UK / Ireland
Baird Capital holds final close for second Global Fund
Vehicle will continue to back founder-led UK, US and Asian SMEs via buyout and growth deals
PE buy-side appetite further boosts exit options for sponsors
Secondary buyouts accounted for nearly a third of all PE exits in the first half of 2021, compared with typical levels of 20-25%
Unigestion launches second emerging-manager fund
Vehicle has a target of EUR 300m and will back first- and second-generation buyout and growth funds
VC Profile: DN Capital set to deploy in buoyant European VC market
Managing partner and co-founder Nenad Marovac discusses the firm's deployment plans and its view of the European VC market
Bridgepoint lists in GBP 2.9bn IPO
GP's existing shareholders will be selling 139.7 million existing ordinary shares
FPE invests in employee benefits software Zest
Deal is the 10th platform investment from FPE's GBP 100m, 2016-vintage, second fund
GHO holds EUR 2bn final close for third fund
Fund close follows a fully virtual fundraise that saw the GP surpass its EUR 1.25bn target
Palatine sells Wren Sterling in Lightyear-backed MBO
Wren Sterling was created in 2015 through the Palatine-backed MBO of Towergate Financial
GPs increasingly ruling out investments due to ESG – survey
Majority of GPs polled by Investec have declined to invest in a company on ESG or ethical grounds
Unquote Private Equity Podcast: H1 review special
The team looks at key takeaways and numbers across deal-doing and fundraising, and ponders where the market might be headed
Bowmark Capital expands team
Jessica Collins, Ben Culverwell, Jamal Lakhani and James Swainston join as investment executives
Silverfleet calls off fundraise for third fund
GP intends to focus on follow-on investments and realisations in its existing portfolio
McLaren confirms GBP 550m fundraising led by Saudi Arabia, Ares
Existing shareholders, including Mumtalakat, and new private investors invest GBP 150m
Nordic Capital buys majority stake in VC-backed Duco
Financial data management software raised USD 28m from VCs including Eight Roads and Insight in 2018
CVC Credit finances Livingbridge's World of Books buyout
Livingbridge bought the UK-based online reseller of secondhand books from Bridges Fund Management
Revolut raises USD 800m Series E at USD 33bn valuation
Company becomes the second most valuable fintech in Europe, behind Sweden's Klarna
H&F holds USD 24.4bn final close for 10th fund
Large-cap buyout specialist closed its predecessor fund in October 2018 on USD 16bn
WestBridge exits AJM Healthcare to Livingbridge
WestBridge backed the MBO of the wheelchair and mobility service provider in September 2018
One in four LPs willing to trade lower performance for better ESG - survey
ESG-focused LPs "motivated to divest positions in funds where they perceive ESG efforts to be lacking"
Phoenix promotes Squires to partner, three to investment director
James Chiang, Richard Hill and Victoria Wain are promoted to investment director
Bridges appoints ex-ICG CEO as new chair
Former Apax COO Clive Sherling, a long-standing investor in Bridges funds, also becomes a non-executive director
Project A opens first international office in London
Principals Sam Cash and Jack Wang, plus associate Luc de Leyritz, will head the new office
Seraphine lists in London seven months after Mayfair deal
IPO gives the maternity clothing business a market cap of GBP 150m, raising gross proceeds of GBP 61m
BC Partners invests in Valtech at USD 1.4bn valuation
Former reference shareholder Verlinvest and Valtech's new management also reinvest