Consumer
EUROPE - 3i appoints two new non-executive directors; halves debt
Private equity group 3i has appointed John Allan and Alistair Cox as non-executive directors on its board, effective 1 September and 1 October respectively.
ITALY - IDeA acquires 65% stake in Soprarno
IDeA Alternative Invesments, backed by the De Agostino Group and Investitori Associati, has acquired a 65% stake of retail fund manager Soprarno Sgr.
UK - Bridgepoint considers IPO for Pets At Home
Bridgepointis reportedly considering a public floatation of pet retail chain Pets At Home, hoping to raise as much as ТЃ700m from the sale.
PORTUGAL - Carlyle and Crimson form real estate joint venture
Reports suggest that Carlyle Group has established a joint venture with Iberian real estate investor Crimson Investment Management.
UK- Apax-backed Emap to cut 35 jobs
Apax-backed Emap is reportedly to cut 35 jobs in its magazines division, Emap Inform, as part of a restructuring of the unit, which is home to titles including Retail Week and Broadcast.
UK - Equity Partners invests £20m into Moto
New Zealand-based investor Equity Partners Infrastructure Company has invested close to ТЃ20m in motorway service operator Moto, in exchange for a 17% stake in the business.
UK - CVC and TPG resign from Debenham's board
Debenhams' private equity backers, CVC and TPG Capital, have reportedly both resigned from the UK retailer's board after refusing to take part in the company's ТЃ323m cash call.
UK - Synova Capital appoints new investment director
UK growth capital investor Synova Capital has hired Ben Barnett as investment director.
UK - Apax-backed Emap loses senior executive
Publishing group Emap, backed by buyout house Apax Partners, has lost one of its senior managers: co-chief executive of Emap Data and Insight, Neil Bradford.
UK - EQT to inject £100m into SSP
Swedish private equity fund EQT reportedly plans to inject ТЃ100m of fresh equity into portfolio company Select Service Partners (SSP), Britain's largest railway food and beverage concession operator, which includes brands such as Upper Crust, Mille's...
EUROPE - Private equity interest in Thomas Cook
Both private equity and trade buyers are reportedly circling Thomas Cook, Europe's second biggest tour operator, after its majority stakeholder, German retailer Arcandor, filed for insolvency on Tuesday.
UK - Apax writes down investment in Emap
Buyout house Apax has reportedly written down to zero its investment in Emap, a business-to-business publisher with titles including Retail Week and Broadcast.
GERMANY/UK - 3i-backed Hyperion's subsidiary acquires Hendricks
3i-backed Hyperion Insurance Group's brokering arm, Howden, has acquired Hendricks & Co, a specialist directors and officers (D&O) and commercial legal expenses broker in Germany.
UK - CVC- and TPG-backed Debenhams plans £400m capital raising
CVC Capital Partners and TPG-backed UK retailer Debenhams is reportedly planning a ТЃ400m capital raising through a placing of shares to slash its ТЃ1bn debt pile.
UK - Synova-backed Lunan acquires NICA
Handbag and accessories business The Lunan Group, which is majority owned by Synova Capital, has acquired handbag brand NICA for an undisclosed sum.
CEE - PPF and Generali launch EUR 615m fund
According to reports, Czech investment group PPF and Italian insurer Generali have joined forces to launch PPf Partners, a new EUR 615m private equity fund targeting Central and Eastern Europe.
Corporate bees-iness
The downturn has hit all areas of private equity - including corporate finance. But despite a volatile market, corporate finance advisory firms are still keeping busy. Is this an indication of things to come? Deborah Sterescu investigates