UK / Ireland
UK - Jefferies expands technology research team
Jefferies International Ltd, a subsidiary of US-based Jefferies Group Inc, today announced the appointment of Milan Radia as a Senior Equity Research Analyst, extending the firm’s global coverage of the software and IT services industries. Milan Radia...
UK - Terra Firma in partial exit from East Surrey Holdings
Terra Firma has sold ESP Pipelines Group Ltd for £225m to ABN AMRO Infrastructure Capital Equity Fund. The acquisition is being funded by a mixture of equity provided by the infrastructure fund and debt underwritten by Barcalys Capital.
UK - Thames Water opens its books for Terra Firma
The first round of bidding for Thames Water is expected shortly, after the Independent on Sunday reported RWE, the owner of Thames Water, will open the books of the company this week. It is understood that Terra Firma are interested in the deal and face...
UK - New soft drink manufacturer receives £69m from FF&P
Fleming Family & Partners (FF&P) is backing a start-up soft drinks manufacturer that has ambitions to become a leader in the Euorpean non-alcoholic beverages market, according to the Financial Times. FF&P is the private equity vehicle of the Fleming family,...
UK - Matrix backs £20m helicopter MBO
Matrix Private Equity Partners has backed the £20m secondary mangement buyout of British International Limited (BIL). Jonathan Gregory of Matrix led a syndicate comprising Finance Cornwall and Chrysalis VCT that has invested £5m of equity in the helicopter...
UK - Zopa gains additional $5m backing for transatlantic launch
Zopa, the first people to people marketplace for lending and borrowing, has received a further $5m financial backing from investors including Tim Draper, founder of US venture capitalists Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and the Rowland Family and adds to the...
UK - Launch of private equity marketing consultancy
Emma Payne has launched a marketing consultancy, EVP Marketing, providing services to private equity firms, their portfolio companies and their service providers. Having worked in all three areas, Emma spotted a huge opportunity for outsourced marketing...
UK - AIG strengthens European private equity team
AIG Global Investment Group (AIGGIG) has announced the appointment of Rhonda Ryan as a vice president and head of its private equity funds group’s London team.
UK - Catalyst makes London appointment
Catalyst Corporate Finance has strengthened its London office with the recruitment of Richard Holden, from RSM Robson Rhodes.
UK - Exponent Private Equity buys Trainline in £163m deal
Exponent Private Equity has announced the acquisition of Trainline, the leading online and call-centre rail retailer and information provider in the UK for £163m.
UK - Bank of Scotland Corporate backs MBO of VUE
Vue Entertainment, the UK's leading developer and operator of state-of-the-art cinemas, was yesterday sold by its controlling private equity shareholders to a management buyout team in partnership with Bank of Scotland Corporate, through its Integrated...
UK - HgCapital floats ClinPhone
ClinPhone, the supplier of technology solutions to the clinical trials industry, has floated on the London Stock exchange representing a partial exit for HgCapital.
UK - LDC backs the Apollo Group
LDC has backed the management buyout of Apollo Group Holdings, one of the UK’s fastest growing providers of property refurbishment services to local authorities, for an undisclosed sum. The investment has enabled the Waltham Abbey-based firm to buy...
UK - Bank of Ireland and Paul Capital Partners launch fund-of-funds
Bank of Ireland has established a joint venture with Paul Capital Partners (PCP), a leading US private equity specialist, to provide private equity fund-of-funds products and advisory services to institutional and other investors worldwide. The new joint...
UK - CriticalBlue raises $3.7m second round funding
CriticalBlue, a provider of tools for accelerating software in embedded microprocessor applications has announced the closure of its B round financing. The funding round was led by Herald Ventures and was fully supported by existing investors Pentech...
UK - Wound Solutions receives £5m funding from Hotbed and Octopus
A syndicate of investors, including Hotbed and Octopus Bioscience VCT have provided £5m funding to Wound Solutions.
UK - Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone court iSoft
The struggling healthcare software company, iSoft, is thought to be latest company to be weighed up by private equity with Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone all reported to be interested according to the Observer.
UK - Further activity in caravan park industry as LGV looks to buy South Lakeland
South Lakeland Caravans is reported by the Sunday Times to be in advanced talks with Legal & General Ventures (LGV).
UK - Terra Firma to bring energy business to the stock market with Alan Lovell's help
Terra Firma is understood to have hired Alan Lovell, the CEO of Jarvis who has overseen a period of restructuring of the group, according to yesterday's Sunday Times.
UK - Hedge fund threatens 3i's Mayborn acquisition
The hedge fund, Trafalgar Asset Managers, is threatening to block 3i's take-private of Mayborn Plc. Despite the deal having won approval from the Mayborn board and its largest shareholder, Trafalgar believes the 500p a share offer undervalues the company.
UK - Macquarie-3i consortium to outbid Goldman Sachs for ABP
It is reported in today's Times that the consortium led by Macquarie is likely to offer £2.7bn for Associated British Ports (ABP), outbidding the Goldman Sachs consortium's £2.53bn offer.
UK - Apax assess All3Media
All3Media, the television production company formed by three former ITV executives, is being assessed by Greg Dyke who is a consultant to Apax, according to The Times today.
UK - Anil Hansjee joins GP Bullhound
Anil Hansjee, previously at IDG Ventures, has joined technology investment banking firm GP Bullhound. He has over 15 years experience in the technology industry and has worked as an IT engineer, in IT corporate finance and, most recently, as a principal...
UK - Star Capital considers sale of PFI Investment Fund
Star Capital has appointed NM Rothschild in order to review the Secondary Market Infrastructure Fund (SMIF) that it bought in 2003 from Abbey National and Babock and Brown according to today's Financial Times.