France
French PE players miss out on Gefco
French automotive constructor PSA Peugeot Citroen will sell its subsidiary Gefco, tipped as a potential LBO candidate, to Russian rail company RZD.
EdRIP takes stake in Alouette OBO
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) has taken a minority stake in the owner buyout of French radio station Alouette.
FSI Régions invests in Altec MBI
FSI Régions and venture capital firm MPcroissance have backed the management buy-in of French agricultural equipment manufacturer Altec.
French PE-backed Ludendo buys Hamleys
Ludendo, a French toy store chain backed by NiXEN Partners and other French private equity players, has acquired iconic UK-based toys retailer Hamleys in a deal believed to be worth ТЃ60m.
Initiative & Finance acquires Fil Rouge in BIMBO
Initiative & Finance (I&F) has taken a majority stake in the buy-in management buyout of French marketing group Fil Rouge.
French capital gains tax reform spells trouble for PE
The French government is pushing forward with an in-depth tax reform, as announced by new President François Hollande during the Spring election, which will see capital gains taxed at the same rate as income tax – a move likely to worry local fund managers....
HIG acquires Rio Tinto's speciality alumina business
HIG Capital has completed the acquisition of the speciality alumina business of listed company Rio Tinto.
Ciclad takes majority stake in Inovelec SBO
Small- and mid-cap focused GP Ciclad has acquired French electronic equipment manufacturer Groupe Inovelec alongside the group's founders and managers.
AXA PE and Capzanine arrange mezz for Village Center buyout
AXA Private Equity and Capzanine have arranged a €37m mezzanine facility for the buyout of French outdoor accommodation company Village Center by 21 Centrale Partners.
Intel et al. in €10m round for Sigfox
Intel Capital has joined existing investors Elaia Partners, Partech Ventures International and iXO Private Equity in a €10m funding round for French technology company Sigfox.
France unquote" July/August 2012
The matter is serious enough to be considered a top priority for French private equity association AFIC in the coming months: what can be done to boost French fundraising efforts in a particularly challenging market?
IK takes over AXA PE's Unipex
IK Investment Partners has acquired a majority stake in French speciality chemicals business Unipex Group from AXA Private Equity.
EdRIP backs Groupe DEFI spin-off
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) has taken a minority stake in the management buyout of French advertisement technology specialist Groupe DEFI.
Idinvest holds first close at €100m
Idinvest Partners has held a first close for Idinvest Secondary Fund at €100m.
Cathay Capital wins €150m Franco-Chinese mandate
French state-backed Caisse des Dépots et Consignations and the China Development Bank have co-funded a €150m investment fund to be managed by Franco-Chinese GP Cathay Capital.
FSI Régions backs Travel & Co bolt-on
Travel & Co, a French tour operator backed by FSI Régions, has acquired New Zealand travel specialist Nouvelle Zélande Voyages.
Lyceum's Access Group acquires Prelytis for €4m
British business software provider Access Group, backed by Lyceum Capital, has bought French business intelligence provider Prelytis for тЌ4m.
OpenGate buys Zodiac Recreational
OpenGate Capital has acquired French inflatable boats manufacturer Zodiac Recreational from its parent Zodiac Marine & Pool, a Carlyle portfolio company.
Initiative & Finance exits Nomadvance in trade sale
Initiative & Finance has sold its stake in French tracking technology specialist Nomadvance in a trade sale to Hub telécom.
AXA PE backs Place des Leads
AXA Private Equity has invested €3m in Paris-based data collection company Place des Leads in exchange for a minority stake.
Frieh Bouhenic to merge with DLA Piper
Global law firm DLA Piper is set to expand its French presence by joining offices with local boutique firm Frieh Bouhenic.
XAnge bolsters team
French growth capital firm XAnge Private Equity has hired Nicolas Debock as a senior chargé d'affaires.
AXA PE kicks it up a gear in 2012
AXA Private Equity (AXA PE) may have mainly attracted attention last year with the start of its spin-off from French insurer AXA, but the firm is letting its deal teams do the talking in 2012. Greg Gille reports
123Venture et al back Global Hygiène MBI
123Venture, A Plus Finance and Calliode have invested in the management buy-in of French paper products manufacturer Global Hygiène.