Italy
Clessidra loses out on Telecom Italia
Italian private equity house Clessidra has lost out on national television network Telecom Italia as the company entered into exclusive talks with media firm Cairo Communication, according to reports.
Argos Soditic buys FIS and Antex
Argos Soditic has acquired a majority stake in Italian firms FIS and Antex, which operate human resources and finance and administration outsourcing services, through the newco Fahr Servizi.
Southern Europe unquote” February 2013
“The 2006 acquisition of Avio represented what today remains the largest leveraged buyout ever completed by a single private equity house in Italy,” says Roberto Italia, partner at European buyout house Cinven.
Ambienta plans €300m fund
Italian environmental investor Ambienta is looking to raise €300m for its second fund, according to reports.
Italy: Diamond in the rough
Diamond in the rough
21 Partners backs Farnese Vini
21 Partners has acquired a majority stake in Italian wine producer Farnese Vini, according to reports in the local press.
Video: Private Equity Partners' Fabio Sattin
Amy King talks to Fabio Sattin, founder and chairman of Private Equity Partners, about why Italy has struggled to attract foreign investment.
Principia backs Simplicissimus with €2m
Italian venture investor Principia has injected €2m into Simplicissimus Book Farm, a digital solutions provider for the publishing sector.
German Unicredit unit considers sale of PE stakes
HypoVereinsbank, the German unit of Italian bank Unicredit, is reportedly considering the sale of its private equity fund stakes in a stapled secondary transaction.
Orlando Italy buys struggling Fnac division
Orlando Italy has acquired FI Holding, the holding company of music and book retailer Fnac Italia, from parent company PPR.
Moleskine: a jewel in Italy’s crown
Moleskine IPO
AlixPartners promotes eight across European offices
Advisory firm AlixPartners has promoted three team members to managing director and another five to the position of director.
PPF Group regains control of private equity operation
CEE-focused financial services group PPF Group has acquired 27.5% of its own private equity funds business from Italian insurer Assicurazioni Generali.
Fondo Italiano backs Surgital with €11m
Fondo Italiano di Investimento has invested around €11m in frozen foods firm Surgital.
CVC buys Cerved from Bain Capital and Clessidra for €1.13bn
CVC Capital Partners has acquired Italian business intelligence provider Cerved from Bain Capital and Clessidra for €1.13bn.
Fondo Italiano backs Marsilli
Fondo Italiano di Investimento has injected €10m into winding and automatic assembly systems provider Marsilli & Co in exchange for a minority stake.
Fondo Italiano and EdRIP back Unitedcoatings Group
Fondo Italiano di Investiment and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) have injected €20m into coatings company Unitedcoatings Group.
Cinven sells Avio aviation unit to GE for €3.3bn
Cinven has sold the aviation business unit of Avio to General Electric for €3.3bn.
British PE firms circle Italy's Cerved
CVC and Permira have shown an interest in acquiring Milan-based corporate intelligence and rating agency Cerved, according to reports.
Southern Europe unquote" December 2012/January 2013
The sixth annual unquote” Italia Private Equity Congress took place in November at the Four Seasons in Milan, bringing GPs, LPs and advisers together to discuss the issues shaping the industry.
Video: AIFI's Innocenzo Cipolletta
Video: AIFI's Innocenzo Cipolletta
Futurimpresa backs Objectway with €10m
Italian investor Futurimpresa has made a €10m equity injection into Objectway Financial Software, a provider of software and services to the financial industry, in exchange for a 30% stake.
Italy is different
While the doom and gloom settles in the rest of Europe, Italian private equity professionals advertise a cautious optimism despite decreasing activity in the country.
Principia backs MoneyFarm
Italian VC Principia has injected €2.65m into online investment advisory firm MoneyFarm.