UK Unquote
Have your say: UK Watch
With 2013 now behind us and market participants gearing up for a busy 2014, where do you see the UK market heading in the coming months?
Cook joins YFM as COO
Paul Cook, YFM Equity Partners
Baird commits £10.1m to Watkins Hire
Baird Capital has invested ТЃ10.1m in Watkins Hire, a provider of heating and cooling equipment rental services, in exchange for a controlling stake.
Inflexion reaps 3.5x on Optionis exit
Inflexion Private Equity has sold employment services company Optionis to MML Capital, realising a 3.5x multiple on its original investment.
TA Associates promotes two in London
TA Associates has promoted two of its London-based employees, Christopher Parker and Dietrich Hauptmeier, to the roles of managing director and principal respectively.
LPFA appoints Martin as CEO
Susan Martin, LPFA
Isis sells Kafevend to Eden Springs
Isis Equity Partners has sold Kafevend to Eden Springs, reaping a 2.5x multiple and an IRR of 13.8% for the Baronsmead VCTs.
Beechbrook backs Simply Biz and N-Sea
Beechbrook Capital has made two new mezzanine investments via its second fund, backing support services business Simply Biz and sub-sea infrastructure services provider N-Sea.
August Equity hits £200m hard-cap for Fund III
UK lower-mid-market investor August Equity has exceeded its ТЃ180m target to reach the ТЃ200m hard-cap for its latest vehicle August Equity Partners III.
Bowmark raises £375m
Bowmark Capital has hit its hard-cap of ТЃ375m for its latest fund, surpassing its initial ТЃ350m target.
Imperial increases investment in TopiVert
Imperial Innovations has injected a further ТЃ4.5m into existing portfolio company TopiVert, a UK-based developer of treatments for inflammatory eye and gut diseases.
Enterprise Ireland et al. back Metabolomic
Enterprise Ireland, SOSVentures and the AIB Seed Capital Fund have injected тЌ750,000 into the series-A funding round of Ireland-based Metabolomic Diagnostics.
Envestors pumps £900,000 into NRG
Envestors has led a ТЃ900,000 funding round for value-focused health and fitness chain NRG Gym.
News Corp pays €18m to boost video efforts
News Corp has bought Storyful, a Dublin-based social news agency backed by investors including ACT Venture Capital, for тЌ18m.
BGF signs Thames Card Technology deal
The Business Growth Fund (BGF) has committed ТЃ3.2m to Essex-based plastic card manufacturer Thames Card Technology (TCT).
Hogan Lovells promotes Whelan to PE co-head
Hogan Lovells has appointed London partner Tom Whelan as global co-head of private equity.
StreetHub raises $1.2m seed round
Index Ventures and Octopus Ventures have led a $1.2m seed funding round for StreetHub, an online platform for independent retailers.
Kurtosys secures $8m
London-based Kurtosys, a financial technology (fintech) software company, has raised $8m in its series-C funding round from Triangle Peak Partners and existing backer True Ventures.
BGF invests £4m in Palmer Hargreaves
The Business Growth Fund has invested ТЃ4m in Midlands-based marketing and communication agency Palmer Hargreaves.
Westbridge Capital reaps 3x on Mobile Computing Systems
Westbridge Capital has sold its stake in software business Mobile Computing Systems (MCS), generating a 3x money multiple.
Neil Woodford to join Oakley Capital
High-profile fund manager Neil Woodford is set to join London-based private equity and asset management business Oakley Capital.
BGF injects £6m into Medicina
The Business Growth Fund (BGF) has invested ТЃ6m in Bolton-based medical devices company Medicina.
Sovereign's Kindertons buys Plantec
Accident management firm Kindertons, backed by Sovereign Capital, has acquired Plantec, a UK-based provider of services to the motor insurance industry.
UK retail: who will be celebrating this Christmas?
As private equity continues to dominate the UK consumer sector, who is set to see soaring sales during the festive flurry? Alice Murray reports