Sector
CEE - Equest Investment Balkans acquires stake in Romanian electronics retail business
Equest Investment Balkans has acquired a 75% stake in Domo Retail S.A., a Romanian consumer electronics and household appliances retailer, through its 75% owned subsidiary Lynx Property B.V. A shareholders agreement will require Domo's founding shareholders...
NL - Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics raises additional EUR 5.67m
Venture-backed Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics has raised an additional EUR 5.67m from the partial exercise of an over-allotment option. The company had launched an IPO of 5,000,000 new shares on Euronext Amsterdam for an offer price of EUR 10 per...
FRANCE - CIC LBO Partners backs Sinéquanone
CIC LBO Partners has backed the buyout of Sinéquanone, a clothing chain with 220 retail points.
UK - Apax in the running for Loot?
Daily Mail and General Trust is reported to be selling classified advertising magazine Loot. Apax the co-owner of the Autotrader classified magazine brand with Gaurdian Media Group is understood to be interested in the title. Loot was valued at £190m...
UK - Private equity gears up for Ford's UK assets
One Equity Partners, Ripplewood Holdings and Cerberus Capital Management are amongst the private equity groups gearing up to make bids for Ford's UK assets. Ford is selling off Jaguar and Land Rover to slash its debts. Trade interest in the deal is limited...
UK - IQ Capital leads series-D funding round in OnRelay
IQ Capital has lead a Series-D funding round in OnRelay Inc. OnRelay is a London-based pioneer in fixed mobile integration with a patented market leading solution for mobilising corporate phone systems. IQ Capital invested alongside Richard Cunningham,...
NL - KKR cancels EUR 1bn loan to refinance Maxeda LBO
It is widely reported that KKR has cancelled its plan to raise EUR 1bn of loans to refinance Dutch retailer Maxeda BV . The loss of investor confidence in high yield debt is attributed to losses in the US subprime mortgage market.
UK - Qatari fund moves for Sainsbury
Delta Two, a fund backed by the Qatari Investment Authority is in talks with retailer J Sainsbury over a possible £12bn bid. It was reported in the Financial Times that a 610p-a-share offer had been tabled, but a statement released by Delta Two stated...
UK - HgCapital announces senior management changes
HgCapital has announced a series of senior management changes. After seven years as chairman, Leonard Licht will be retiring on 30th September. He will be replaced by current chief executive Ian Armitage. Frances Jacob becomes deputy chairman and will...
CEE - 3TS invests in Romanian Romprest Services
3TS has acquired a 30% stake in Romprest Services SA, the Romanian cleaning and facilities management group. The investment was made from the 3TS Central European Fund II in which 3i is the sole investor.
UK - Deloitte Corporate Finance appoints new manager to Southampton team
Shaun Gomm has joined Deloitte’s Corporate Finance Advisory team in Southampton as manager. Gomm has been providing corporate finance advice on transactions for Deloitte’s London office since 2001. He is a specialist in the leisure sector and has...
SPAIN - Magnum eyes construction business
Newly-established private equity house Magnum Industrial Partners is said to be nearing the final stages of the acquisition of civil construction business Eptisa. News reports suggest that the firm, currently fundraising for its EUR 800m fund, has the...
UK - Close Ventures leads £4.36m funding into Oxsensis
Close Ventures has led a £4.36m round of funding for Oxsensis, an industrial technology firm. Foursome Investments and existing investors also committed to the funding round. Oxsensis develops fibre-optic instrumentation for precision controls in harsh...
UK - LDC backs MBO of Kimberly Access
LDC has funded the management buyout of Kimberly Access Ltd, a business which rents powered access equipment. The deal represents an exit for the founder of the company. Royal Bank of Scotland provided debt to support the deal.
SPAIN - Ibersuizas receives attractive offer for Alcasa
Private equity firm Ibersuizas is said to have received an attractive offer for its stake in Aluminio Catalán SA (Alcasa) from industrial player Abengoa. Rumour has it that the auction process, led by corporate finance boutique Atlas Capital, also involves...
AUSTRIA - GCP appoints Christian Lutz as new venture partner
Christian Lutz has joined gamma capital partners as a venture partner. Lutz has more than 15 years of experience in the internet, media and telecommunication sectors. Prior to joining GCP, he was the general manager Europe for software company Qpass,...
UK - Providence re-enters the fray for Virgin Media
Providence Equity has expressed its interest in Virgin Media ten months on from its last play for the business. Providence was reported to be interested in bidding for the US-listed company in 2006 when it was known as NTL before its merger with Virgin...
CEE - Mid Europa Partners buys Medycyna Rodzinna from Enterprise
Mid Europa Partners has agreed to acquire up to 100% of Medycyna Rodzinna S.A. from Polish Enterprise Fund LP, the fund managed by Enterprise Investors, and several individual investors. The deal, expected to close in the second half of 2007, will be...
FRANCE - European Capital buys CEO's stake in Soflog
Market sources suggest European Capital has acquired a majority stake in industrial logistics business Soflog, currently backed by 3i, from its CEO Nicolas Nonon.
UK – LSE launches Specialist Fund Market to rival Euronext
London’s newest fund listing venue will be a hot spot on the private equity scene. By 1 November – when the new Specialist Fund Market launches – nearly every UK fund manager will have at least considered the advantages of a listing, according to...
UK - No boot in the door for Terra Firma
Terra Firma had attempted to acquire a stake in Alliance Boots as part of the equity syndication process. The banks which provided a £1.3bn equity bridge are now in the process of syndicating that equity, with Terra Firma understood to have offered to...
UK - Virgin Media seeks strategic buyer
It is understood that Virgin Media has appointed UBS to help it search for a strategic buyer. The UK communications giant has recently attracted private equity interest. Carlyle is reported to be undertaking due diligence ahead of a bid which could value...
FRANCE - XAnge and OTC AM invest in online household goods retailer
XAnge Private Equity and OTC Asset Management have injected EUR 3.3m in Delamaison.fr.
UK - Close Ventures leads £1.5m funding round for software company PSE
Close Ventures is pleased to announce that it has invested £1.5m into Process Systems Enterprise (PSE).