Southern Europe
EUROPE - Cinven's Hall steps down
Buyout giant Cinven has elected Hugh Langmuir to managing partner, replacing Robin Hall, a veteran of the firm who will take on the role of executive chairman.
UK/GERMANY - WHEB Ventures reaches £90m third close
WHEB Ventures has achieved a third closing of its second clean technology fund, WHEB Ventures Private Equity 2 LP, at ТЃ90m (EUR 105m).
ITALY - IDeA acquires 65% stake in Soprarno
IDeA Alternative Invesments, backed by the De Agostino Group and Investitori Associati, has acquired a 65% stake of retail fund manager Soprarno Sgr.
EUROPE - AXA PE signs UN responsible investment principles
French mid-market buyout house AXA Private Equity has signed the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, issued by the United Nations.
ITALY - Apax and Cinven interested in Kedrion
Reports suggest that Apax Partners and Cinven are among the private equity firms interested in taking over the 40% stake in pharmaceutical business Kedrion held by Investitori Associati.
FRANCE/ITALY - 21 Centrale Partners strengthens team
21 Centrale Partners has recruited Marco Guglielminetti and Nicolas Marien to its investment teams in Italy and France respectively.
SPAIN - Debaeque invests EUR 2.75m into Apesoft
Venture capital house Debaeque has invested close to three million into software firm Apesoft.
EUROPE - EVCA placement code highlights need for transparency
In response to the ongoing reverberations relating to the New York kickback scandal the EVCA has published a draft code of conduct for placement agents, which highlights the need for greater transparency within the sector.
SPAIN - Adara and Neotec back AlienVault
Adara Ventures and Neotec have invested an undisclosed sum into software company AlienVault.
EUROPE - IK appoints Ryum Larsen to executive committee
IK Investment Partners has appointed investor relations head Mads Ryum Larsen to its executive committee.
Jockeying for position
A private equity landscape in subsidence, a barren fundraising market and stateside-kickback scandals: placement agents are having to change their modus operandi. By Ashley Wassall
Trouble ahead
Industry LPs reveal their sombre side, predicting that a quarter of all private equity fund managers will go out of business and a tenth of investors could default on capital calls. By Ashley Wassall