News/Region
UK - GMT appoints industry advisor
GMT Communications Partners, a private equity group focused on the communications sector, has announced the appointment of Natalie Tydeman as an industry advisor.
GERMANY – 20/10 Perfect Vision AG receives EUR 13.5m financing
London-based NBGI Ventures has led a EUR 13.5m financing round for laser vision care specialist 20/10 Perfect Vision.
AUSTRIA/GERMANY - Buy_Out Central Europe II creates metals group
Three months after holding its first close, the Buy_Out Central Europe II Beteiligungs-Invest AG has acquired a majority stake in German foundry Buderus Giesserei Wetzlar GmbH and Austrian foundry Tiroler Röhren-und Metallwerke AG.
UK - Bridgepoint appoints dean of INSEAD to European advisory committee
Bridgepoint Capital has appointed J. Frank Brown, the dean of INSEAD, to its European advisory committee.
UK - Close Ventures makes £2.1m investment in Resort Hoppa
Close Ventures has completed an investment of £2.1m into travel company Resorthoppa Group Ltd (formerly Gardenswitch Ltd), a provider of airport transfers for holiday makers. Close Ventures takes a minority stake in the business.
GERMANY – Neuhaus Partners invests in FISHLABS
In a first round of funding, Neuhaus Partners has invested an undisclosed sum in 3D mobile games developer FISHLABS.
SWEDEN - HealthCap-backed company acquires pharma player
Swedish medical equipment manufacturer Orexo has acquired pharmaceutical business Biolipox for SEK 856m. Orexo AB has completed a listing on the O-list of the Stockholm Stock Exchange for a value cSEK 1.2bn in the end of 2005. HealthCap did not exit...
UK - Barclays appoints Walsh from Morgan Stanley
Barclays Capital has appointed Ramon Walsh as director of its leveraged finance sponsor origination team.
UK - BOSIF appoints new Scottish director
Bank of Scotland Corporate's Integrated Finance division has appointed John Duncan as regional director in Scotland.
US/SPAIN - Garrigues in NY office move
Law firm Garrigues has moved to its new premises in New York. The office is now located in the heart of Manhattan and the address is 780 Third Avenue, 40th floor.
SWEDEN - Ratos to list Bisnode
Ratos, the Swedish listed private equity firm, plans to list its portfolio company Bisnode.
SPAIN - Permira halts Dinosol sale
Permira has suspended the sale of supermarket chain Dinosol, according to Spanish press reports.
SWEDEN - SVCA statistics shows record exit activity
According to statistics from SVCA, the value of venture exits in Sweden have more than doubled in the first six months of 2007 with a 110% increase, for a total value of SEK 6.37bn compared to the same period last year.
UK - Gresham backs £110m+ SBO of Betts
Gresham Private Equity has backed the secondary buyout of toothpaste tube manufacturer Betts Global Ltd from Permira, Royal Bank of Scotland and the Bank of Scotland in a deal with a total funding package in excess of £110m. CIT Capital Finance has arranged...
UK - AAC acquires majority stake in publisher Ocean Media
AAC Capital Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Ocean Media Limited, the magazine publisher and exhibition organiser, from its current management team and institutional backers led by the Dublin-based private equity firm, Ion Equity. Completion...
FRANCE - EdRIP backs MBO of ADF from Gaz de France
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners has backed the management buyout of industrial maintenance business ADF from parent company Gaz de France.
SPAIN - Holmes Place still looking for a buyer
The Iberian business of Holmes Place is yet to find a buyer. Holmes Place-backers Mercapital, N+1/Dinamia and Portuguese fund Explorer had originally looked to sell the business during the summer.
ITALY - Bocconi receives EUR 90k in Claudio Albonico's memory
A group of private equity players and industrials have contributed to a fund totalling EUR 90,000 destined to sponsor outstanding students of Bocconi University. The fund was set up in memory of Claudio Albonico, the late manager of Mid Equity Partners...
UK - Barclays Private Equity completes £75.5m Hydrasun buyout
Barclays Private Equity has completed the £75.5m management buyout of hose and fitting company Hydrasun Group Ltd. Barclays provided bank debt to support the deal, which represents BPE's second since the onset of the credit squeeze in the summer. It...
ITALY - Banca Leonardo acquires Rasfin Sim from Allianz
Investment bank Banca Leonardo, the investment bank headed by former Lazard senior banker Gerardo Braggiotti, has acquired capital markets and corporate advisory Rasfin Sim from Allianz to boost its activity in that segment in Italy.
GERMANY - DZ Equity Partner invests in CleanCar AG
Frankfurt-based DZ Equity Partner has acquired a minority holding in carwash operator CleanCar AG from founder Dr Peter J Henssen for an undisclosed sum.
BELGIUM - Gilde Healthcare Partners portfolio company Ablynx to float
Gilde Healthcare Partners portfolio company Ablynx is going to raise new funds through an IPO and apply for admission of its shares to trading on Euronext Brussels this year, subject to market conditions. J.P. Morgan Securities and KBC Securities are...
ITALY - Clave Mayor acquires specialised shoemaker
Spanish small-cap house Clave Mayor has wholly acquired Italian specialised shoemaker Base Protection. The deal was conducted alongside Base's founder Antonio Diterlizzi and its distributor Fegemu.
EUROPE - WINNERS ANNOUNCED for Deutsche unquote” Private Equity Awards
Deutsche unquote” is delighted to announce the winners of the first ever awards for German Private Equity, held last night at the Renaissance Zurich Hotel, Zurich. The inaugural event immediately followed on from a day-long Congress dedicated to discussing...