Consumer
UK - Balderton appoints new partner
Balderton Capital has appointed Dharmash Mistry as a new partner.
TURKEY – Turkven invests in Tekin Acar
Turkven has invested in Turkish cosmetics retailer Tekin Acar.
ITALY – Arca Imprese acquires 70% stake in clothing retailer
Arca Imprese has acquired a 70% stake in clothing retailer Finalba Store, with the remaining stake being held by the company’s founder Giancarlo Bassi, who will remain the company’s CEO.
UK - Bridgepoint buys back £10m of Fat Face debt
Bridgepoint has bought back ТЃ10m of the debt it used to leverage the buyout of clothes retailer Fat Face in 2007 from several creditors. This is the first deal of this kind known to be completed in the UK.
ITALY – Stirling Square and Sirius to acquire sportswear firm
Stirling Square Capital Partners and Sirius Equity have announced the acquisition of sportswear company Jeckerson from Blue Fashion Group in a management buyout valued at EUR 140m.
SPAIN – Amadeus and GIMV back USD 12m Openbravo investment
Amadeus Capital Partners and Belgian venture capital firm GIMV have invested in a USD 12m funding round for software company Openbravo, alongside Spanish firm Adara Venture Partners.
Changing times
Mid-market players have weathered the storm better than most but a post-CGT slowdown threatens to throw things into sharper relief
SPAIN - SES Iberia acquires majority stake in Salgar
Espírito Santo Capital and Sigefi Private Equity, through their common fund SES Iberia, have acquired a 52% stake in bathroom accessories manufacturer Comercial Salgar in an LBO valued at EUR 48m.
FRANCE – Activa takes 37% stake in Sport 2000
Activa Capital has acquired a 37% stake in sports retailer Sport 2000. The deal will lead to a demutualisation of the company's current co-operative structure and the regroupment of all 398 ‘co-op’ members to transform it into a private company structure....
GERMANY - Wellington Partners leads investment in Retailo
Wellington Partners has led a first round of funding for gift card company Retailo AG. The size of the round was not disclosed, but was described as 'significant'.
GERMANY - EQT Opportunity acquires Strauss Innovation
EQT Opportunity has signed an agreement with the shareholders of private label retail chain Strauss Innovation to acquire a majority stake in the company through a capital increase. The current majority owners, the Geringhoff family, will continue to...
UK - Morgan Stanley Private Equity hires two
Morgan Stanley Private Equity has appointed Jean-Philippe Barade and Alasdair Thomson as executive directors in its London office.
Ready for restructure?
An economic slowdown and tightened liquidity are putting strain on portfolio companies. Private equity houses will need to initiate effective restructuring or see turnaround players and activist investors swoop for distressed assets, writes Nathan Williams...
UK - Highland Capital invests in Autoquake
US-based Highland Capital Partners has led the ТЃ6m second round of funding in online used care retailer Autoquake alongside returning backer Accel Partners.
RUSSIA – Aurora Russia acquires Volzhski Universalny Bank
Aurora Russia has wholly acquired Russian Volzhski Universalny Bank (VUB) through its Cypriot holding Flexinvest. Of the £6.36m invested in Flexinvest, £4.52m was used to purchase VUB, the £1.87m balance was invested in the bank to cover post-acquisition...
High stakes
Venture may be set for good times, but success will continue to be lumpy and enjoyed by a limited number of players