UK / Ireland
Palatine acquires Inspired Gaming unit
Palatine Private Equity has acquired the amusement and gaming division of British server-based gaming provider Inspired Gaming.
Octopus looking to raise £70m over four VCTs
Octopus Investments has announced plans to raise £70m over four VCTs, targeting UK SMEs.
Rock Spring Ventures holds first close at £26.3m
Rock Spring Ventures has held a first close for its Scottish venture fund, Rock Spring Ventures EU LP (RSV‐EU), on £26.3m.
Dunedin's Hawksford acquires Key Trust
Dunedin has acquired wealth management business Key Trust Company Ltd through its portfolio company Hawksford.
Lion Capital buys GHD from Montagu
Lion Capital has acquired UK-based professional hair styling brand GHD from Montagu Private Equity for an estimated £300m.
Doughty Hanson refocuses on private equity
Doughty Hanson has completed its internal restructuring, moving away from real estate and venture, alongside the creation of a new partnership structure.
Ingenious raising two new VCTs
Ingenious Media, a UK-based venture capital and private equity firm that specialises in the media and entertainment sector, has announced plans to raise two new funds to invest in live events.
TowerBrook closes fourth fund on $3.5bn
TowerBrook Capital Partners has held a final close for its fourth buyout fund, reaching its $3.5bn hard-cap.
August sells 4Projects to TA-backed Coaxis
August has sold building software company 4Projects to US-based Viewpoint in a deal worth between £25-50m.
Duke Street-backed 2e2 collapses
British IT services provider 2e2, backed by Duke Street, has collapsed after administrators failed to find a buyer for the business.
Enterprise Ventures backs Ph.Creative
Enterprise Ventures has invested £500,000 in Liverpool-based marketing agency Ph.Creative from its North West Fund for Venture Capital.
Private equity firms prepare £10bn EE bid
Apax Partners and KKR are bidding against Blackstone and CVC Capital Partners for UK mobile phone operator EE, according to reports.
UK & Ireland unquote” February 2013
The Prime Minister has finally given into the Eurosceptic wing of his party and promised an “in/out” referendum on European Union (EU ) membership.
Travers Smith appoints senior partner
UK law firm Travers Smith has promoted Chris Hale, currently head of corporate, to senior partner.
MMC and Enterprise Ventures back Tyres on the Drive
MMC Ventures and Enterprise Ventures have provided £640,000 of follow-on funding for Tyres on the Drive.
Olympia Furniture enters administration
SKG Capital-owned furniture manufacturer Olympia Furniture, based in the Greater Manchester area, has failed to find a buyer and has therefore been placed into administration.
Albion backs healthcare software firm MyMeds&Me
Albion Ventures has invested £2m in British healthcare software-as-a-service (SaaS) business MyMeds&Me.
Endless hires GCP's Santinon
UK turnaround investor Endless has hired Francesco Santinon as a senior recruit in the firm's London office.
Union Square leads $30.6m round for Hailo
UK-based taxi network service Hailo has raised $30.6m from existing and new investors.
Finance Wales continues support of KWR
Regional investor Finance Wales has injected £250,000 into software firm KWR Technologies Ltd (KWR).
PHD Equity completes MBO
PHD Equity Partners, the private equity arm of Dow Schofield Watts, has backed the management buyout of lending company Davenham Group.
Warburg Pincus's Premier Foods loses 2nd top exec in a row
Premier Foods COO Geoff Eaton is due to step down just a week after the appointment of a new CEO for the business.
Electra Partners to buy UBM data division for £160m
Electra Partners is set to acquire information services provider UBM Data Services in a £160m spin-off from parent company UBM.
BGF backs Bullitt with £3.5m
The Business Growth Fund (BGF) has injected £3.5m into Bullitt Group, a UK-based service provider to the telecommunications industry.