Southern Europe
EUROPE - Environmental infrastructure: high returns, low risk?
Combining the low risk profile of traditional infrastructure investing with the potentially high returns from clean tech investing can prove a winning formula, argues Jamie Richards, partner at Foresight Group, in a recent video interview with unquote"...
EUROPE - Hendrik Brandis appointed Chairman of VC at EVCA
Hendrik Brandis, managing partner of German investor group Earlybird, has been appointed chairman of the venture capital platform of the European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EVCA), succeeding Patrick Sheehan of Environmental Technologies...
SPAIN - Aurica sells Telstar stake
Aurica, the private equity arm of Banco Sabadell, has divested its 20% stake in Telstar, a developer of atmospheric technology solutions in the life sciences sector, in a buy-back by the founding family, which is now the sole shareholder in the business....
EUROPE - Partners Group's Global Opportunites fund moves listing to Ireland
Partners Group's Global Opportunites investment fund has altered its status from a closed-end vehicle to an open-ended vehicle and has delisted from the London Stock Exchange in prepartion for shifting its shares to the Ireland Stock Exchange, due to...
EUROPE - F&C Private Equity holds EUR 30m first close of Aurora Fund
London-listed private equity investor F&C Private Equity has held a EUR 30m first close of its Aurora Fund, a new vehicle focused on acquiring secondary interests in predominately European private equity funds and co-investments.
Revised Directive angers trade bodies
Another chapter has been added to the long-running saga of the EU Commission's AIFM Directive, with a new report calling for a removal of all fund size exemption thresholds sparking anger within the industry
LPs sound warning over private equity performance
A new report has provided a damning assessment of LP confidence in private equity as an asset class, revealing dissatisfaction over performance and new demands in relation to due diligence and reporting
EUROPE - Venture: resilient, and proving lucrative
While 2009 was a grim year indeed for European buyouts, venture and growth investing has proven more resilient. By Mareen Goebel
EUROPE - Yield of dreams: unquote" explores high yield
The European high-yield market has opened once again, but, given its failings in the past, can the market shake off its reputation as a short-lived phenomenon and become a viable financing option for buyouts? To read Emanuel Eftimiu's feature see below,...
ITALY - Permira-led consortium to acquire Valentino debt
Permira is reportedly nearing an agreement over fashion house Valentino's EUR 2.2bn debt pile, with reports suggesting the private equity house alongside the Marzotto family and other investors are preparing to pay EUR 200-300m to buy back EUR 730m of...
GLOBAL – CIC provides Apax with liquidity boost
Sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation (CIC), may invest up to EUR 800m in Apax' EUR 11.2bn fund. The move is not intended to boost the vehicle's size, which last year became Europe's largest private equity fund. Instead it is believed to...
ITALY - 360 Capital, Balderton-backed Yoox IPO raises EUR 27m
360 Capital Partners and Balderton Capital-backed online fashion retailer Yoox has completed a EUR27m IPO on the Star segment of the Milanese stock exchange, a deal that will see the company's private equity owners divest part of their stakes in the business....
EUROPE - Candover to "substantially" reduce fund
Following nearly 12 months of difficulties that stemmed from its parent's liquidity issues at the beginning of the year, Candover has today announced it will "substantially reduce" the size of its 2008 Fund, which had targeted EUR 5bn and reached a first...
UK/ITALY - Permira's BirdsEye and Lion's Findus interested in Findus Italy
According to reports, Permira-backed Birds Eye Iglo and Lion Capital's Findus Group are among the interested bidders for Unilever's frozen food unit Findus Italy.
EUROPE - EVCA report shows sharp rise in turnaround deals
While investment activity in 2009 has slowed significantly, new research published by the EVCA today shows that the downturn has provided a sharp rise in turnaround opportunities, which were up 40% in the first nine months of this year against the same...
GLOBAL - LPs sound warning over private equity performance
A new report has provided a damning assessment of LP confidence in private equity as an asset class, revealing dissatisfaction over performance and new demands in relation to due diligence and reporting. By Ashley Wassall
SPAIN - PE-backed Amadeus seeks to amend debt prior to listing
Reports suggest that BC Partners- and Cinven-backed travel agency Amadeus is in negotiations with its lenders to amend the terms on its EUR 5bn debt pile prior to its planned flotation.
EUROPE - Mourant acquired by State Street to create PE servicing giant
European fund administrator Mourant International Finance Administration has been acquired by financial services giant State Street Corporation for an undisclosed sum.
GLOBAL - Carlyle to change terms on its fifth fund
It is understood that Carlyle Group is the latest private equity firm to appease its investors by agreeing to several changes to terms on its fifth fund, Carlyle Partners V, including a split on transaction fees, limits on the amount of debt investments...
SPAIN - CAI to remain in Imaginarium
CAI Desarrollo Empresarial, the private equity arm of savings bank Caja de Ahorros de la Inmaculada, is to retain its holding in childrens toy retailer Imaginarium when it floats on Mercado Alternativo Bursátil, Madrid's alternative investment market,...
SPAIN - BC to divest Teknon
It is understood that BC Partners has put Barcelona-based healthcare business Teknon on the block, with the investor reportedly seeking a price tag of between EUR 140-160m.
EUROPE - Delving into fair value
With the recent market turmoil and lack of comparables, fair value remains a complicated accounting principle. In a recent video interview, Nordic unquote" editor Rikke Eckhoff discusses the implication of this principle for the industry with PricewaterhouseCoopers...
ITALY - Bridgepoint and Axa make EUR600m bid for Snai
Bridgepoint and Axa Private Equity have made a EUR600m takeover bid for debt-laden Snai, Italy's largest betting shop operator.
EUROPE - Revised Directive angers trade bodies
Another chapter has been added to the long-running saga of the EU Commission's AIFM Directive, with a new report calling for a removal of all fund size exemption thresholds sparking anger within the industry. By Ashley Wassall