UK / Ireland
UK - Qatari fund moves for Sainsbury
Delta Two, a fund backed by the Qatari Investment Authority is in talks with retailer J Sainsbury over a possible £12bn bid. It was reported in the Financial Times that a 610p-a-share offer had been tabled, but a statement released by Delta Two stated...
UK - Endless grows its North West team
Endless has strengthened its team in the North West of England with the appointment of Neil Baishnab and Ian Plumb. Baishnab joins as associate director and will be based at Endless' Manchester office. He was previously at Ernst & Young. Plumb joins as...
UK - HgCapital announces senior management changes
HgCapital has announced a series of senior management changes. After seven years as chairman, Leonard Licht will be retiring on 30th September. He will be replaced by current chief executive Ian Armitage. Frances Jacob becomes deputy chairman and will...
UK - Walker review calls for annual reporting
Sir David Walker delivered his initial report today on disclosure and transparency in private equity and recommended all portfolio companies over a certain size report to an enhanced standard. Those companies valued in excess of £500m, acquired for...
UK - Octopus Investments appoints mezzanine manager
Octopus Investments has recruited Stuart Nicol to head up its mezzanine function, which has £50m to invest. Nicol joins following five years at The Capital Fund where he led 14 investments including Avanti, Mtivity and TXT4.
UK - Endless backs buyout of DavyMarkham
Endless has backed the management buyout of heavy engineering business DavyMarkham Ltd. The investment will underpin the company's turnaround and enable DavyMarkham to re-establish itself as a world-leading brand in the heavy engineering market.
UK - Deloitte Corporate Finance appoints new manager to Southampton team
Shaun Gomm has joined Deloitte’s Corporate Finance Advisory team in Southampton as manager. Gomm has been providing corporate finance advice on transactions for Deloitte’s London office since 2001. He is a specialist in the leisure sector and has...
UK - Hellman and Friedman to float Gartmore for £1.5bn
It is reported that Hellman and Friedman is to float fund management company Gartmore. The US private equity group acquired Gartmore in a £550m buyout in June 2006 from Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. According to sources, it is now seeking an IPO...
UK - Close Ventures leads £4.36m funding into Oxsensis
Close Ventures has led a £4.36m round of funding for Oxsensis, an industrial technology firm. Foursome Investments and existing investors also committed to the funding round. Oxsensis develops fibre-optic instrumentation for precision controls in harsh...
UK - LDC backs MBO of Kimberly Access
LDC has funded the management buyout of Kimberly Access Ltd, a business which rents powered access equipment. The deal represents an exit for the founder of the company. Royal Bank of Scotland provided debt to support the deal.
UK - ETF leads £13m investment in Metalysis
Environmental Technologies Fund (ETF) has led a £13m funding round for Metalysis, a technology business for the specialty metals industry. 3i, QinetiQ, Seven Spires, Chord Capital and Cambridge Capital Group also participated in the round. The investment...
UK - Bridgepoint floats Norcros valuing it at £116m
Bridgepoint has floated portfolio company Norcros on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. The 78p per share listing price represents a market capitalisation of £116m. Bridgepoint has seen returns of 2x its original investment and retains a 6%...
UK - NVM acquires Astbury Marsden in £17.5m deal
NVM Private Equity Ltd (NVM) has acquired Astbury Marsden, a specialist provider of recruitment services to the banking sector in the City of London, in a £17.5m deal. NVM invested £5.6m to facilitate the management buyout alongside debt provided by...
UK - Montagu acquires ghd brand from LDC
Montagu Private Equity has backed the £160m management buyout of the Jemella Group, the owner of the ghd hair straightening brand. The deal represents an exit for previous backers LDC who acquired the business in July 2006 for an undisclosed sum. Montagu...
UK - Fox-Pitt, Kelton establishes private equity arm
Investment bank Fox-Pitt, Kelton has launched FPK Capital, its new private equity arm.
UK - Terra Firma extends deadline for EMI shareholder acceptance
Terra Firma has extended the deadline for acceptance of its £2.4bn bid for record company EMI for the second time. Shareholders now have until 19 July to approve the recommended bid. It is anticipated that Warner Music, the rival music company, may step...
UK - Providence re-enters the fray for Virgin Media
Providence Equity has expressed its interest in Virgin Media ten months on from its last play for the business. Providence was reported to be interested in bidding for the US-listed company in 2006 when it was known as NTL before its merger with Virgin...
UK - LondonTechnology Fund backs vaccines for viruses technology
London Technology Fund (LTF) has completed an investment in Immune Targeting Systems (ITS) Ltd, a company which is developing vaccines for mutating viruses. LTF is participating in a £3.5m series-A funding round for ITS alongside Novartis Venture Fund...
UK - Enterprise Ventures backs radio frequency identification business
Enterprise Ventures has completed an investment in Merseyside-based CoreRFID Ltd, a radio frequency identification business. The investment was made on behalf of the Coalfields Enterprise Fund, managed by Enterprise Ventures on behalf of the Department...
UK – LSE launches Specialist Fund Market to rival Euronext
London’s newest fund listing venue will be a hot spot on the private equity scene. By 1 November – when the new Specialist Fund Market launches – nearly every UK fund manager will have at least considered the advantages of a listing, according to...
UK - No boot in the door for Terra Firma
Terra Firma had attempted to acquire a stake in Alliance Boots as part of the equity syndication process. The banks which provided a £1.3bn equity bridge are now in the process of syndicating that equity, with Terra Firma understood to have offered to...
UK - Virgin Media seeks strategic buyer
It is understood that Virgin Media has appointed UBS to help it search for a strategic buyer. The UK communications giant has recently attracted private equity interest. Carlyle is reported to be undertaking due diligence ahead of a bid which could value...
UK - Jonny Maxwell joins Allianz Group
John D. Maxwell takes over the position of global head of Allianz indirect private equity business in London. This new entity has been established in order to coordinate and further expand the existing private equity fund-of-funds business of Allianz...
UK - Advent's pharmaceutical portfolio company obtains new distribution rights
Speciality European Pharma Ltd (SEP), an Advent Venture Partners portfolio company has obtained distribution rights to Amphocil® for Germany, France and Italy. Amphocil® is a product owned by Three Rivers Pharmaceutical LLC and is presently marketed...