Southern Europe
SPAIN- Codere flirts with private equity again
According to market sources, gambling business Codere has hired Credit Suisse to find a partner to provide extra muscle for further acquisitions.
PORTUGAL - Inter-Risco backs car inspection business
Inter-Risco, the private equity arm of bank BPI, has invested EUR 17m in MasterTest in return for a 30% stake. The company provides car inspection services and it is based in Porto.
SPAIN - Mercapital, Ibersuizas and Vista compete for Indas
Reports in the Spanish press suggest that Mercapital and Ibersuizas have joined Vista in the competition for pharmaceutical business Laboratorios Indas. The deal is valued at around EUR 360m.
ITALY - Permira and Private Equity Partners exit Marazzi Group
Permira and Private Equity Partners have sold the 8.47% stake it had in tile business Marazzi. The shares were sold at the price of EUR 10.3 each.
SPAIN - Catalan entrepreneurs create new firm
A group of Catalan managers, connected to industrial players Sacresa, Simon and Nutrexpa, have joined forces with Privat Bank to establish two private equity funds with investment capacity of EUR 20m each.
ITALY - Siena Venture backs local furniture business
Closed-end fund Siena Venture, managed by MPS Venture, has acquired a 41%stake in furniture business Segis SpA.
US - Blackstone buys Equity Office for $39bn in world's largest buyout
The Blackstone Group has secured the world’s largest leveraged buyout, agreeing a $39bn price (£20.2bn) for Equity Office, the biggest office landlord in the US. Blackstone won the deal after fending off competition from real estate investment trust...
ITALY - Clessidra to form joint venture with Pirelli
Reports in the Italian press suggest that private equity fund Clessidra is eyeing up the commercial services sector.
ITALY – Alitalia's suitors list ready, private equity prevails
As reported in today's edition of Il Sole 24Ore, five offers for airline Alitalia have been shortlisted.
SPAIN/ITALY – RCS takes Recoletos home for EUR 1.1bn
As reported yesterday by unquote news", Spanish publishing group Recoletos was considering a purchase offer from its Italian counterpart RCS.
ITALY – Sinergia con Imprenditori courts security business
According to reports in the Italian press, the fund Sinergia con Imprenditori has shown interest in security business Sicurglobal.
SPAIN - RCS makes EUR 1.3bn offer for Recoletos
Publishing group RCS, owner of Italian broadsheet Corriere della Sera, is reported to have made an offer of EUR 1.3bn for media group Recoletos.
EUROPE - Return expectations of private equity investors reach record levels
The return expectations of private equity investors have strengthened significantly over the last 12 months – almost half of LPs are now forecasting medium-term returns of 16%+, according to Coller Capital’s latest Global Private Equity Barometer,...
GREECE - Apax and TPG sell TIM Hellas to Naguib Sawiris
Apax Partners and Texas Pacific Group (TPG) today announced the sale of TIM Hellas Telecommunications S.A. the third largest mobile phone carrier in Greece, to Weather Investments, the vehicle owned by telecom tycoon Naguid Sawiris.
SPAIN - Alex Wagenberg is promoted to MD of Carlyle
Alex Wagenberg has recently been promoted to managing director of The Carlyle Group in Spain.
SPAIN - e-Valora changes contact numbers
Valuation services company e-Valora has changed its telephone and fax numbers. The new contact information is as follows: Tel: +34 91 444 97 42 Fax: +34 91 402 51 80
SPAIN - Benchmark Capital Europe backs Internet business
Alongside telecom player Swisscom, private equity firm Benchmark Capital Europe is backing Whisher, a Spanish company launching the first social network powered by a Wi-Fi network.
SPAIN - Perez-Llorca to boost its private equity practice
Law firm Perez-Llorca has recently promoted Iván Delgado as a partner for the Corporate & Financial division.
SPAIN - Vista Capital leads competition for pharma business
Reports in the Spanish press suggest that Vista Capital is the most likely buyer of pharmaceutical business Laboratorios Indas. The deal is valued at around EUR 360m.
PORTUGAL - The Riverside Company completes acquisition of ONI
US private equity firm The Riverside Company has completed the acquisition of Lisbon-based ONITelecom - Infocomunicações SA from utilities player EDP (Energias de Portugal).
ITALY - Aksia Capital III backs industrial player
Fund Aksia Capital III, closed earlier this week, has purchased a majority stake in Robuschi SpA, a manufacturer of industrial blowers and pumps.
ITALY - Fortelus acquires fashion shoemaker from Opera
Investment fund Fortelus Capital has acquired shoemaker Bruno Magli SpA from shareholders Opera and other minority backers.
ITALY - Investindustrial acquires AEB Group
Buyout firm Investindustrial has wholly acquired specialty chemicals player AEB Group from Pm & Partners and Sociètè Gènèrale in a management buyout.
ITALY - Last call for Alitalia offers
The deadline for submission of offers for Alitalia is today.