Analysis
UK private equity's northern awakening
North of England is well positioned for substantial PE-backed growth in the coming years, accelerated by infrastructure investment
Placement agents: Adapt to succeed
Evolving fundraising landscape means placement agents are having to reinvent themselves to future-proof their offerings
GP Profile: Permira
Global large-cap investor closed its latest buyout fund on €7.5bn in February 2016, making three investments from it to date
GPs and non-execs: Partners through thick and thin
Recent reports have questioned the logic behind appointing NEDs to portfolio companies, though there is little sign of GPs changing their approach
Portugal boosts southern Europe's 2016 resurgence
Recent uptick in the country's buyout activity mirrors similar investor appetite seen five years earlier in Spain
How many more generalists can the Nordic PE market bear?
Competition for capital and assets in the Nordic region has skyrocketed to the point of possible oversaturation
UK consumer deals slump as GPs heed Brexit warnings
Strong consumer spending figures in the months following the EU referendum have not translated to increased PE investment in the sector
Quiet start to 2017 for DACH buyouts following Q4 flurry
Number of large German deals saw the DACH region outpace its European neighbours at the end of 2016, in terms of aggregate value
Deal in Focus: Ambienta reaps €330m on IPC trade sale
Trade sale of cleaning machine manufacturer marks the GP's largest exit since its foundation in 2007
In Profile: Ardian
Celebrating its 20-year anniversary in 2016, the GP has differentiated over time with funds covering multiple investment approaches
Debt advisory: Holding the cards in sell-side processes
Advisory firms often hold all the cards when pre-emptively introducing potential lenders to future sales processes
Debt advisory: Building bridges between sponsors & lenders
Debt advisory role is growing increasingly prevalent in the European mid-market private equity space
Nordic onshoring remains elusive without political assurances
Tax transparency in the Nordic region will only improve slowly without political assurances
New government may jeopardise Romanian progress
Results of December election follows year of record Romanian M&A activity and strong PE performance
In Profile: Apax Partners
GP closed its ninth fund in 2016 on its hard-cap of $9bn and recently made high-profile exits including the 2015 IPO of Auto Trader
Luxembourg the post-Brexit "jurisdiction of choice"
Country's RAIF structures, coupled with Britain's "wait and see" status, are luring more funds to Luxembourg
DACH GPs hunt for value following fundraising bonanza
With strong fundraising activity in the region, GPs must now find value in a challenging market
Deal in Focus: Wise backs Tapì's SBO
Italy-based bottle cap producer will adapt its expansion strategy to account for geopolitical developments in Central and North America
Belgium aiming to boost fintech investments
New Belgian-focused fintech initiative will develop close ties with London and bridge the gap between the UK and Europe
Deal in Focus: Cobalt makes 3.5x on TCS sale to Meeschaert
Vendor extended its holding period with LPs' blessing in order to fully implement its buy-and-build growth strategy
Building bridges between France and Africa
New BPI France and AfricInvest fund could incentivise French funds to increase investments on the African continent
Deal in Focus: Hannover Finanz backs PWK's MBO
An in-depth look at the GP’s acquisition of the German auto parts producer market
Italy aims to close the tech-transfer investment gap with Europe
As part of the Juncker Plan, EIF and CDP launched a €200m fund-of-funds to help finance Italy’s tech transfer
In Profile: Duke Street restructures Fund VI
Restructure and cornerstone fund paves the way for a new hybrid model