News/Nordics
SWEDEN - Segulah completes SEK 1.6bn take-private of Gunnebo
Segulah Stellata Holding AB, an investment vehicle managed by Segulah Advisor AB, has received acceptances representing more than 97% of shares and voting rights in Gunnebo Industrier AB for its SEK 1.62bn takeover offer and intends to initiate the compulsory...
GLOBAL - Carlyle’s Louis Gerstner to retire
Carlyle Group chairman Louis Gerstner has announced his intention to step down from his post next month after five and a half years at the job.
DENMARK - Vækstfonden et al inject DKK 6m in i-protect
A consortium of investors led by Danish government-backed investment fund Vækstfonden has invested DKK 6m in i-protect AS, a developer of locking and protection systems for lorry trailers.
UK/NETHERLANDS - Private equity interest in Reed Elsevier's trade publishing unit
Several private equity firms are thought to be among the 12 bidders that have made it through to the second round of the auction for publisher Reed Elsevier's business magazines unit, which is expected to fetch between £1bn and £1.25bn.
SWEDEN – AP Fund et al in USD 13m funding round for Xelerated
The Sixth Swedish National Pension Fund (the Sixth AP Fund) has led a USD 13m funding round for ASSP-based chipsets company Xelerated alongside existing investors Accel Partners, Alta Partners, Amadeus Capital Partners and Atlas Ventures.
US - Linklaters hires Jeffrey Schmidt for New York office
Linklaters has appointed Jeffrey Schmidt as partner in the New York office.
GLOBAL - Permira beefs up Asian presence
UK-based buyout house Permira has appointed longtime Goldman Sachs banker Henry Chen as its head for Greater China.
NORWAY - Tandberg in discussion with private equity firm
Norwegian video conference systems group Tandberg ASA has announced that it has been approached by a private equity player regarding a potential takeover offer. According to reports, analysts estimate a potential bid price to be around NOK 130 to NOK...
EUROPE - Earlybird closes new fund on EUR 127m
Earlybird has held a final closing of its new fund Earlybird IV, with investors from Germany, the US, Asia and the Middle East committing EUR 127m towards the early-stage financing of young, innovative companies.
EUROPE - Apollo and Lazard join forces
US buyout house Apollo Management and investment bank Lazard have announced a strategic partnership for private equity in Europe.
GLOBAL - Private equity investments drop 40%
A new report published by International Financial Services London has revealed that private equity investments have declined by approximately 40% in the first half of 2008 compared to the corresponding period last year.
FINLAND - Eqvitec holds first close of third mezzanine fund on EUR 64m
Eqvitec Partners has held its first closing of Eqvitec Mezzanine Fund III on EUR 64m.
EUROPE - RBS et al sell ABN assets for £156m
Reports suggest that Royal Bank of Scotland, alongside Fortis and Santander bank, has sold a portfolio of seven private equity assets controlled by ABN Amro to a consortium led by Goldman Sachs in a deal thought to be worth around £156m.
SWEDEN - Industrifonden and Eqvitec invest SEK 40m in Netadmin
Industrifonden and existing investor Eqvitec Partners have invested SEK 40m in an expansion funding round for Swedish software business Netadmin System i Sverige AB.
GLOBAL - Secondaries market set to grow as credit crunch squeezes returns
The private equity secondaries market could see strong growth in activity in 2008 in the wake of fears of underperformance in large buyout funds, with US private company exchange Nyppex estimating that total value could reach a record breaking USD 18bn...
NORWAY - Norvestor closes Fund V at EUR 236m
Norvestor Equity AS has held a final close of its new vehicle Norvestor V LP (Fund V) with total commitments of EUR 236m.
NORWAY - Herkules acquires Kraft’s snacks business
Herkules Capital has acquired the salted snacks business in the Nordic and Baltic countries of Kraft Foods Inc for an undisclosed sum.
GLOBAL - Blackstone forms cleantech group
The Blackstone Group has formed a cleantech group, which will both make investments and advise Blackstone portfolio companies on renewable energy strategies.
GLOBAL - Syndicate eyes up Rio Tinto Alcan division
A private equity syndicate comprising Eurazeo, Apollo, AXA Private Equity, TPG and la Caisse des Dépots are considering an offer for mining company Rio Tinto Alcan’s aeronautics and automotive unit, Alcan Engineered Products, which could value the...
FINLAND - Sentica Partners acquires Miratel
Sentica Partners has acquired a 52% stake in Miratel, a supplier of nurse-call and personal security to the healthcare sector, from three private investors.
WORLD - Blackstone opens Beijing office
The Blackstone Group will open a representative office in Beijing and has appointed Shan Fu, a former official with various economic bodies within the Chinese government, as its chief representative.