UK / Ireland
UK - Private equity considered attractive succession solution
A new report conducted by Barclays Commercial Bank and the Institute of Directors has found that 21% of UK business owners and senior managers consider private equity to offer the best succession solution.
UK - AFM announces conclusion of MSIF Funds
Alliance Fund Managers (AFM) has announced a record year for investments in 2008 and the successful conclusion of its MSIF funds.
UK - AFM backs Hi-Craft acquisition
Alliance Fund Managers (AFM), through the MSIF Mezzanine Fund, has provided a mezzanine loan of £250,000 to support the management buyout of pet accessories manufacturer Petlife Ventures, which trades as Hi-Craft.
UK - Oxford and Pi announce partnership
Oxford Capital and Pi Capital have announced the formation of a strategic partnership.
UK - GMG confirms strong conformity with Walker guidelines
The Guidelines Monitoring Group (GMG), established in March 2008 to provide oversight on the Walker disclosure guidlines relating to portfolio companies, has published its first review, which found that the majority of the 30 portfolio companies reviewed...
UK - Braveheart and Scottish Enterprise back £1.2m Tayside investment
Braveheart Investment Group and Scottish Enterprise have participated in a £1.2m funding round for biotechnology company Tayside Flow Technologies, alongside Quayle Munro Holdings and Sir Tom Farmer and a debt investment from Royal Bank of Scotland.
UK - CVC appoints senior adviser
International buyout house CVC Capital Partners has appointed Larry Klane as senior adviser to the firm's global financial institutions team.
UK - BPE-backed Hydrasun acquires ATR
Barclays Private Equity has backed portfolio company Hudrasun, an oil and gas firm, in the acquisition of the hydraulics business of ATR, an oil and gas tool rental company.
IRELAND - Mianach leads EUR 1.25m RevaHealth funding
Existing backer Mianach Venture Capital has led a EUR 1.25m funding round for health clinic search engine RevaHealth.com, alongside Enterprise Ireland.
UK - Rutland promotes two
Rutland Partners has promoted Oliver Jones and David Wingfield to the position of investment director.
EUROPE - Value of buyouts plunges to five year low
The value of private equity-backed acquisitions across Europe fell to a five-year low in 2008 amidst continuing illiquidity in the debt markets and a worsening macroeconomic climate, dropping by 61% from 2007's record high of more than EUR 184bn to EUR...
EUROPE - Balderton holds $430m first closing of fourth fund
Balderton Capital has held the first close of its new $500m vehicle, Balderton IV, on $430m.
UK / US - SL bulks up Boston team
SL Capital Partners (formerly Standard Life Investments Private Equity) has appointed Whit Matthews to the role of investment manager for its Boston office.
UK - Catapult backs £800,000 Comply-Serve funding
Catapult Venture Menagaers has invested an undisclosed sum into software company Comply-Serve Ltd as part of an £800,000 funding round.
Rocky road
Never have crystal balls been hazier for the year ahead. Here several professionals share their views on what to expect for 2009
The rise and fall ... of the UK private equity market
unquote" reflects on the ups and downs the domestic market has seen since the newsletter began tracking it in 1992
UK - Seraphim invests a further £1.5m into TestPlant
Seraphim Capital has made a follow-on investment of £1.5m into software company TestPlant.
UK - MMC supports Neoss with £5.5m
MMC Ventures has participated in a £5.5m funding round for healthcare company Neoss Ltd, alongside Delta Partners, Medtronic and several high net worth individuals.
GLOBAL - LBPE agrees to buy back more shares
Lehman Brothers Private Equity Partners has amended the liquidition enhancement agreement from July 2008 to raise the amount of shares it can buy back.
UK - KPS to acquire Waterford Wedgwood
Reports suggest that US-based KPS Capital Partners is posed to acquire the assets of glass and china producer Waterford Wedgewood.