UK / Ireland
Luke Johnson: BGF is 'wrong'; covenants key to PE's success
“The Business Growth Fund is wrong in terms of its pitch,” says Luke Johnson, co-founder of Risk Capital Partners in a video interview with Kimberly Romaine.
Fidelity Growth Partners appoints Hebel as partner
Davor Hebel has become a partner at Fidelity Growth Partners Europe in the firm’s London office.
Interview: Javier Echarri
Having spent 10 years at the helm of the European Venture Capital Association (EVCA), Javier Echarri is roundly considered one of the world's most influential people in private equity. He talks to Susannah Birkwood about the AIFMD, national trade bodies...
Pandora IPO lifts lid on PE failings
Pandora is not the only private equity-backed IPO to suffer – it would seem the box is full of underperforming listings. John Bakie reports.
YFM backs Bagel Nash MBI
YFM Equity Partners has backed the management buy-in of UK-based bakery and retail business Bagel Nash.
Imperial leads £40m investment in Nexeon
Imperial Innovations Group plc has led a £40m series-C round for battery materials and licensing company Nexeon.
Sovereign acquires CHS for City & Country
Sovereign Capital has acquired Community and Homecare Services (CHS) as an add-on for City & County Healthcare Group.
OCAS, Octopus and IP Group inject £3.6m in ASL
OCAS Ventures, Octopus Ventures and IP Group have invested £3.6m in renewable energy technology business Applied Superconductor Ltd (ASL).
Sud Investments leads financing in PneumaCare
Sud Investments has led a £2m round of funding for PneumaCare Ltd, together with a group of existing investors including Cambridge Enterprise, Cambridge Capital Group, Plextek Ltd and members of the Cambridge Angels group.
GMT acquires MeetingZone for £38.5m
GMT Communications Partners has teamed up with management to acquire UK-based conference and collaboration service provider MeetingZone for a total consideration of £38.5m.
Industry fears confirmed as BGF outbids NVM
The Business Growth Fund’s outbidding of private investor NVM appears to justify market concern that the vehicle constitutes unfair competition to smaller PE houses.
PE firms linked to sale of Glaxo non-core brands
A number of private equity groups are thought to be interested in acquiring a product portfolio being sold by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
Notion and Eden back NewVoiceMedia with £2.5m
Notion Capital and Eden Ventures have injected £2.5m into UK call centre technology vendor NewVoiceMedia as part of a second round of funding.
Carta Capital reaps 14-18% IRR on three exits
Lower mid-market mezzanine investor Carta Capital has exited three of its investments, each reaping an IRR of 14-18% and a money multiple of 1.6x to 1.8x.
Private equity considering takeover of Bintons Carpets
UK-based Bintons Carpets is reportedly in talks with an unnamed private equity firm over a potential sale.
Waterland’s fifth fund raises €1.1bn
Waterland Private Equity Investments has held final close of its fifth fund, Waterland Private Equity Fund V, at €1.1bn.
Proskauer Rose poaches three for funds team
Proskauer Rose has poached three private equity fund structuring professionals from rivals Kirkland & Ellis and SJ Berwin in recent days, in anticipation of increased fundraising activity.
Infinity invests in BLS
Manchester-based private equity firm Infinity has invested in property developer and manager Bravo Life Style (BLS) for £37m.
Niklas Eklund joins Wellington Partners
Wellington Partners has appointed serial entrepreneur Niklas Eklund as a venture partner.
Aegon set to sell life assurance arm
Aegon plans to sell its Guardian life assurance arm for more than $400m, according to Reuters, with a number of private equity players thought to be interested in the firm.
OMERS acquires V.Ships from Exponent
OMERS Private Equity has acquired V.Group, better known by its brand V.Ships, a third-party manager of vessels in the cargo and leisure sectors, from Exponent Private Equity for an enterprise value of $520m.
Secondary players dominate Italy’s foreign LP base
Italian GPs ought to be doing more to attract foreign investors at the fundraising stage, as many of the country's overseas-based LPs are secondary players. Susannah Birkwood finds out whether this and other local trends are about to change.
UK & Ireland unquote" 25 July 2011
Just a few months after closing what many call Europe’s most impressive fund of the year, Montagu is waving goodbye to two directors, unquote” has learned from sources close to the fund.
DFJ Esprit invests in Redkite Financial Markets
DFJ Esprit has invested in a series-A round for real-time financial markets surveillance products specialist Redkite Financial Markets.