UK / Ireland
About face
At the time of going to press, the FTSE 100 had reached its highest point since early September 2008. Surpassing the 5,200 mark, it would seem it was the rally many had been hoping for, and indeed counting on: in the last few weeks, BC Partners became...
UK venture: Catching on
Recent government support and stronger returns are helping the UK venture market catch up with its US counterpart, but there is farther to go. Deborah Sterescu looks at what is in store for the industry this year
Growing returns
While many will spin off next year to set up smaller, growth-orientated investment houses, it will be because their financial-engineering worlds are crumbling. Others trod this path 10 years ago, even as their worlds were taking off in another direction....
UK - Midven exits Autochair; achieves 15% IRR
The HSBC UK Enterprise Fund for the Midlands, managed by Midven, has wholly exited its investment in driving aids provider Autochair Limited, generating a 2x return and an IRR of 15%.
UK - 3i non-exec Smith to retire
3i non-executive director Robert Smith is retiring from his role to focus on his position as chairman of the 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.
EUROPE - EVCA calls for new RCAP for 2020
The EVCA has today called for an updated Risk Capital Action Plan (RCAP) for 2020, an agreement originally launched in 1998, in an effort to offset the potentially disastrous consequences of the European Commission's AIFM directive on the finance industry.
UK - Nauta Capital leads £1.6m financing for Fizzback
Nauta Capital has led a series B funding round for customer feedback service provider Fizzback worth almost £2m, alongside Advent Venture Partners.
EUROPE - 3i partner McCallum leaves for KPMG
Advisory and accountancy company KPMG has hired 3i partner Blair McCallum to its firm.
UK - KPCB in D-round for Shazam
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) has invested an undisclosed value into Shazam Entertainment, a mobile music discovery application. Existing Shazam backers include DN Capital and founding investor Acacia Capital Partners.
IRELAND - Fountain Healthcare leads $70m Amarin financing
Existing backer Fountain Healthcare Partners has led a $70m financing for listed biopharmaceutical company Amarin Corporation, through a private placement.
UK - Palamon snags Candover's Owen Wilson as vice president
Palamon Capital Partners has hired Candover's Owen Wilson as vice-president of the firm.
UK - Hotbed appoints investment director
Private investor network Hotbed has hired Ed Henson as investment director in its commercial property division.
UK - Foresight expands environment team with new hire
Foresight Group has hired James Samworth as investment manager on its environmental investment team.
US/EUROPE - First Reserve Corp adopts UN's PRI
Energy-focused investor First Reserve Corporation has today announced that it has adopted the United Nations' Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), becoming the first energy-related private equity firm to do so.
EUROPE - Two senior partners leave Apax
It's election year and two senior figures have announced their resignation: no, not the UK's embattled Labour government, but global buyout house Apax Partners.
UK - Mangrove Capital invests $1.5m in Amuso
Mangrove Capital Partners has further invested in online cash trivia company Amuso in a funding round valued at $1.5m .
GLOBAL- Lionel Pincus dies
Lionel Pincus, founder and former chairman of private equity giant Warburg Pincus, died Saturday in New York after a long illness.
UK - GI-backed Orchid may acquire Premium Bars & Restaurants
GI Partners-backed Orchid Group is said to be the preferred bidder to acquire Premium Bars & Restaurants from administrators at BDO Stoy Hayward.
EUROPE/US - GI Partners closes $2bn third fund
GI Partners has held a final close of its latest vehicle, GI Partners Fund III, on close to $2bn, representing more than a 35% increase from the size of its predecessor.
UK - Langholm Capital boosts team with two new hires
Mid-market investor Langholm Capital has hired Anthony Sills and Erik Blomberg as associates to the firm.
UK - Sofinnova Partners leads £4.5m round for Crescendo Biologics
Sofinnova Partners has led a seed funding round worth close to £5m for therapeutics company Crescendo Biologics, alongside Aitua, Avlar BioVentures and the Rainbow Seed Fund.
UK - Greenhill appoints managing director in London
Boutique investment bank Greenhill & Co has hired Gareth Davies as managing director to the firm's financing advisory and restructuring group based in London.
UK - Imperial Innovations et al. invest £1m into Plaxica
Imperial Innovations has led a £1m funding round for sustainable plastics company Plaxica, alongside Carbon Trust Investments and NESTA.