UK / Ireland
Have your say: Industry positive on 2011 dealflow
Readers of unquote” are positive about the outlook for this year, but remain concerned about the future, according to our end of year survey.
£140m refinancing for Caffè Nero
UK coffeehouse chain Caffè Nero has completed a £140m debt refinancing led by Hutton Collins.
Deals, leverage on the up but refinancing remains a worry
Renewed confidence is propelling the nascent recovery. But pressure to deploy capital and refinance companies means uncertainty persists. Kimberly Romaine reports.
Dekarta Capital backs ExpoPromoter
Russian private equity and venture firm Dekarta Capital has invested $1m in a series-A finance round for ExpoPromoter.
Balderton, DFJ and Index sell LOVEFiLM to Amazon
Balderton Capital, DFJ Esprit and Index Ventures have exited one of Europe’s largest entertainment subscription businesses, LOVEFiLM, via a trade sale to Amazon.
Alcuin announces fund closing on £81m
Alcuin Capital Partners has hold a closing of its Third Alcuin Fund with £81m commitments. The final closing on the vehicle, which has a target of £100m, is expected to happen by the end of the first quarter of 2011.
Next Wave closes second fund on £27m
Next Wave Partners has closed its second fund on £27m, exceeding its initial target.
Northstar Ventures et al. inject £550k in Masher
Northstar Ventures and Northern Film & Media have invested £550,000 in web application Masher.
Mark Florman named as new BVCA head
Mark Florman will succeed Simon Walker as chief executive of the British Venture Capital Association, the lobbying group announced today.
Minister condemns Actis privatisation
The UK's international development secretary Andrew Mitchell has strongly criticised the privatisation of emerging markets investor Actis by the previous government, according to media reports.
Portfolio companies paying down debt piles
Like many industries, private equity was hit hard by the financial crisis and ensuing recession, with tough fundraising conditions, few exit opportunities and widespread restructurings. But new research from SVGA suggests private equity has strengthened...
Advent closes Priory buyout
Global private equity firm Advent International has acquired mental health and specialist care services provider The Priory Group from the Royal Bank of Scotland Group.
Clydesdale expands London corporate finance team
Clydesdale Bank Corporate & Structured Finance (CSF) has added two new associate directors to its London team.
LDC invests £11.5m in Sala International
LDC has acquired a majority stake in Sala International following an £11.5m investment in the UK document archiving and records storage business.
Benelux deal activity continues to fall
For many European regions, 2010 was a brighter year, with private equity activity seeing a slow revival from the doldrums of 2009. But the Benelux market has continued to see a falling number of deal completions. John Bakie gives an overview
Sovereign-backed City & County acquires Quality Care Services
City & County Healthcare, a Sovereign Capital portfolio company, has acquired Irish home care provider Quality Care Services (QCS).
LDC invests £11.5m in Sala International
LDC has acquired a majority stake in Sala International following an £11.5m investment in the UK document archiving and records storage business.
LDC announces Daniel Sasaki as MD of its London team
Daniel Sasaki has been appointed as managing director of LDC London.
Germany: Lagging behind?
While France and the UK saw a dramatic return of mega-buyouts in the summer of 2010, Europe’s other powerhouse economy, Germany, was host to just a single deal valued at over €1bn. John Bakie investigates
Regina Hodits joins Wellington Partners
Wellington Partners has appointed Regina Hodits as a general partner.
Maven backs John McGavigan
Private equity house Maven Capital Partners has invested an undisclosed amount in Glasgow-based automotive parts manufacturer John McGavigan.
MMC Ventures injects £1.8m in Interactive Investor
MMC Ventures has provided UK personal finance media company Interactive Investor with £1.8m of growth capital funding.
Amadeus Capital exits Forth Dimension Displays
Amadeus Capital Partners has sold Scottish single chip microdisplays producer Forth Dimension Displays for $11m to Massachusetts-based nano-semiconductor company Kopin Corporation.
Foresight closes CSS MBI
Alternative asset manager Foresight Group has completed the management buy-in of health and safety specialist Channel Safety Systems (CSS).