UK / Ireland
Private equity seeks solutions to uncertainty as coronavirus derails buyouts
Dealmakers are trying to keep the buyout show on the road as the coronavirus crisis overtakes the European market
Bowmark Capital invests in Focus Group
Additional funding of around £150m will be made available for the company's acquisition plan
Mobeus leads £3.5m round for Bella & Duke
Mobeus investment executive Joshua Henshaw will join the board of Bella & Duke
Coronavirus outbreak could lead to fundraising logjam, PE players warn
Industry participants contacted by Unquote expect negative ramifications for fundraising as well as deal-making activity
Failed auctions accelerate as sellers' market peaks – research
UK accounts for 54% of failed auctions since 2015, according to the Investec research
Advent-backed Rubix acquires Barlotti, Walter Gondrom
Unquote understands the acquisitions were not backed by fresh equity from the firm
TA- and Hg-backed Access acquires JMI-backed CoreHR
Alongside JMI Services, US-based private equity firm JMI Equity invested in CoreHR in January 2016
Limerstone buys Patricia Whites and Country Cousins for £14m
Grant Thornton was engaged to explore an auction process for the assets in December 2019
BGF and Coutts announce UK Enterprise Fund
Specific initiatives and programmes will be put in place to support female-led businesses
LDC acquires stake in healthcare company Ashtons
Founder Laurence Sprey will exit the company, with LDC backing the management team
Frontline closes FrontlineX fund on $80m
Frontlinex has already made investment in TripActions’ series-B and People.AI’s $100m series-C
Legal & General promotes Fitzpatrick to managing director
Fitzpatrick is expected to explore ways to deploy capital and enhance returns across alternatives
CVC Credit finances Sun European’s WesCom acquisition
CVC’s European Private Debt business will provide a senior term loan and acquisition facilities
Draper Esprit hires investment director in London
Hornung will focus on consumer internet, financial services and online marketplaces
Trustbridge Partners et al. in $41m series-B for FiveAI
Existing investors including Lakestar also back the UK-based autonomous driving startup
FPE-backed Optimity acquires Pebble IT
Optimity makes the acquisition using a mix of new equity from FPE and debt from Clydesdale
BGF exits Vysiion for 3x return
Founded in 1971, Wiltshire-based Vysiion offers products and services surrounding IT infrastructure
Oakley to acquire Globe-Trotter
Oakley intends to strengthen Globe-Trotter’s position in the luxury travel luggage market
Inverleith acquires Montane
Firm is currently investing from Inverleith Limited Partnership fund, which closed on €60m in 2018
Huntsworth board accepts £524m offer from CD&R
Takeover offer implies an entry multiple of 10.8x adjusted EBITDA of £48.4m
Podcast: In conversation with... Joe Moynihan, Jersey Finance
The inaugural episode in our new podcast series sees Joe Moynihan stop by to discuss how Jersey is positioned as a domicile for PE funds post-Brexit
Livingbridge appoints four in investment team
Announcement follows the recent appointment of two partners and seven investment professionals
GA leads $130m series-B for Immunocore
Five existing investors, including Eli Lilly and RTW Investments, take part in the round
EMK acquires Trustonic
GP is currently investing from its debut buyout fund, which closed on £575m in May 2017