UK / Ireland
UK - Foresight invests £3.25m in @Futsal
Foresight Group has invested £3.25m in @Futsal Ltd, a facilities management company.
UK - LDC acquires Quantum Specials in £32.5m deal
LDC has acquired medicine supplier Quantum Specials in a management buyout valued at £32.5m.
UK - Vision Capital closes seventh fund on EUR 680m
Direct secondaries specialist Vision Capital has closed Vision Capital Partners VII an EUR 680m.
Allocation concerns dominant among LPs
A new report shows that the declining value of liquid assets and continuing dearth of divestment opportunities is resulting in increasing liquidity worries amongst limited partners. By Ashley Wassall
UK - August portfolio company acquires Beech Care and Nursing
August Equity-backed Enara Group has acquired Beech Care and Nursing Agency Ltd, a provider of healthcare related services, for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Lex approached private equity for buyout
According to reports, the management of car leasing company Lex is looking for private equity houses to back a management buyout from Lloyds Banking Group.
UK/US - Head of Citi PE leaves
The head of Citi Private Equity, John Barber, is leaving the firm after 14 years.
UK - Atlas Venture closes eighth fund at $283m
Atlas Venture has closed its eighth fund at $283m. Atlas Venture VIII will be invested in early-stage technology and life science start-ups in US and Europe.
EUROPE - McCreevy remains vague about PE regulation
According to reports, EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy still has reservations about regulating private equity firms, despite heavy pressure from MEPs and earlier promises made by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
UK - One NorthEast creates £125m fund
The Regional Development Agency One NorthEast has created a £125m to support the development of businesses in the north east of England.
UK – Denham Capital presents unsolicited offer to Polo
Market rumour suggests that Denham Capital Management LP has approached coal mining firm Polo Resources Ltd regarding a potential acquisition, with the offer said to fail to reflect the value of the companies assets.
EUROPE - Yea leaves 3i; Queen takes the reins
Philip Yea is to step down from his position as CEO of 3i with immediate effect, to be replaced by Michael Queen, formerly finance director of the group.
UK - Prices steady, deals down
According to the latest Private Company Price Index (PCPI), produced by accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward, sales of privately owned mid-market companies in the UK declined in Q4 2008 but prices remained stable.
UK - Albion makes first investment
Albion Ventures, formerly Close Ventures, has invested £2.5m as part of a £6.1m funding round into medical device company Forth Photonics, alongside Scottish Enterprise and current backer NBGI Ventures.
UK - RBS finds new chairman
Royal Bank of Scotland has appointed Sir Philip Hampton, chairman of supermarket chain Sainsbury's, as deputy chairman.
UK - TPG lets Lueken go
Reports suggest that TPG Capital has parted with Bastian Lueken, who was based in London.
UK - Falcon interested in Chelsea
Reports suggest that an international consortium of investors, including Swiss investor Falcon Equity and Abu Dhabi United Group, are considering a bid for UK Premier League football club Chelsea.