UK / Ireland
UK - Infinity invests £2m in invoice discounting start-up
Infinity Asset Management has completed its first deal, investing £2m in invoice discounting and factoring business Positive Cash Flow Finance. Infinity's funding has been supported by a £25m debt package supplied by Lloyds TSB. Positive was established...
UK - Aberdeen invests additional £2m in Transys
Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital has completed a £2m follow-on investment in Transys Holdings Ltd, a rail maintenance business. Aberdeen originally completed the management buyout of the Birmingham-based company in 2002, investing £1.65m for a...
UK - YFM leads £630,000 BeCheeky investment
YFM Group has led an investment of £630,000 into BeCheeky.com, a specialist retailer of hard-to-find and selected mainstream lingerie.
EUROPE - CVC launches new infrastructure business
CVC Capital Partners has announced the launch of a new infrastructure investment business, with Stephen Vineberg appointed as chief executive.
UK/SWEDEN - Beringea portfolio company Espresso expands into Sweden
Beringea portfolio company Espresso Group, a provider of digital curriculum services, is to expand into the Swedish primary education market. The Group’s Espresso Education subsidiary has signed an exclusive agreement with Liber, a division of Infinitas...
UK - Close Brothers and Fleurets announce joint venture
European corporate finance house Close Brothers and Fleurets, a business and property services provider to the leisure and hospitality industry, have announced a joint venture that will offer advisory services for corporate acquisitions and disposals...
UK - Warburg Pincus sells LMG for £368m
Warburg Pincus has sold LMG, the owner and operator of the Nectar programme, to Aeroplan for a total consideration of £368m. Toronto Stock Exchange-listed Aeroplan is a leading loyalty marketing agency in Canada.
UK - Guy Hands slammed by former EMI artist
Guy Hands and Terra Firma "do not understand" the music industry, according to Ed O'Brien, the guitarist of UK band Radiohead, speaking to the Observer Music Magazine.
UK - Emap auction nears final stages
Apax Partners is understood to be the front-runner in the race to acquire Emap's B2B publishing division. Apax's offer includes financing from Guardian Media Group. Apax owns a substantial minority stake in Auto Trader publisher Trader Media Group, which...
UK - Cerberus and JC Flowers still in running for Rock
Cerberus and JC Flowers are still in the running for Northern Rock, the embattled bank. Virgin has been selected as the preferred bidder but it is understood that the two US private equity groups submitted revised offers on Friday and Chancellor Alistair...
UK - CBPE sells Fishers to BOSIF for £40m
Close Brothers Private Equity (CBPE) has sold linen service business Fisher Holdings for £40m to its management. The Fisher management team is being supported by Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance. CBPE achieved a money multiple of 2.9x on its original...
UK - Gresham backs expansion of financial services training provider
Gresham Private Equity has backed the management buyout of 7city Group Ltd (7city). Debt facilities were provided by Royal Bank of Scotland.
UK - Colliers Capital further strengthens senior team
Colliers Capital has announced the appointment of Bob Bowden as Chairman with effect from January 2008.
UK - LGV sells South Lakeland Group for £125m
LGV Capital has sold South Lakeland Group, the holiday park operator, to White Ocean Leisure for £125m. South Lakeland operates nine high quality timber lodge and caravan holiday parks situated in the Lake District and Morecambe Bay regions. Fallbarrow...
UK - WINNERS ANNOUNCED at unquote's third awards
Last night unquote" celebrated the achievements of the UK venture capital and private equity industry at its third annual awards. The London event was hosted by Channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow who presented awards to the eleven winners as follows. ...
UK - HURST expands corporate finance team into Manchester
Stockport-based HURST Accountants has announced the appointment of Nigel Barratt to head its rapidly expanding corporate finance team and oversee the launch of a new office in Manchester city centre, due to be opened in early 2008.
UK - Noble Fund Managers appoints new head of unquoted investments
Noble Fund Managers has announced the appointment of Paul Toon as head of unquoted investments, responsible for overseeing investments in private companies across Noble's range of venture capital and private equity vehicles.
UK - HgCapital stengthens consumer and leisure team with two appointments
HgCapital has stengthened its consumer and leisure sector team with the appointment of Jason Khaksar and Sophie Albizua.
UK - BOSGE acquires 13% stake in Red Spider
Bank of Scotland Corporate's Growth Equity team (BOSGE) has made an undisclosed investment in Red Spider Teachnology Ltd, a global supplier to the oil and gas industry. It has taken a 13.33% stake in the business following the deal.
UK - Ingenious and Eagle Rock join forces on Ground Level
Ingenious has announced that the Ingenious Music VCT 2 has joined forces with independent TV and DVD producer Eagle Rock Entertainment Ltd to form a new company, Ground Level Recording Ltd.
UK - ISIS backs On the Beach
ISIS Equity Partners has completed an investment into On the Beach, an online beach holiday retailer.
UK - Barclays Ventures exits ChipsAway in £20m deal
Barclays Ventures has achieved a 3x return from the disposal of Edwin Investments Ltd. The business, which trades as ChipsAway Group, is an automotive services franchise group. It has been acquired by Myhome in a deal worth up to £20m. The exit generated...
UK - Lyceum-backed SPI makes first acquisition
Lyceum Capital portfolio company SPI Group Ltd has acquired Octopus Electrical Ltd for an undisclosed sum. SPI is a supplier of services including installation, repairs, maintenance and support for the social housing sector. Octopus serves a wide range...
UK - SPARK supports $12m series-B funding for Vivacta
SPARK Ventures has completed a $1m follow on investment for Vivacta, an in vitro diagnostic company, as part of a $12m series-B funding round.