France
PE-backed Télédiffusion sells Finnish subsidiary
Télédiffusion de France (TDF), a French operator of broadcast towers backed by a private equity consortium, has sold its Finnish operation Digita Oy to First State Investments, the overseas investment unit of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
21 Centrale buys Cleor off Azulis
21 Centrale Partners has taken a majority stake in the management buyout of French jewellery retailer Cleor.
Intel Capital leads €6.5m series-C for Movea
Intel Capital has led a €6.5m series-C funding round for French technology firm Movea.
21 Centrale Partners creates outdoor accommodation group
21 Centrale Partners has created an outdoor accommodation group by merging its portfolio company Vacances Directes with newly acquired business Village Center.
UK dominant as European deal activity stumbles
The UK has reasserted its dominance as a European private equity market in 2012, racing ahead of the competition, according to figures from unquoteт data.
Equistone takes majority stake in Vivonio
Equistone Partners Europe has taken a 67% stake in German furniture maker Vivonio Furniture Group, a newco formed by combining Orlando Management-backed MAJA, Staud and SCIAE.
Azulis and Galia inject €15m into Bio-Clinic
Azulis Capital and Galia Gestion have invested a joint €15m in French medical analysis laboratory Bio-Clinic.
Equistone sells Kermel to Qualium
Qualium Investissement has acquired a majority stake in French fibre manufacturer Kermel from Equistone Partners Europe, which is understood to have reaped a 2.2x money multiple on the sale.
AXA PE acquires Fives from Charterhouse
AXA Private Equity has backed the management buyout of industrial engineering firm Fives Group in a deal that values the company at around €850m.
Hony and GCS named preferred bidders for Dexia unit
Chinese private equity houses Hony Capital and GCS Capital have teamed up to buy the asset management arm of Dexia in a deal worth €500m, according to reports.
French mid-market on the mend
At long last, activity in the French €100m+ buyout market showed signs of improvement in the second quarter. The Alain Afflelou and St Hubert transactions certainly helped: the former was acquired by Lion Capital in an €800m SBO in May, while Montagu...
Siparex takes 25% stake in Vulcain
Siparex has acquired a minority stake in the owner buyout of French building fixtures manufacturer Vulcain.
MBO Partenaires buys 80% of LMB
MBO Partenaires has taken a majority stake in the management buyout of French aerospace parts supplier LMB.
Blackstone France appoints chairman
Blackstone's special adviser Gerard Errera has been appointed as chairman of Blackstone France.
Rothschild closes first European secondaries fund on €259m
Rothschild has held a final close for its Five Arrows Secondary Opportunities III (FASO III) fund, exceeding its initial target of тЌ200m.
Activa's Ergalis acquires three businesses
Ergalis, a build-up platform created by Activa Capital, has acquired French temporary employment agencies and recruitment services businesses Action Beauté Cosmétique Interim, Action Assistance and Talentpeople.
Omnes Capital invests in Unafinance MBI
Omnes Capital (formerly Crédit Agricole Private Equity) has backed the management buy-in of French building security company Unafinance.
Perfectis exits Fasia Industries in trade sale
Perfectis Private Equity has sold its majority stake in French professional clothing business Fasia Industries to French strategic buyer Groupe Marck.
Seventure leads €2m round for Domain Therapeutics
Seventure Partners has led a €2m financing round for biopharmaceutical firm Domain Therapeutics, contributing half of the fresh capital.
Tikehau IM and Macquarie team up for debt programme
Tikehau Investment management and Macquarie Lending's corporate and asset finance group have partnered to offer debt funding solutions to French SMEs.
French fundraising: Out in the wild
French fundraising
Turenne Capital funds Cibex bolt-on
Turenne Capital has invested €2.5m in French real estate developer Cibex to partly finance its acquisition of Infinim.
Vespa Capital acquires Abylsen
Vespa Capital has taken a majority stake in French energy and technology consulting firm Abylsen.
Argos exits Roc-Eclerc
Argos Soditic has sold French funeral services business Roc-Eclerc to a private investor and the company's management after a seven-year holding period.