UK / Ireland
UK - Grant Thornton appoints Simon Davies as partner
Grant Thornton has appointed Simon Davies as a partner in the firm's corporate finance practice taking place with immediate effect. The appointment comes on the back of a record year in 2006, during which the firm advised on 166 corporate finance transactions...
UK - Electra Private Equity to sell Capital Safety
Electra Private Equity is reported to be putting Capital Safety, the height safety equipment business, up for sale. It is thought the asset will fetch between £200-250m at auction with Permira and Advent International expected to bid.
UK - Barclays Private Equity sells Phase Eight to Kaupthing consortium
Phase Eight, the women’s wear retailer, has been sold by Barclays Private Equity, in a deal that values the company at £51.5m. Phase Eight has been acquired by an investor consortium comprising management, Kaupthing Principal Investments, the Tchenguiz...
UK - New ECF E-Synergy makes first investment
E-Synergy has made its first investment from its recently launched £30m Sustainable Technology Fund by providing Earthcare Products Ltd with £325,000. Earthcare is developing and commercialising new natural refrigerants that can enhance energy efficiency...
UK - Synergis invests £1.6m in cell encryption technology
Synergis Technologies has committed £1.6m in Cellcrypt, a company focused on secure voice encryption software for mobile phones and other mobile devices. Established in 2005, Cellcrypt is based in London with offices in California.
UK - NewMedia SPARK backs MarketClusters with $3m funding round
NewMedia SPARK has led a $3m series-A funding round for MarketClusters Ltd, developer of the 'StrategyWire' intelligence platform which enables corporates to accurately filter expert opinions created in blogs and news feeds.
UK - Rutland acquires ATM operator in £45.3m deal
Rutland Partners' portfolio company Notemachine Ltd has acquired TRM (ATM) Ltd, the UK operations of TRM Inc. for £45.3m. Notemachine, formerly Scott Tod was delisted from AIM by Rutland in September 2006 and TRM is a complementary business involved...
UK - Founder of Ingenious Media joins NESTA board
Patrick McKenna, founder and chairman of Ingenious Media and a leading figure in the creative industries, will join the 11-strong NESTA board of trustees. The board, led by chairman Chris Powell, exists to help NESTA shape and develop its strategy and...
UK – The Capital Funds injects £250k into LFH
London growth investor The Capital Fund has invested £250,000 in LFH Brand Identity, a print and design management agency. The funding will be used to procure new business, as well as to consolidate existing client relationships. The Capital Fund is...
UK - Blackstone, Bain, KKR and Carlyle boost BVCA
US-based Blackstone, Bain Capital, Carlyle and KKR have all joined the BVCA reflecting the body's important role in promoting the image of private equity.
UK - Ingenious VCTs back Peter Gabriel
Ingenious Media's two music VCTs have made a further joint investment, totalling £2m, to support the North American release of the next solo album of international artist, Peter Gabriel. The investment will be made through the formation of a joint venture...
EUROPE - European Buyout Review shows 2006 record year for private equity
2006 was a record year for European buyouts with the total value of deals topping over EUR 160bn for the first time ever, according to the latest European Buyout Review due to be published in March 2007 by Incisive Media in association with Bridgepoint....
UK - Braveheart invests £1m in NiTech Solutions
Braveheart Investment Group has invested approximately £1m in NiTech Solutions Ltd, a spinout company from Heriot Watt University, which has developed a patented mixing technology for process industries. The investment includes monies from the Scottish...
UK - Hutton Collins backs MBO of Windsor
Hutton Collins is backing the management team of Windsor, the insurance broker, in a take-private deal worth £33.7m. Hutton Collins is providing £15m in debt and equity financing alongside a £19m senior debt package supplied by KBC.
UK - Amadues, Accel and TVM invest $22.5m in Cambridge Broadband
Cambridge Broadband, the developer of carrier-class wireless transmission equipment for cellular backhaul, has raised $22.5m of funding. Taking part in this round were existing investors Amadeus Capital, Accel Partners and TVM Capital, together with new...
UK - Green Biologics awarded £560,000 to boost ‘Green’ Fuel Development
An Oxfordshire biotechnology company is set to develop a new low-cost ‘next generation’ biofuel, with £250,000 funding from the Department of Trade and Industry’s Technology Programme and £310,000 from shareholder investors and business angels....
UK - Nordic Venture Partners leads £5m funding for Player X
Mobile media company Player X has received a second round of venture funding provided by new investors Nordic Venture Partners and Long Acre Partners. This follows a first round of funding in 2005 from Arts Alliance and Bullion International.
UK - KKR looks at Pearson
Pearson the media group is the subject of buyout speculation. It is reported that KKR is weighing up a £7bn bid for the publisher of the Financial Times which has its core business in educational publishing.
UK - Wales Creative IP funds film
Flick, a new film directed by David Howard, has received funding from the £7m Wales Creative IP Fund.
UK - ABN AMRO Capital backs £70.4m buyout of TGI Friday's
ABN AMRO Capital, in association with US-based Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, has agreed to acquire 45 TGI Friday’s restaurants in the UK from Whitbread Plc. As the global leader in the casual dining industry, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide is the master...
UK - Clive Norton joins Helix from Goldmans
Jefferies International Ltd has announced that its UK affiliate, Helix Associates Ltd, the private equity fund placement agent, has expanded its capabilities with the hiring of Clive Norton as a managing director in the firm’s London office. Norton...
UK - Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital backs £17m MBO of Oliver Kay
Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital has led the £17m management buyout of Oliver Kay Ltd, a supplier of fresh fruit, vegetables, delicatessen products and sundries to hotels, restaurants and pubs.
UK - John Browne joins Apax advisory board
John Browne, the former chief executive of BP, has joined Apax Partners as chairman of its advisory board.
UK - Foresight invests for surge in online video advertising
Foresight Venture Partners has invested £2.5m in UTarget, the online advertising services company. UTarget has created the UK’s first online TV and video advertising network, serving full page TV-style ads on websites for major brand clients. A challenge...