UK / Ireland
LPs make their move at ILPA meeting
The private equity world used to be run by GPs. There is now abundant evidence that this is no longer the case, as LPs are beginning to dictate terms. A meeting between buyout chiefs and their investors in New York today could lead to further change....
Growth Capital Partners exits Entec in £61m deal
Growth Capital Partners has exited its investment in UK-based environmental and engineering consultancy Entec Holdings via a £61.2m trade sale to AMEC.
Finance Wales appoints Rowlands as non-exec
Regional investor Finance Wales has appointed former 3i managing partner Chris Rowlands as non-executive director.
LMS acquires £7.9m minority share in Apogee
LMS Capital has acquired a minority shareholding in digital print company Apogee Group for £7.9m. LMS will further support the company’s buy and build strategy.
HgCapital acquires StepStone Solutions for €110m
HgCapital has acquired StepStone Solutions the talent management software division of StepStone ASA, in a deal valued at €110m.
3i looks to sell Mayborn
3i is said to be looking for a buyer for Mayborn, the company that makes Tommee Tippee baby bottles and beakers. The buyout house has declined to comment.
HgCapital acquires majority stake in JLA Ltd
European investor HgCapital has acquired a majority stake in the UK’s largest laundry equipment supplier JLA limited.
Finance Wales invests £250,000 in Just Love Food Company
Finance Wales has injected £250,000 of debt and equity in nut-free bakery product business The Just Love Food Company, alongside an additional £150,000 in financing from Natwest.
Ontario Teachers' wins lottery operator Camelot in £389m deal
More and more LPs are looking to bypass GPs and invest in target companies directly rather than through third-party funds. Ontario Teachers' is leading the pack, reports Deborah Sterescu.
Frog Capital appoints 3i's Lowery as partner
Frog Capital has hired 3i's Stephen Lowery as partner to the firm.
Platina closes renewable energy fund on €209m
Renewable energy and turnaround investor Platina Partners LLP has reached the closing of its European Renewable Energy Fund (EREF) with total commitments of €209m.
Synova acquires Dental Buying Group
Synova Capital has backed the buyout of dental products and services provider Dental Buying Group (DBG) in a deal of undisclosed value.
Private equity philanthropy: taking responsibility
With more people (and particularly investors) becoming socially and environmentally conscious, private equity firms are keener than ever to demonstrate their commitment to a responsible investment ethos. Mareen Goebel investigates.
First Reserve Corp appoints vice president of IR
Energy-focused private equity firm First Reserve Corporation has hired Chris Pietersen as a vice president of investor relations and co-investments.
Private equity embraces environmental due diligence
With the launch of Carlyle and EDF’s analysis tool for environmental due diligence, Francinia Protti-Alvarez finds that putting green issues on the agenda makes financial sense.
Intel Capital sells shares in ClickandBuy
Intel Capital has sold its shares online payment provider ClickandBuy to Deutsche Telekom in a deal of undisclosed value.
August committs further £23m to bulk up First Call
August Equity has committed a further £23m to fund the merger of its existing portfolio company First Call Services to Active Assistance.
New govt body to manage financing for SMEs
The UK government announced yesterday the creation of a new national investment corporation, called the UK Finance for Growth (UKFG), to support SMEs in the UK.
Citigroup loses appeal to drop EMI suit
Citigroup has lost its appeal to dismiss Terra Firma's lawsuit, as US District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan rejected the bank's argument that dispute should be held in a UK court.
3i closes growth fund on €1.2bn; open to new investments
Further strengthening its position in the markets, 3i has just announced the final close of its Growth Capital Fund on €1.2bn, and has made it clear that the firm will continue to look for new investment opportunities.
Debt markets go full circle
With senior leverage loans on the secondary debt market trading at around par, investors are returning to the primary market. Emanuel Eftimiu reports
PEF appoints KKR's Huth to its board
Johannes Huth, head of the European operations of KKR, has been appointed to the board of the Private Equity Foundation (PEF).
Lexington Partners holds interim closing on $3bn
Secondaries specialist Lexington Partners has held an interim closing of its seventh fund, Lexington Capital Partners VII, on just over $3.1bn.
Clydesdale bulks up corporate team with two new hires
Clydesdale Bank has boosted its corporate & structured finance team in the south of England by appointing Tim Cussins and Catriona Murdoch as associate directors.