UK / Ireland
Madison Dearborn soldiers on to close Fund VI
The Chicago-based buyout house takes well over two years to close latest fund at around 40% of its original target
Sun European Partners acquires Hewden Stuart in £110m deal
Sun European Partners has purchased Hewden Stuart, a Manchester-based construction equipment provider, from Canada's Finning International for £110m.
Gaming investments still worth a punt
Once considered a happy hunting ground for private equity, some gaming investments have turned sour in the past couple of years as many businesses have had to restructure their debt. That does not mean there are not profitable investments to be had, as...
Barclays puts stop to venture arm
Barclays has stopped any new investments under its private equity division, Barclays Ventures.
Kernel Capital Fund sells its shares in Stokes Bio
Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Equity Fund has sold its 37% stake in Stokes Bio Limited to US biotechnology company Life Technologies in a $44m trade sale.
GMT hires TMT specialist from Cinven
GMT Communications Partners has announced the appointment of Stefan Franssen as partner.
Sigma raises £4m in funds
Sigma Offshore, a UK producer of mooring and fluid transfer systems, has succeeded in raising £4m of venture capital.
Vitruvian in £134m Inspired Gaming take-private
Vitruvian Partners has acquired software developer Inspired Gaming (formerly Bass Leisure Machine Services) for £134m.
Advent appoints operating partner for business services
Advent International has appointed Kevin Beeston to its operating partner programme.
Vantis promotes Paul Mardon to Client Partner
Paul Mardon has been promoted to Client Partner of Vantis Business Recovery Services.
Osborne Clarke adds to private equity team
Osborne Clarke has promoted two of its associates, Matthew Lewis and Robert Wood, to partner. The private equity division now has 11 partners on its team.
Law firms Hogan and Lovells merge
Law firms Hogan & Hartson and Lovells have merged to become Hogan Lovells.
Haller appointed partner of CGS Management
Christoph Haller is set to join CGS Management as partner at the Swiss private equity firm in November 2010.
Poundland: Advent sees the pounds roll in
This morning, Advent International successfully sold discount retailer Poundland, as part of a secondary buyout by Warburg Pincus.
Langholm Capital backs Bart Spices’ MBO
Mid-market private equity player Langholm Capital, has acquired Bart Spices in a management buy-out backing CEO Matthew Shaw.
Apax purchases majority share in Sophos
Apax Funds will buy a majority stake of the information security and data protection provider, Sophos plc. The founders of the IT security company will keep a minority share and are positioned to make £197m from the deal.
Advent sells Poundland to Warburg Pincus
Global Private equity firm Advent International has divested its stake in single price retailer Poundland to private equity firm Warburg Pincus, in a deal reportedly worth £200m.
unquote" 4 May 2010
Buyout activity in the UK has been growing now for six consecutive quarters as the industry recovers from the financial crisis.
EBS Building Society in talks with private equity investors
Ireland's EBS Building Society is reportedly seeking funds from private equity investors, in a bid to raise the €875m it needs to reach new regulatory capital targets by year-end.
NLV leads $26m round for Immunotec
US-based New Leaf Venture Partners (NLV Partners) has led a second tranche of a $26m series-D round of funding for biotech business, Oxford Immunotec Ltd.
Ludgate commits £730,000 in Hightex
Ludgate Environmental has claimed a stake in Hightex Group by investing £730,000 to buy 10,000,000 ordinary shares.
EPi-V backs sand systems developer
EPi-V has invested an undisclosed amount of growth capital in sand control systems developer, Scarlet.
Carlyle buys Stanfield's $4.2bn CLOs
Carlyle has announced plans to purchase $4.2bn worth of collateralised loan obligations (CLO) from Stanfield Capital Partners, as part of a $5.1 credit portfolio purchase.
JP Morgan to buy Schroders PE services business
JP Morgan has signed an agreement to purchase Schroders' private equity administration business, as part of the build up of its JPM Worldwide Securities Services (WSS) unit.