UK / Ireland

UK - Amadeus Capital Partners wins ECF award

Amadeus Capital Partners, one of the UK’s top technology venture capital firms, has won Government backing to establish an Enterprise Capital Fund (ECF). The Government funding of £6.5m will be put to work alongside £3.5m from private investors and...

UK - ECI to sell Kirker Holidays

ECI Partners is to sell the upmarket short break specialist it bought in 2003 for £15m, according to reports in today's Times. Kirker Holidays sells about 23,000 holidays a year and has a forecast turnover of £25m.

UK - Lion Capital expresses interest in Campbell soup brands

The Financial Times reports that Campbell soup has put its UK and Irish grocery brands up for sale at auction in order to allow itself to concentrate on overseas business. The auction has attracted strong interest from both trade buyers and private equity,...

UK - Sir Peter Vardy sets up new venture capital fund

The motor retailer, Sir Peter Vardy, has set up his own venture capital fund which will start operating this week with a £50m fund. Vardy Venture Capital will make investements of between £500,000 and £2m focusing primarily on his native north-east...

UK - Acquisition of Contour Showers Ltd by MST Capital

Contour Showers Ltd, the UK brand of specialist shower equipment for the elderly and special-needs markets, has been purchased by MST Capital, in conjunction with a new management team of managing director Tim Robinson and finance director David Whitehead.

UK - MFI Furniture Group Plc up for sale?

The troubled MFI retail outlets, which number 200 across the UK, may be sold by MFI Furniture Group which reported today that it had received expressions of interest for all or part of the business.

UK - GI Partners acquires group of London Thai restuarants

GI Partners, the US private equity firm most famous for the take-private of Yates pub company in 2004, has today acquired a number of oriental eateries in London, reports The Times. The deal worth approximately £20m includes restaurants such as Sri Thai,...

UK - ABN considering sale of lorry maker Dennis Eagle

According to reports in The Daily Telegraph today, ABN Amro Capital are contemplating a realisation of their investment in refuse lorry maker Dennis Eagle. ABN Amro Capital purchased the company from rival private equity firm Bridgepoint in 2004 for £51m.

UK - Barclays Ventures appoints new associate director

Barclays Ventures has announced the appointment of Emma Morris as associate director based at its London office. Emma (28) brings a wide range of experience in mid-market private equity and M&A, and recently completed a six month secondment with Barclays...

UK - HSBC's Studzinski set to move to Blackstone

Reports in today's Financial Times suggest that John Studzinski intends to leave his executive position at the world's third largest bank, HSBC, in order to become head of Blackstone's boutique corporate advisory business later this year.

UK - Williams de Broë strengthens M&A team

Williams de Broë has announced the appointment of Roger Clement as corporate finance director. He will be providing advice to small- and mid-cap companies on M&A services and other corporate finance.

UK - Partial exit for Candover from Acertec

Acertec starts trading on AIM today allowing Candover to realise part of its investment in the company. Candover participated in the 1999 take-private of the Solihull-based engineering company, investing £60m for a 95% stake. Following the listing it...

UK - RWE wants Thames Water to float

RWE, the German power group, would rather make its Thames Water subsidiary the subject of an IPO than sell it, according to today's FT. Long-term financial investors are still being considered but a flotation would be preferred according to Klaus Sturany,...