UK / Ireland
UK - Octopus opens office in Leeds
Octopus Private Equity has announced the opening of its first regional office in Leeds.
UK - Synergis appoints new director
Synergis Technologies Ltd has announced the appointment of Fiona Sterns as a director to the Synergis Board.
UK - Scottish and Southern Energy invests £2.7m InSource Energy
SSE Venture Capital Ltd, Scottish and Southern Energy's new corporate venturing vehicle, has invested £2.7m and acquired a 40% stake in InSource Energy, a bio-waste-to-energy business created by the Carbon Trust.
UK - Arts Alliance completes £50m exit from PrePay Technologies
Venture Capital firm Arts Alliance has fully exited its stake in PrePay Technologies Ltd through a £50m trade sale to Accor services, a subsidiary of quoted French company Accor.
EUROPE - HgCapital strengthens renewable energies team
HgCapital has announced the appointment of Jean Pararnaud and Jens Thomassen as associate directors and the internal promotions of Emma Tinker and Rob deLazlo.
US/UK - Bridgepoint sells JDR Cable Systems to Vision Capital for £90m+
Bridgepoint has sold oil services company JDR Cable Systems to Vision Capital for a consideration believed to be over £90m. Bridgepoint acquired JDR in 1998 for £36m and subsequently moved its headquarters from Aberdeen to Houston, US.
UK - Montagu exits IT software insurance company in £276m deal
Montagu Private Equity has realised its investment in Open International, the specialist software supplier to insurance brokers. Montagu acquired the Worcester-based business in March 2006 for £182m and sold it to privately-owned insurance group Towergate...
UK - Close Growth Capital backs SBO of Killby & Gayford from 3i
Close Brothers Growth Capital (CGC), the hybrid equity and debt finance provider, has backed the secondary buyout of specialist building contractor Killby & Gayford Group, from 3i. CGC is reported to have invested £13.35m for a significant minority equity...
UK - Tudor Group leads $6.5m additional series-A funding in Trutap
The Tudor Group, along with a group of angel investors, has led a $6.5m follow-on round of series-A venture funding in Trutap, provider of social networking services for mobile phones, bringing the total investment in the company to $13m.
UK - Smedvig Capital leads £4m investment in new drinks brand
Smedvig Capital has led an investment of £4m in new drinks brand SUSO Drinks Ltd.
UK - Risk Capital Partners acquires UK subsidiary of Borders Group
Risk Capital Partners has purchased national book retailers Borders and Books etc., UK subsidiaries of Borders Group, in a deal worth up to £20m.
UK - LGV completes £255m refinancing of healthcare business Craegmoor
LGV portfolio company Craegmoor Healthcare Group has refinanced its whole business securitisation with a £255m bank facility arranged by the Bank of Scotland. As a part of the refinancing, Craegmoor fully redeemed all the outstanding notes of Craegmoor...
EUROPE - H.I.G Capital opens new European offices
H.I.G Capital, a global private equity firm specialising in investments in small to medium sized companies, has announced the opening of offices in France and Germany.
UK - HgCapital strengthens renewable energy team
HgCapital has stengthened its renewable energy team with the appointment of Jean Perarnaud and Jens Thomassen as associate directors and the promotion of Emma Tinker and Rob deLazlo.
UK - RBS to sell train leasing business
Royal Bank of Scotland has hired Lazard to consider options for Angel Trains, the train leasing business it acquired in 1997 for £408m. The news comes at a time when train leasing companies are being investigated by the Competition Commission. Should...
UK - SVG announces three new appointments to fund selection team
SVG Advisers, the fund management and advisery subsidiary of SVG Capital, has announced the appointment of Owen James, Michael Nugent and Michael Roth to its fund selection team.
EUROPE - Deutsche unquote” Private Equity Congress & Awards – 11 October
unquote” is delighted to announce its second annual Deutsche unquote” Private Equity Congress & Awards on 11 October 2007, in Zurich. The Congress brings together industry experts to discuss how to stay ahead of the game in this dynamic region. Produced...
UK - Finance Wales invests £200,000 in cell preservation company
Finance Wales has invested £200,000 as part of a £400,000 first round of funding for Abcellute Ltd, a specialist developer of a new cell preservation platform technology which has spun out of Cardiff University.
UK - Primary Capital sees 2x return from Elisabeth the Chef exit
Primary Capital has sold cake manufacturer Elisabeth the Chef (EtC) to Senoble, a France-based manufacturer of dairy deserts. The value of the deal has not been disclosed although it is reported that Primary recouped 2x its investment.
UK - BVCA appoints Simon Walker as new CEO
The BVCA has appointed Simon Walker as its new chief executive effective from 1 November 2007. Walker joins from Reuters Group, where he was senior adviser to the chairman and chief executive. His past roles have included adivising Her Majesty the Queen...
GLOBAL - Mubadala buys 7.5% Carlyle stake for $1.35bn
Mubadala Development Company has bought a 7.5% stake in The Carlyle Group for $1.35bn in cash. The deal represents a 10% liquidity discount to the $20bn firm valuation that was agreed by both parties. The minority investment includes no associated voting...
UK - Barclays Private Equity acquires Camden Corporate Fleet Services
Barclays Private Equity has backed the management buy-in/buyout of Camden Corporate Fleet Services Ltd. National Australia Bank provided debt to support the deal.
UK - Sainsbury's books open to Delta Two
Delta Two has been granted access to undertake due diligence on J Sainsbury Plc, the supermarket chain it has been courting since July. Delta Two, a vehicle backed by the Qatari Investment Authority, won over the board of Sainsburys after promising to...
UK - Simon Palley to leave BC Partners
Reports suggest that Simon Palley, managing partner of BC Partners in London is to leave the firm before the end of the year. BC Partners is understood to be due to start fundraising for its ninth European fund shortly. It is currently investing from...