News
UK - Spectrum Equity invests in Business Monitor International
US-based Spectrum Equity Investors has invested in research company Business Monitor International (BMI).
ITALY - Latham &Watkins strengthens finance practice
Latham & Watkins has appointed Riccardo Agostinelli as partner to its Milan finance practice.
NORWAY - FSN appoints COO
Norwegian mid-market buyout house FSN Capital has recruited Marianne Michelsen as COO and head of investor relations, replacing Ragnhild Skjævestad.
UK - Bridges Ventures exits Insurance Dialogue
Bridges Ventures has sold portfolio brokerage company Insurance Dialogue to trade buyer Equity Insurance Group for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - Blackstone and Lion Capital to sell Orangina
Blackstone and Lion Capital have announced that they are in discussions with Japanese drinks company Suntory regarding the sale of soft drinks producer Orangina Schweppes.
ITALY - Bridgepoint interested in Sia-Ssb
It is understood that European private equity firm Bridgepoint is preparing an offer for card processing business Sia-Ssb, which has been on the block since Autumn 2008.
UK - RCapital backs acquisition of Helena assets
Turnaround specialist RCapital has backed the company voluntary agreement (CVA) of troubled nightclub operator Helena Leisure Group.
SWITZERLAND - Novartis-backed Evolva acquires Arpida; prepares listing
Swiss biotechnology company Evolva, which is backed by a venture capital consortium including Novartis Venture, Aravis, Sunstone Capital and Dansk Innovationsinvestering, has acquired listed rival Arpida. The combined entity is to seek a listing on the...
ITALY - Crédit Agricole PE backs EUR 5m Elettrostudio funding
Crédit Agricole Private Equity, FCPR Capenergie fund, has backed an investment of EUR 5m into energy specialist Elettrostudio Energia.
UK - Synova Capital acquires ClearWater Care
Mid-market investor Synova Capital has acquired specialist care provider Clearwater Care for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - Ventech strengthen team
Venture investor Ventech has appointed Karl Naegler as a general partner in the firm's life science division.
FRANCE - EPF invests EUR 8m into EMG
EPF Partners has invested EUR 8m into online marketing company Etoile Media Group, taking a minority share in the company. The transaction was supported by debt provided by Société Générale and HSBC.
NETHERLANDS - Forbion and LSP lead EUR 9.5m arGEN-X investment
Forbion Capital Partners and Life Science Partners (LSP) have co-led a EUR 9.5m series-A funding round for biopharmaceutical firm arGEN-X, alongside KBC Private Equity, BioGeneration Ventures and existing shareholders Erasmus MC Biomedical Fund and Thuja...
SPAIN - Investindustrial acquires 50% stake in PortAventura
Investindustrial has acquired a 50% stake in theme park PortAventura from Criteria CaixaCorp, a Spanish listed vehicle controlled by savings bank La Caixa, via a EUR 95m capital increase.
GLOBAL - IPEV publishes updated valuations guidelines
The International Private Equity and Venture Capital Valuation (IPEV) Board published its updated version of the Private Equity Valuations Guidelines today. Significantly, the updated version highlights the importance of consistency with international...
GLOBAL - KPS tops up third fund by USD 800m
Turnaround specialist KPS Capital Partners has increased the size of its Fund III from its original USD 1.2bn to USD 2bn.
HUNGARY - Permira's BorsodChem eyed by Chinese chemical group
It is understood that Wanhua Industrial Group is in talks with Permira's BorsodChem to take an equity stake in the Hungarian business. According to reports, the Chinese chemical group has already acquired EUR 200m of the company's mezzanine debt from...
UK - Mid-Ocean exits Europackaging in pre-pack
Mid-Ocean Partners' Europackaging has been bought back by former owners the Majid family in a pre-pack administration agreement for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - Investors discuss future of PAI fund
PAI partners' investors are meeting up today in Paris to discuss the future of the investment house. The meeting follows the departures of chief executive Dominique Mégret and executive committee member Bertrand Meunier which triggered the key-man clause...
NORWAY - Investinor invests NOK 17.5m in OCAS for 9.6% stake
Norwegian state-owned venture fund Investinor has participiated in a share issue for Obstacle Collision Avoidance System (OCAS), investing NOK 17.5m for a 9.6% stake. Other investors include BKK, Follum Invest, Grande Ventures, START-Fondet, Teknoinvest...
UK- Inflexion's co-investment fund oversubscribed
Mid-market investor Inflexion Private Equity has closed its co-investment fund, which was oversubscribed on its hard cap of £75m.
GERMANY - DuMont and Tiburon lead stream5 funding
DuMont Venture and seed investor Tiburon Partners have led an undisclosed seven figure funding round for online video technology company stream5, alongside KfW and business angel Klaus Wecken.
GERMANY - IBB joins Affinitas GmbH backers
IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft invested in Affinitas, operator of the online dating portal edarling, in a second closing of the business' first funding round. The first closing included investments from Holtzbrinck Ventures and Rocket Internet GmbH.
ITALY - Foresight strengthens solar team with new hire
Environmental and technology-focused investor Foresight Group has bolstered its solar team with the hire of Diomidis Dorkofikis as investment manager in the firm's Rome office.