Sector
COMMENT: Despite criticism, buoyant mood prevails
Bigger funds, new supplies of capital from hitherto marginal players and growth of the market globally, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. If the results of a survey co-sponsored by Simmons & Simmons and Société Générale Corporate & Investment...
UK - BUPA next private equity target?
Market sources report that Temasek, the Singapore government investment group, is weighting up a bid for private healthcare provider BUPA. It is understood that at least one other private equity group may also be involved in a Temasek-led bid.
SPAIN - Catalan entrepreneurs create new firm
A group of Catalan managers, connected to industrial players Sacresa, Simon and Nutrexpa, have joined forces with Privat Bank to establish two private equity funds with investment capacity of EUR 20m each.
UK - The Capital Fund makes two investments
The Capital Fund has completed two investments. It has provided Iconium, a corporate governance and compliance software solutions-provider based in Horsham, with expansion capital of an undisclosed value.
UK - IMAC invests up to £4.15m in Community Television Networks
Ingenious Media Active Capital Ltd has completed an investment of up to ТЃ4.15m in Community Television Networks Ltd (CTN).
NORWAY - FSN Capital buys a 47% stake in private care company
FSN Capital II has agreed to acquire 47% of the shares in healthcare provider Norlandia Omsorg AS. The deal will enable Norlandia Omsorg to strengthen its market position and grow organically and via acquisitions.
UK - Cognetas ends talks with fashion retailer Alexon
Market sources report that talks between the independent directors of fashion retailer Alexon and a management buyout team have ended. The team, believed to be backed by Cognetas, failed to reach an agreement on price.
UK - Shackleton acquires four companies from 3i
Shackleton Ventures, the newly formed secondaries venture capital firm has agreed to purchase four investments from 3i. Shackleton was formed in July 2006 and can drawn on up to ТЃ20m of funds from its European fund-of-funds investor.
UK - Star Capital Partners in £141m flight simulator deal
Star Capital Partners has acquired two flight simulator operators for a total consideration of ТЃ141m. The investment is being made from its second infrastructure fund leading commentators to suggest that high demand for infrastructure assets is resulting...
UK - Apax-backed Incisive Media acquires VNU UK operations
Apax portfolio company Incisive Media has acquired the UK operations of VNU in a back-to-back transaction from 3i following its acquisition of VNU's European publishing interests. 3i completed the buyout of Netherlands-based VNU Business Media Europe...
UK - Modus Private Equity invests £8m in packaging MBO
Modus Private Equity has invested over ТЃ8m to back the management buyout of Mondi Speciality Packaging, formerly a part of Anglo American Plc.
UK - Ingenious appoints Kip Meek to its board
Ingenious, the media investment and advisory group, has appointed Kip Meek as a director to the board, effective from 1 May. Meek was until recently chief policy partner at Ofcom and was chairman of the European Regulatorsт Group. He will have a wide-ranging...
UK - TPG joins Sainsbury's bid team barring chance of rival bid
The CVC-led consortium preparing to launch an ТЃ11bn bid for Sainsbury's has added another member to its ranks. Texas Pacific Group, which had been in talks with Cinven and Bain Capital about a rival bid for the supermarket chain, now joins CVC, KKR and...
SPAIN - RCS makes EUR 1.3bn offer for Recoletos
Publishing group RCS, owner of Italian broadsheet Corriere della Sera, is reported to have made an offer of EUR 1.3bn for media group Recoletos.
FRANCE - AGF Private Equity leads EUR 6m funding in online brands retailer
AGF Private Equity (EUR 5m) and business angels (EUR 1m) have backed 24h00, an online retailer of branded clothing.
GREECE - Apax and TPG sell TIM Hellas to Naguib Sawiris
Apax Partners and Texas Pacific Group (TPG) today announced the sale of TIM Hellas Telecommunications S.A. the third largest mobile phone carrier in Greece, to Weather Investments, the vehicle owned by telecom tycoon Naguid Sawiris.
UK - Midven invests £250,000 in software company Gemba Solutions
Midven has invested ТЃ250,000 in Gemba Solutions Ltd, a provider of real time performance management software. The investment from its ТЃ20m Advantage Growth Fund gives Midven a minority holding in the company.
UK - Amadeus leads $10m funding round for Belfast-based Aepona
Existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners, Polaris Ventures and Trinity Venture Capital have participated in a $10m series-C funding round for Belfast-based Aepona. The new funding follows previous rounds in 2003 and 2005, bringing total investment...
FRANCE - Launch of Axonia Partners
Financial advisory boutique Axonia Partners has announced its launch. Axonia Partners is already working on several transactions, split equally between private equity clients and corporate clients.
UK - Close Brothers Corporate Finance boosts team
Close Brothers Corporate Finance has boosted its senior management team with the appointment of Henry Wells as a new director to its leisure and retail sector group.
FRANCE - Auriga leads EUR 8.4m second round for Theraptosis
Auriga Partners, Seventure, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, CDC Entreprises and industrial company Blue Medical have committed over EUR 8m in the series-B financing of pharma company Theraptosis.
SPAIN - Benchmark Capital Europe backs Internet business
Alongside telecom player Swisscom, private equity firm Benchmark Capital Europe is backing Whisher, a Spanish company launching the first social network powered by a Wi-Fi network.
UK - Bridgepoint- and LDC-backed Adams to avoid administration
Bridgepoint- and LDC-backed UK retailer Adams may have attracted a suitor that would save the retailer from administration, although the buyout houses are unlikely to generate any positive returns as a result.
UK - Private equity to try something new at Sainsbury's?
CVC, KKR and Blackstone are all reported to be pondering a take-private bid for supermarket giant Sainsbury Plc. Shares in the company rose to their highest level for eight years yesterday amid speculation of a take-over.