News/Region
FRANCE – LBO France backs Tiama’s acquisition of SGCC
LBO France has backed a secondary LMBO deal in which its portfolio company Tiama Group acquired SGCC Group. The deal saw Atria Capital Partners exit its 90% share in SGCC. SGCC’s entire management team led by Luc Boulant joined Tiama’s management...
UK - Ingram Forrest makes two new appointments
Ingram Forrest Corporate Finance, the independent corporate finance arm of Barber Harrison & Platt, has announced two new appointments. Don Gray who was previously a corporate finance director in the firm has recently been promoted to partner and John...
SWEDEN - Northzone Ventures and Skirner buy Nordstjernan's stake in Climatewell
Skirner and Northzone Ventures have agreed to takeover Nordstjernan’s stake in Climatewell, a Swedish cleantech compnay, for SEK 100m.
SWEDEN - Investor Growth Capital invests EUR 5m in Keybroker
Investor Growth Capital, the venture capital arm of Investor AB, has injected EUR 5m in Keybroker, a Swedish search marketing company.
UK - Infinity Asset Management clinches three deals
Infinity Asset Management has clinched three investment deals in as many weeks. Infinity, a Manchester-based private equity house which launched in February 2007 with a fund of £20m, has invested undisclosed sums in three UK businesses. These are: construction...
SPAIN – La Caixa backs pharmaceutical company Omnia Molecular
Caixa Capital Semilla, the venture capital branch of La Caixa has closed an initial EUR 600,000 round of financing for antibiotics firm Omnia Molecular.
SPAIN – Mercapital still involved in pharmaceuticals auction
Mercapital is believed to be the only private equity operator still bidding for the Spanish branch of US Bentley Pharmaceuticals. The auction process began some six months ago.
GERMANY - CGS Management buys Rieter Automatik GmbH
CGS Management has acquired the pelletizing machinery business Rieter Automatik GmbH from Rieter Holding AG with retroactive effect as of January 1, 2008 for an undisclosed amount.
FRANCE – Sofinnova becomes shareholder in PC30
Sofinnova Partners has taken a shareholder participation in Paris Stock Exchange-listed IT solutions company PC30.
SWITZERLAND - Zurmont Madison Private Equity acquires SMB SA
Zurmont Madison Private Equity L.P. has acquired the metallurgy specialist SMB SA as part of a succession solution for an undisclosed sum. In the course of the change of ownership, Raymond-Jean Lacoste will join the company as of mid-March as the new...
UK - TLcom Capital reaches first close of second fund on EUR 50m
TLcom Capital has reached the first close of its second fund with the backing of IDeA, European Investment Fund, Access Capital Partners and Finlombarda. London-based venture investor TLcom's new fund, TLcom II, held a first close on EUR 50m and is targeting...
UK - H.I.G. backs £25m facilities management deal
HIG Europe, the European affiliate of HIG Capital has invested in Europa Facility Holdings (Europa), a facilities management company, as part of the first step in a buy-and-build strategy. The overall value of the transaction was £25m. As part of this...
UK - Montagu bid for Biffa safe after Terra Firma and Suez pull out
Montagu Private Equity's recommended offer for Biffa, the waste disposal group, is to go ahead uncontested after Terra Firma, which was thought to be preparing a counterbid alongside French utility group Suez, backed away from the deal. The Montagu-consortium...
GERMANY – Index Ventures & Wellington Partners invest $80m in Adconion
Index Ventures led a series-C round of funding for online advertising networks business Adconion Media Group, and was joined by existing investor Wellington Partners, with the total sum amounting to $80m.
AUSTRIA/FRANCE - 21 Centrale Partners and Quadriga inject capital into Palmers
21 Centrale Partners and Quadriga are backing Austrian women's underwear manufacturer Palmers Textil AG to acquire French company Lejaby SAS, for EUR 32.5m in cash, from US-based The Warnaco Group. A further interest-free note of EUR 12.5m is due by the...
UK - Charterhouse to acquire Giles from Gresham for £185m
Insurance broker Giles is to be acquired by Charterhouse in a £185m secondary buyout from Gresham Private Equity. Gresham bought Giles in July 2006 in a £45m deal.
UK - Candover poised to acquire stake in Towergate
Candover is in talks with Towergate about acquiring a 25% stake in the company. Candover previously backed Towergate founder Peter Cullum in a management buyout of Economic Insurance in 1994. According to reports, Candover could pay up to £850m for the...
FRANCE – Chequers Capital strengthens team
Chequers Capital has appointed four new associates. Axelle Dumousset and Xavier Morion both previously worked in the structured finance department of Société Générale since 2005. Xavier Poitevineau was previously working in BNP Paribas’ M&A and...
FRANCE - Pragma Capital closes second fund on EUR 345m
Pragma Capital has closed its second fund Pragma II on EUR 345m. The fund exceeded its target by EUR 45m. It will seek to invest between EUR 10m and 35m in companies with a value of between EUR 50m and EUR 250m.
UK - Close Ventures invests £1.5m in Opta Sportsdata
Close Ventures has invested £1.5m into Opta Sportsdata Ltd (trading as Opta), a European provider of sports data and analysis to media companies. The investment will be used to help grow sales in the existing business in the UK and the rest of Europe.
UK - Graphite acquires Kurt Geiger from BPE for £95m
Graphite Capital has acquired shoe retailer Kurt Geiger from Barclays Private Equity (BPE) for £95m. BPE had owned Kurt Geiger since Summer 2005 when it paid £46m for the business. Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland provided a debt package to support...