UK / Ireland
IRELAND - Bain Capital et al. to divest part of stake in Warner Chilcott
Bain Capital Partners, DLJ Merchant Banking, JP Morgan Partners and Thomas H Lee Partners are reportedly planning to sell off part of their stake in listed pharmaceutical company Warner Chilcott.
GLOBAL - Meidlinger Partners holds $15m first close of cleantech fund
Meidlinger Partners has reached a first closing of its cleantech fund, Meidlinger Partners Sustainable Investments, on $15m.
IRELAND - Hellman & Friedman acquires Web Reservations International
Hellman & Friedman has acquired online accomodation booking company Web Reservations International (WRI), owner of the Hostelworld online brand, for an undisclosed sum.
EUROPE - “We’re on our way to next boom”
Speakers at this morning's unquote" Italia Private Equity Congress in Milan stressed that deals done in the next few months will reap stellar returns, but warned that the downturn may in fact prove too short.
UK - Bridges leads £1m round for Call Britannia
Bridges Ventures, via its Social Entrepeneurs Fund, has led a £1m investment in customer contact centre business Call Britannia, alongside Big Issue Invest, management and the government's Future Jobs Fund.
UK - Maven reaps 50% IRR from sale of Cyclotech
Maven Capital Partners has wholly exited its investment in oil and gas company Cyclotech via a trade sale to M-I Drilling Fluids, part of the Houston-based M-I SWACO group, generating a return of more than 3x money and IRR of over 50%.
UK - Capital for Enterprise appoints deputy CEO
Capital for Enterprise, the UK Government's venture capital and loan guarantee business, has appointed Richard Hepper as deputy chief executive.
UK - Accel Partners boosts team with new hire
Accel Partners has hired Martin Gibson, formerly a partner with Atlas Ventures, as venture partner in the firm's London office.
UK - Fried Frank appoints partner in London office
Law firm Fried Frank has hired Mark Wesseldine as a partner in the firm's London office.
EUROPE - Capstone appoints associate partner
Placement agent Capstone Partners has appointed Louis de Saint-Marcq as associate partner.
EUROPE - European Parliament report slams AIFM Directive
A new report released today has heaped heavy criticism on the AIFM Directive for being "hasty" and "weak". Ashley Wassall reports.
UK - Risk Capital Partners appoints senior partner
Luke Johnson's private equity firm Risk Capital Partners has hired Michael Simmonds as a senior investment partner.
UK - Akin Gump boosts corporate team in London
International law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has hired Greg Hammond as a London partner in the energy and international corporate transactions practices.
IRELAND - Bank of Ireland seed fund launches
Bank of Ireland has announced the launch of the Seed and Early Stage Equity fund, a new EUR 26m vehicle designed to invest in Irish start-up and early-stage companies.
EUROPE - CBCF shakes up senior management
Close Brothers Corporate Finance has promoted Richard Madden, managing director and head of the media sector team, to CEO of the UK business, replacing Stephen Auselbrook, who had co-led both the European and UK businesses but will now focus on his role...
UK - HgCapital backs £178m MBO of Goldshield Group
HgCapital has backed the £178m management buyout of listed generic drugs company Goldshield Group.
UK - Accel and Index sell Playfish for up to $400m
Index Ventures and Accel Partners have wholly exited social gaming portfolio company Playfish via a trade sale to Electronic Arts for a consideration of up to $400m, including a $100m earnout.
UK - YFM makes follw-up investment in Cornish Sea Salt
YFM Group, via its South West Ventures Fund, has further invested an undisclosed amount in salt company Cornish Sea Salt Co.
UK - Nick Sanders joins Moulton's Better Capital
Reports suggest that turnaround veteran Nick Sanders is the latest to join Moulton's new turnaround start-up, Better Capital, as head of its portfolio operations.
UK - GI Partners backs Urban & Civic
Trans-Atlantic private equity house GI Partners has backed the establishment of UK real estate holding Urban & Civic.
UK - DN backs Target 250
Venture investor DN Capital has provided b2b technology lead generation business Target 250 with its first institutional round of funding.
UK- Permira in exclusive talks for Montagu's Survitec
Permira is reportedly in exclusive talks to acquire survival equipment maker Survitec from Montagu Private Equity, having gained sole access to the company's books in the last week.
UK- LDC refinances Ultimate Products with new debt from HSBC
LDC has agreed a refinancing of portfolio company Ultimate Products, a homeware merchandise supplier, that will see HSBC inject £15m of new debt facilities into the business.
UK - NorthStar leads £850,000 round for WorkCast
NorthStar Equity Investors (NSEI) has led a £850,000 funding round for online webcasting company The WorkCast Corporation.