Southern Europe
GLOBAL - Barclays accepts BlackRock's offer for BGI
Barclays' board of directors has accepted BlackRock's offer to acquire its asset management division Barclays Global Investors (BGI), with the price tag thought to be around $10bn.
EUROPE - Cipio holds first close of Fund VI on EUR 61m
Secondary direct player Cipio Partners has held a first closing of Cipio Partners Fund VI on EUR 61m, targeting EUR 200m.
EUROPE - Bridgepoint appoints Stephen Green as partner
Private equity firm Bridgepoint has appointed Stephen Green as partner and head of its European financial services sector team.
GLOBAL - LPs suggest trouble ahead
A quarter of all private equity fund managers will go out of business and a tenth of investors could default on capital calls; industry LPs reveal their sombre side.
SPAIN - Carlyle-backed Applus+ acquires two companies
Carlyle-backed certification group Applus+ has acquired two companies: France-based Contrôles Techniques Services (CTS) and Ekopol, based in Poland.
ITALY - Montezemolo launches EUR 350m second fund
Montezemolo & Partners SGR has launched its second private equity fund, Charme II, which is targeting EUR 350m.
Secondaries Salvation
The swathe of money pumping into secondaries will prove a savior, not a bubble. Cash-rich specialists can help teams looking to spin out of distressed parents, as well as borderline LPs pushed over the edge this autumn as GPs call in capital. By Kimberly...
ITALY - 21 Partners in Rgi delisting
Reports indicate that private equity firm 21 Partners and Sirius Holding could be moving to delist software company Rgi SpA.
EUROPE - Private equity interest in Thomas Cook
Both private equity and trade buyers are reportedly circling Thomas Cook, Europe's second biggest tour operator, after its majority stakeholder, German retailer Arcandor, filed for insolvency on Tuesday.
EUROPE - Stronger cooperation among European associations
Europe's private equity trade bodies have vowed to work closely together to drive improvements to the proposed Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive launched by the European Commission in April this year.
EUROPE - Cerberus loses two heads
It is understood that US-based investor Cerberus has lost two of its European-based heads in London as part of a firm-wide scaling back operation.
EUROPE - Advent International hires partner
Global private equity firm Advent International has hired Bob Wigley as operating partner in its London office.
ITALY - Clessidra acquires 30% stake in Cavalli
Report suggest that private equity firm Clessidra has acquried a 30% stake in fashion house Cavalli in a deal valued at EUR 100m.
EUROPE - Richard Wilson to succeed Jonathan Russell as EVCA chairman
The European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EVCA) has announced Richard Wilson, senior partner at Apax Partners, as the proposed successor of chairman Jonathan Russell.
EUROPE – LODH closes Euro Choice IV on CHF 776m
Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch has closed Euro Choice IV on CHF 776m.
SPAIN - Catalana d'Iniciatives acquires e-Diagnostics in EUR 3.8m deal
Catalana d'Initiatives has acquired an 80% stake in medical diagnostics firm e-Diagnostic, in a deal valued at EUR 3.8m.
ITALY - Innogest leads $8m beeTV funding
Italian venture investor Innogest has led an $8m series-B financing round for TV content producer beeTV.
ITALY - TTVenture makes EUR 3m Directa investment
Venture investor TTVenture has invested EUR 3m into nanotechnology firm Directa Plus.
EUROPE - KKR writes down value of European fund by half
US buyout house KKR has reportedly written down the value of its second European fund, which includes in its portfolio Alliance Boots, by almost half.
SPAIN - Xesgalicia invests EUR 1.5m in Cross Road Biotech
Reports suggest that Xesgalicia has acquired a 6% stake in biotech fund Cross Road Biotech.
ITALY – IDeA II fund-of-funds reaches first closing on EUR 150m
IDeA Capital Funds has held a first close on EUR 150m for IDeA II fund-of-funds.