in the EMI case, according to reports.
European buyouts triple in 2010
Buyout activity across Europe bounced back in 2010, lifted by a resurgent mid-market as well as several transactions at the top end of the value spectrum. The overall value of buyouts totalled тЌ63bn last year, a substantial increase from the тЌ24bn recorded...
ECI exits WCI Consulting
Private equity group ECI Partners has sold WCI Consulting to Indian technology firm TAKE Solutions.
SICI invests €500,000 in Ecopol
Sviluppo Imprese Centro Italia (SICI) has invested €500,000 in Ecopol, an Italian producer of water-soluble and biodegradable products.
Atlante Private Equity announces first close
Intesa Sanpaolo has announced the first closing of the Atlante Private Equity fund on €150m.
Portuguese fundraisers feel the strain
Portuguese GPs will struggle to raise funds in 2011. Fears that the country will follow Greece and Ireland in requiring a bail-out means that most players are likely to wait until conditions have improved to launch their next vehicle. Susannah Birkwood...
Caser launches €40m Spanish fund
Spanish insurance company Caser has launched a private equity fund with a target of €40m.
DC Advisory Partners announces growth plans
DC Advisory Partners has announced plans it is to strengthen its business across Europe.
Southern European Private Equity: 2010 in review
The year 2010 saw significant improvement across the private equity market in Southern Europe. Read on for a month-by-month summary of the regional highlights.
M&A and tax law firm Bichot & Associés launched
Bichot & AssociУЉs, a law firm specialising in M&A and taxation, has launched.
Axis invests €1m in Sabirmedical
Axis Participaciones has invested €1m in medical technology firm Sabirmedical via the FESpyme private equity fund.
CVC to buy 25 hospitals for €900m
CVC Capital Partners has agreed to buy the Spanish hospital unit of Capio, the Swedish healthcare group owned by Apax and Nordic Capital, in a deal valued at €900m.
Axis and Suan Biotech back Noscira
Axis Participaciones and Suan Biotech have participated in a €19m funding round for Spanish pharmaceuticals company Noscira.
Highgrowth invests in VozTelecom
Highgrowth Partners has participated in a €2m capital increase for Spanish telecoms services provider VozTelecom.
Gala Fund Management acquires Neo-Sky
Gala Fund Management has purchased broadband telecommunications operator Neo-Sky from electric utilities company Iberdrola for €70m.
AC Desarrollo exits Demas
AC Desarrollo has exited its 95% stake in vending machine distributor Demas via a trade sale to Autobar Spain.
Consumer sector leads buyout recovery
Consumer-centric companies were a major focus for buyout investors in 2010, despite the sector's struggle during the recession years. John Bakie investigates
Quest and Capricorn to merge
Quest Management and Capricorn Venture Partners are set to join forces following a proposal by their respective boards of directors to merge the two companies.
Mid-cap and emerging markets to shine in 2011
The year ahead will be the golden age the industry's awaited for two years. But the rich pickings will be limited, with the mid-cap and emerging markets ripe for investment. John Bakie gives an overview
The year that was 2010: Cold weather fails to put freeze on recovery
As the end of 2010 approaches, it will likely be remembered as a year of considerable uncertainty. Fear of a double-dip recession, major debt crises, a fragile economic recovery and the return of mega-buyouts are among the major developments affecting...