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Sino-French PE relations move forward
Chinese trade buyers, GPs and LPs are increasingly active in the French market as the number of funds with Sino-French strategies increases
Mid-market leverage continues upward creep
High price tags, limited assets and cheap debt are helping to push up leverage boundaries in the European mid-market once again
Dutch finance minister hails mature PE market
Wopke Hoekstra recently addressed parliament to endorse a social impact study by the University of Amsterdam, which was supportive of the impact of PE
DACH GPs consider alternative funding models
With three of the region's top five most active GPs investing from non-standard funds in 2017, some other GPs are also adopting alternative approaches
EQT sells Piab to Patricia Industries in SEK 6.95bn deal
Deal ends a holding period of two years for EQT after acquiring the company in December 2015
Carve-outs return to prominence in Nordic PE
Proportion of Nordic buyouts accounted for by spin-outs rise in Q1 after two years of lower than average activity
PE activity flourishes in Portugal as economy picks up
Companies with strong export focuses and internationalisation strategies are attracting investment from institutional fund managers
UK and Ireland small-cap soars amid general buyout lag
Overall UK buyout activity in Q1 is down by almost a third year-on-year, though dealflow in the small-cap space remains near record levels
GP Profile: Deutsche Private Equity
GP has deployed 44% of its third fund within 15 months of the vehicle holding its final close on €575m
CEE exit activity picks up in Q1 as buyouts drop
First quarter saw a significant drop in both buyout volume and aggregate value in the region, though the number of exits is up, year-on-year
Nordic buyout market soars in Q1
Acquisitions in the region reached the highest aggregate value ever recorded in the first quarter of the year
Benelux's biotech and pharma buyouts market in rude health
Buyout houses are becoming more attracted to assets in the Benelux biotech and pharma spaces, typically the preserve of venture capital investors
Japanese insurance companies eye DACH funds
Insurance companies in Japan are considering increasing their exposure to European funds, with DACH GPs most likely to benefit
French VC fundraising shifts towards sector specialisation
A number of specialist VC funds have held first or final closes in recent months, bringing distinct advantages and risks in equal measure
Consumer uncertainty sees retail feeling the pinch
PE-backed retailers are increasingly following casual dining chains in showing signs of struggling under the downturn in UK consumer confidence
PAI Europe VII closes on €5bn hard cap
PAI says it hits its hard-cap after only six months on the road, with a demand of more than €15bn
Italian election: uncertainty on the PE horizon
Italian election is the latest European electoral result to have raised uncertainty, though local players remain confident about PE activity
Mega-buyout volumes hit post-crisis Q1 high
Combined with Q4 2017, the past six months have represented the most active consecutive quarters for €1bn-plus buyouts since 2007
Impact agenda: Attracting institutional capital
Global PE firms are launching impact funds tailored to appeal to institutional investors
GP Profile: Triton Partners
Founder Peder Prahl talks to Unquote about the GP's turnaround approach and its funds' more pronounced J curves compared to regional peers
European corporates eye UK sales processes
International trade buyers are flexing their muscles in the UK market, with European corporates particularly active
Alternative lending thrives in the Netherlands
Only the UK, France and Germany have seen more deals involving alternative debt, with Netherlands activity growing 31% year-on-year in 2017
Q&A: Rutland’s Craddock on Aston Barclay and making partner
Special situations investor's newly appointed partner discusses the firm's evolution and its recent investment in the UK-based car auction business
LP direct investment: straight to the source
Limited partners are striking out on their own to source their investments directly, with numeorus new strategies emerging