Analysis
What makes a good VC manager?
Dr. Katharina Lichtner of Capital Dynamics gives an insight into the process of selecting a venture capital fund manager
Public debt
Standard & Poorтs plans to publicly rate leveraged loan tranches in excess of тЌ1bn may help get the syndication market moving, but at what cost? Nathan Williams reports
Trouble brewing
Although there are signs that France is navigating the credit crunch, with the major French lenders still active, there is pain to come as portfolio companies struggle to avoid defaults, writes Nathan Williams
Q&A - Dr Henrik Fastrich, Orlando Management GmbH
Dr Henrik Fastrich is a managing partner at Orlando Management GmbH, which closed its Special Situations Venture Partners II fund (SSVP II) on EUR255m in November 2006. The fund focuses on complex spin-off situations or corporate carve-outs, succession...
A Pipe Dream Or Reality?
Andrew Carpenter and Mike Hinchliffe of Addleshaw Goddard on why PIPEs may make a lot of sense
Large buyouts on hold
For large buyout houses reliant on debt market liquidity, there are no magic solutions to put money to work and the best strategy may be to wait it out. By Nathan Williams
LP allocations still solid ... for now
Francois Rowell speaks to Helen Steers of fund-of-funds Pantheon Ventures, Antoine Drean of placement agent Triago, John Gripton of Capital Dynamics and Charles Diehl of Activa Capital Partners about current LP sentiments
Trade buyers regain lost turf
Private equity houses have had a fleeting supremacy over trade buyers, but with debt now harder to come by, the competition between private equity houses and trade buyers is more balanced
A private affair
With deal opportunities constricted, AIM and the FTSE 250 have become a more attractive hunting ground for investors
SMEs predict tough times ahead
Private equity professionals remain more optimistic about the state of the economy than the owners of the SMEs they are likely to target
Limited partner concerns
LPs are cautious yet still enthusiastic about the return potential of private equity. By Nathan Williams
Hard landing
The horror stories surrounding the commercial airline industry disguise a thriving sub-sector where opportunities for private equity abound. By Nathan Williams
Controlling leaks
new research suggests that leaks to the press can cost time and money and affect the certainty of deals. By Ashley Wassall
Forgive us our sins
Investments in alcohol, gambling and pornography businesses are attractive, but tricky from a PR point of view. Nathan Williams investigates
Politicking
Following the conflict between UK trade unions and private equity firms last year, and the subsequent negative media attention, came the recognition by the private equity community that it needed to engage with a wider stakeholder base. This should begin...
Doing deals
A number of high-profile litigation cases in the US have brought the spotlight firmly onto private equity deal structures, but how are transactions on this side of the Atlantic fairing? Ashley Wassall investigates
Adventurous Europe
European venture capital has often been seen as lagging behind North America and Asia, but this perception may be out of date. A struggling US economy means European exits are performing better, increasing US investors' enthusiasm for a mature sector....
Not all seconds are sloppy
More private equity-backed companies are growing the bottom line through top-line growth, not cost savings, and the best results stem from deals sourced from private, not public, owners - even if that's another buyout house. Kimberly Romaine reports on...
On the up ..
More generalists have entered the oil & gas industry of late, but the sector requires specialist know-how and has layers of risks with hidden traps for private equity investors. Cash-rich trade buyers are also competing effectively with financial sponsors,...
The problem with pension funds
With pension liabilities increasing buyouts of pension funds are on the rise, but what are the implications for private equity? By Ashley Wassall
Where to from here?
At the moment, more than ever, you can ask three experts for an opinion and get four different answers. In this unpredictable market, the role of corporate financiers has become crucial