Analysis
CEE Congress: regional banks lose ground to debt funds
Regional CEE banks are expected to lose ground to specialist debt funds in the local leverage market, according to a sentiment survey for the unquote” CEE Congress in London this morning.
Pledge funds not a panacea, says SJ Berwin's Sonya Pauls
Speaking at the annual unquote" CEE Private Equity Congress in London today, SJ Berwin partner Sonya Pauls highlighted the advantages of the currently popular deal-by-deal fundraising model, but also warned about its shortcomings.
Fundraising tales reveal market split
The post-crisis fundraising market may be deemed one of the toughest ever, but not all GPs can rely on the same formula to succeed, as Chequers Capital and Blackfin Capital Partners explained at the annual AFIC conference in Paris last week. Greg Gille...
Larger UK buyouts pick up in Q1
Larger buyout activity is picking up pace once again after suffering in late 2011, according to the latest finding of the unquoteт UK Watch, in association with Corbett Keeling.
Investindustrial nears €1.25bn hard cap
Southern European GP Investindustrial is in the final stretch of raising its fifth fund, with more than €1bn in commitments already. Kimberly Romaine reports
Tax breaks "not enough" to boost creative investments
George Osborne recently announced tax breaks for UK-based gaming, animation and high-end TV production as part of his latest budget. The move has been well-received by the creative industries, but one VC professional questions the impact its narrow focus...
CEE activity: bottomed out?
Next weekтs CEE unquoteт Congress will reveal reader sentiment for CEE prospects.
Lenders urge GPs to talk about refinancing
The well-documented 2014 “wall of debt” is pushing many GPs down the refinancing route. Easier said than done given the current lending climate – but early birds could stand a better chance of catching the proverbial worm. Greg Gille reports
Corporates make push into venture capital
As Europe’s newest corporate venture fund makes it first investment, figures suggest corporates are making a heavy push into early-stage financing. Greg Gille investigates.
PE-backed floats stage a comeback
The Ziggo float – and strong post-float performance – illustrates that PE can still pull off a strong exit on the public markets. Kimberly Romaine talks with Warburg Pincus’ Joe Schull about strategies for floating a business in today’s market.
Business Growth Fund: Myth versus reality
The newest kid on the block т made up of lots of the old boys in the industry т is struggling to make friends. People say the Business Growth Fund (BGF) is too big and too threatening. But is the BGFтs reputation warranted? Kimberly Romaine investigates...
unquote" regulation update: Dodd-Frank
In this week's unquote" regulation update, Anneken Tappe looks at the latest developments regarding the Dodd-Frank Act.
Queen abdicates, predicts "new peak" for PE
The departure of 3i CEO Michael Queen is the end of an era, but not the end of the industry.
LP Spotlight: Fondinvest Capital
Fondinvest Capital partners Charles Soulignac and Catherine Lewis La Torre talk to John Bakie about the demands of LPs in the post-crisis environment and the rapid growth of secondary fund investments.
Bank investments in PE down 69%
Anecdotal evidence highlights that PE houses cannot rely on banks and insurance companies to raise the bulk of their funds anymore. Data from French association AFIC backs this up with worrying numbers. Greg Gille reports
Hedge funds: A new source of dealflow
The credit crisis has left hedge funds holding on to unwanted equity stakes. Could this be a new source of dealflow for private equity buyers? Sonnie Ehrendal investigates
£14bn raised: but how to spend it?
European fund closes totalling nearly €14bn have been announced in the past fortnight. Deal data suggests it may be a bit much, and that not all are equipped to manage it. Kimberly Romaine reports
unquote" regulation update: Basel III
In this week's unquote" regulation update, Anneken Tappe looks at the latest developments regarding Basel III.
CEE: Gearing up for a busier 2012
Successes persevere in Central and Eastern Europe, despite subdued deal activity, and concerns over currency volatility and financing. Greg Gille reports
Lack of metrics stalls progress of social impact investment
The impact investment industry, which focuses on firms with a positive social impact, stands at a crossroads. Following the swift growth of microfinance, the most mature of impact investment sectors, the burgeoning asset class is emerging within venture...
Buyout recovery stalls at one third peak levels
Europeтs buyout market recovery stalled at just a third of the level seen at its peak, according to data from the unquoteт European Buyout Review 2012.
Exit volumes surge despite tough conditions
unquote” data shows that exit volumes surged in 2011 as private equity houses sought to satisfy investor demands, but it is uncertain if this trend will continue in 2012. Anneken Tappe reports.
unquote" regulation update: Solvency II
In this week's unquote" regulation update, Anneken Tappe looks at the latest developments in Solvency II.
French SBO boom: no end in sight?
France’s booming buyout market is being fuelled by a glut of SBOs. However, more primary deal activity will be needed to maintain the market’s momentum. Greg Gille reports