Sector
UK- ECI sells Anix IT
ECI Partners has sold Anix IT, a reseller of storage hardware and software solutions to Xploite plc for ТЃ10.45m.
FRANCE - Apax-led syndicate sells Cartesis to Business Objects
Apax Partners, Advent Ventures Partners, Caisse des Dépots et Placements du Québec and Partech International have sold their interests in finance and performance management software developer Cartesis, to business intelligence solutions provider Business...
UK - Creative Capital Fund backs performance company with EUR 2.53m
The Creative Capital Fund has led a EUR 2.53m fund-raising for The Creative Experience Company Ltd. The investment was led by Leisure and Media VCT Plc, which is managed by North Atlantic Value LLP, part of the J O Hambro Capital Management Group. The...
UK - Boots bidding war on
A bidding war has broken out for Alliance Boots, the FTSE 100 retail and pharmaceutical group. After KKR upped its offer for Alliance Boots to ТЃ10.90 per share in an attempt to see off a rival ТЃ10.85 per share bid from Terra Firma, Terra Firma trumpted...
FRANCE - EdRIP backs BestofMedia with hybrid deal
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) invested EUR 2m in equity in an a-typical acquisition financing deal, allowing online IT publisher BestofMedia to Tom’s Hardware Guide.
UK - Macquarie strengthens grip on UK communications sector with £1.9bn Airwave purchase
Macquarie is to acquire Airwave, the telecom network used by UK emergency services, from O2 in a ТЃ1.9bn deal. O2 is a subsidiary of Spanish telecom group Telefonica. The purchase by Macquarie was made through its Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund...
UK - Octopus backs novelty confectionary business with £5m of expansion capital
Octopus Investments has backed Sweet Cred Ltd, a branded childrenтs novelty confectionery business, with ТЃ5m expansion capital financing. Octopus was introduced to the deal by Acanthus, a London-based corporate finance firm. Based in Sidcup, Kent, Sweet...
UK - Lion Capital appoints Mary Minnick as partner
Lion Capital has announced that Mary Minnick will be joining the firm as a partner in May. Minnick comes from The Coca-Cola Company where she has been for 23 years, having had world-wide responsibilities in general management, strategy, innovation, marketing,...
NL - Cordys completes EUR 60m equity financing round
Cordys Holding BV, a provider of industry-leading business process management suite (BPMS) enterprise software, has announced the successful completion of a $ 80m (cEUR 60m) financing round. Argonaut Private Equity led the round with an investment of...
FRANCE - A Plus, CDC and Banexi Ventures invest EUR 5m in Brandalley
Online discount clothes retailer Brandalley has raised a EUR 5m second round of funding from A Plus Finance, CDC Entreprises (investing on behalf of state initiative France Investissement) and first round backer Banexi Ventures.
FRANCE - DeA Capital invests in Générale de Santé
DeA Capital, De Agostini's listed investment holding, will take at least 35% of Santé Sarl, a holding which indirectly owns 59.8% of French listed private healthcare group Générale de Santé.
UK - Hotbed exit from nursing home company generates 31% IRR
Hotbed has achieved an IRR of 31% from an exit from nursing home group Mimosa Healthcare Holdings Ltd. Hotbed has sold its 25% stake in the company, which it acquired in 2005 following a ТЃ5.15m investment in two tranches, back to the company and its...
NL - Van den Ende & Deitmers invests in Advance
The Crossmedia Fund of Van den Ende & Deitmers has acquired a 30% stake in Advance.
FRANCE - Crédit Agricole Private Equity invests in business mobility software
Sparus Software has raised EUR 3-4m in its second round of financing, from Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE) and AXA Private Equity (AXA PE).
UK - Terra Firma/Wellcome Trust to access Boots books
It is reported that Terra Firma, working in association with Wellcome Trust, are inches away from making an indicative offer for Alliance Boots, and being granted access to its books. The UK chemist and retailer, formed by a ТЃ7bn merger in 2006, is the...
DENMARK - Via Ventures Partners invests in Ebisu
Via Venture Partners has invested in Ebisu, a software company based in Copenhagen. Via Venture's interest was fuelled with Ebisu's new technology that provides solutions to log all internet trafic. The new European Union anti-terror legislation that...
SLOVAKIA - Penta acquires Slovak Privatbanka
Slovak private equity group Penta Investments has acquired a 73% stake in Slovak Privatbanka from Austria’s Meinl Bank. The transaction value has not been disclosed but the financial investor has indicated to acquire the remaining stake by end of 2007....
UK - Inflexion hires new assistant director
Inflexion Private Equity has appointed Anthony Bower to join its investment team as assistant director.
NL - Dutch House of Representatives questions private equity
Dutch politicians and leading private equity and hedge funds players yesterday convened at a round table conference, organised by the Dutch House of Representatives, to exchange ideas on the influence of hedge funds and private equity on the Dutch economy....
BELGIUM - KBC invests in Multi Media Services Groep
KBC Arkiv, the joint subsidiary of KBC Private Equity and Arkimedes, has invested in Multi Media Services Groep (MMS Group), a distributor of home entertainment products such as DVDs, audio CDs and games. No further details have been disclosed. This is...
UK - Cinven, Macquarie and Blackstone interested in BUPA hospitals
BUPA is to put its 26 UK hospitals up for sale. It is reported that Cinven, Macquarie and Blackstone have all shown interest in the hospital assets. The news follows rumours that certain private equity groups have considered a bid for healthcare insurer...
UK - Sun European Partners acquires Moben, Dolphin, Sharps and Kitchens Direct
Sun European Partners has acquired the HomeForm Group, the owner of home retailers including Moben, Dolphin, Sharps and Kitchens Direct in a secondary buyout deal of undisclosed value. The deal represents an exit for Phildrew Ventures which delisted the...
UK - Critical days for Sainsbury's bid
The likeliness of private equity acquiring Sainsbury's is in the balance today. With the Takeover Panel deadline set for this Friday, CVC is under pressure to up its latest 582p per share offer which is yet to be recommended by the company's board after...
FRANCE - Advent buys discount retailer Stokomani from Alpha Group
Advent International has backed the management of French discount retailer Stokomani in its buyout from Alpha Group. Stokomani is a major French end-of-line and big brand product stock clearance retailer, offering a range of 15,000-20,000 products in...