UK / Ireland
UK - 3i sells portfolio company CH4 Energy Ltd
3i has announced the sale of its portfolio company CH4 Energy Ltd, a privately owned, UK-headquartered E&P company to Venture Production Plc for EUR 224m (£153m). 3i has been involved with CH4 since its start-up in 2002. 3i provided the initial start...
UK - Back Pain Management Experts raise £250,000 from The Capital Fund
The RealHealth Institute, an independent healthcare company that offers expert advice and treatment for back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders, has raised £250,000 from The Capital Fund. The company’s management team will use the new funding...
UK - Pinsent Masons makes new appointment to corporate finance team
One of the leading corporate lawyers in the North West, Stephen Levy, is joining Pinsent Masons' Manchester team in a move which underscores the top-level reinvigoration of the firm's regional corporate practice.
UK - Latham & Watkins appoints new structured finance partner
Latham & Watkins has announced that Mark Nicolaides has joined the firm's London office as a partner in the finance department.
UK - Bridges Community Ventures backs Nottingham healthcare services company PHF
Bridges Community Ventures (Bridges) the UK’s first community development venture capital company announces its investment in PHF Services Ltd, a Nottingham based company that aims to revolutionise the market for the provision of healthcare practice...
UK - Graphite Capital backs further acquisition by Avery Healthcare
Graphite Capital has provided equity funding for the acquisition by Avery Healthcare of Hadrian Healthcare. Based in Gateshead, Hadrian has eight care homes for the elderly in North East England and is regarded as one of the leading operators in the region....
UK - European Capital to close UK deals
According to the Financial Times, European Capital is due to complete two management buyouts this week, whilst simultaneously being in talks with British Airways to purchase its Air Miles business.
UK - Permira acquires All3Media generating 5.5x returns for Bridgepoint
Permira has acquired a majority stake in All3Media from Bridgepoint in a deal which values the company behind Richard & Judy, Hollyoaks, Midsomer Murders amongst others, at £320m. The deal represents an exit for Bridgepoint which has made a money multiple...
UK - Light Blue Optics secures $2.5m seed funding from 3i-led consortium
Light Blue Optics, developer of industry-leading miniature projection technology, today announced the closing of a $2.5m seed funding round. 3i Plc, the FTSE 100 listed global venture capital firm, led the round, which also included investment from NESTA,...
UK - Phoenix acquires NFT Distribution
Phoenix Equity Partners announces that it has reached agreement on the proposed acquisition of the business and assets of NFT Distribution (NFT) from Northern Foods Plc in a £51.2m management buyout. Contracts have been exchanged and completion is expected...
UK - Caudwell phone group sold to Providence Equity Partners and Doughty Hanson
The Times reports that this week will see the official announcement that John Caudwell's mobile phone empire has been sold to Providence Equity Partners and Doughty Hanson.
UK - Private equity wants to muscle in on Severn Trent's planned IPO of Biffa
Severn Trent's planned IPO of its Biffa waste business later this year is no longer a certainty after a team formed by KKR and Apollo Management expressed an interest in acquiring Severn Trent. The bid for the company would be in the region of £5bn.
UK - Sun European Parnters sells light commercial vehicles company LDV
Sun European Partners, the European adviser to Sun Capital Partners Inc, has announced the sale of its affiliate LDV Holdings Ltd to GAZ International Limited. Under the deal, LDV, the specialist manufacturer of the multi award winning range of Maxus...
UK - Strathdon Investments launches secondaries venture capital fund
Strathdon Investments Plc, the technology investment company, has announced that it has formed a new LP fund with a major investor and that the first transactions have been completed. Strathdon’s subsidiary, Strathdon Finance Ltd, will manage the specialist...
UK - New developments in Birds Eye auction
The £1.2bn Birds Eye auction is reported by the Sunday Times to have a new competitor following the teaming up of Kerry Foods with Blackstone and JP Morgan Partners. Kerry Foods is Ireland's eight largest listed company and is one of the largest suppliers...
UK - Hermes set to acquire Beacon Bingo chain
According to a report in the Sunday Times, the private equity arm of Hermes is set to acquire Thomas Holdings, the parent company of the Beacon Bingo chain.
UK - Kennet Venture Partners sells Cramer to Amdocs
Kennet Venture Partners Ltd, a venture capital firm focused on the technology sector, had announced the sale of portfolio company Cramer to Amdocs, an industry leader in solutions that enable integrated customer management, for £205m ($375m). Cramer...
UK - LDC acquires digital dictation specialist BigHand
Digital dictation specialist BigHand is targeting rapid global growth after being bought by a management team backed by LDC. London-based BigHand supplies software that allows users to dictate directly onto their firm’s computer network from anywhere...
UK - Promethean Investments acquires Cambria Automobiles
Private equity firm Promethean Investments has invested £2.6m as part of the management buy-in of Cambria Automobiles Ltd (CAL) and Sudbury (Swindon) Ltd.
UK - First Reserve Corporation strengthens London office
First Reserve Corporation, a leading US-based private equity firm that specialises in the energy industry, has announced the strategic hire of Neil J. Hartley as director. He will be based at First Reserve International in London.
UK - Lazard's European private equity arm to close
The European private equity arm of Lazard, the investment bank, is to close before having the chance to do a deal. The investment bank pointed out that the private equity arm was not part of the listed bank, but instead was part of Lazard Alternative...
UK - Lovells' private equity practice boosted by hire of Alan Greenough
Alan Greenough is to join Lovells to head up the firm's private equity practice. Alan is currently a partner and head of the London private equity practice at White and Case. He will be joined by two senior assistants, Amit Nayyar and Keith Woodhouse.
UK - London University spin-out company raises £930,000 with help from The Capital Fund
IXICO Ltd, a London University spin-out company that has developed innovative software to automate the analysis of digital clinical images used in drug discovery and development, has raised £930,000. The Capital Fund provided £100,000, investing alongside...
UK - Endless acquires Peter Black
Peter Black, designer and supplier of footwear, cosmetics and gifts to Marks and Spencer, Tesco and Next has been acquired by Endless. Peter Black was taken-private in 2000 by its management team.