News
NETHERLANDS - Robeco to launch cleantech fund
It is understood that Dutch private bank Robeco has teamed up with Chinese company TEDA International Corp to launch Robeco TEDA Sustainable Private Equity Fund, a new vehicle focusing on cleantech and related products.
UK - Imperial and EF support £330,000 SSA funding
Imperial Innovations and EF Investments, alongside the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), have invested ТЃ330,000 into medical devices company Smart Surgical Applicances (SSA).
SWITZERLAND - BioMedPartners strengthens management team
Basel-based BioMedPartners has strengthened its management team with the addition of Dr Andreas J Schulze and the promotion of Patrick Burgermeister.
CEE - Linklaters appoints new head of EEMENA
International law firm Linklaters has appointed Stuart Salt as the new head of Emerging Europe, Middle East and North Africa (EEMENA).
FRANCE - Crédit Agricole PE backs Exosun with EUR 4.5m
Crédit Agricole Private Equity, through the Crédit Agricole PE Capenergie fund, has backed renewable energy business Exosun with an investment of EUR 4.5m.
GERMANY - Leonardo files EUR 5m lawsuit against management company
Leonardo Venture is suing its former management company, Leonardo Venture Capital GmbH, for damages totalling around EUR 5m on the grounds of alleged dereliction of duty.
AUSTRIA/NORWAY - GCP-backed Identec acquires TunnelCom
Gamma Capital Partners-backed Identec Solutions AG, an Austria-based supplier of industrial tracking and tracing solutions, has acquired Norway-based TunnelCom, a provider of automatic tagging solutions for the tunnel, mining, oil and gas industries....
UK - Kennet supports GoViral
Kennet Partners has supported video advertising company GoViral with a EUR 6.5m investment.
UK - Hermes hires head of European sales
Hermes has appointed Simon Ewan as director and head of European sales.
CZECH REPUBLIC - Odien interested in CSA
According to reports, Turkish/Czech private equity firm Odien is one of four parties that is thought to have presented a takeover bid for Czech Airlines, with press speculation putting the potential deal value at around CZK 5bn (approximately EUR 183m)....
DENMARK - Polaris holds first close on EUR 275m
Danish buyout house Polaris Private Equity has held a first of close of its third fund on EUR 275m.
DENMARK – Vækstfonden et al. invest DKK 11m into games developer
Government-backed Vækstfonden backed an DKK 11m investment into Playdead, a Danish business that develops the online game Limbo, together with CAT Science and FAHU.
UK - PIM appoints new CEO
Portfolio management specialist Principal Investment Management has appointed Hugh Titcomb as new CEO.
UK - Albion to move offices
Albion Ventures (formerly Close Ventures) is to move offices at the end of March 2009.
UK/ASIA - SJ Berwin goes East
SJ Berwin has announced plans to open a new office in Hong Kong covering China and East Asia, which will be headed up by new managing partner Daniel Liew.
LUXEMBOURG - Alter Domus expands Asian presence
Luxembourg-based Alter Domus, a provider of outsourced fund administration services, has acquired Asian rival Skye Fund Services.
UK - BLP hires new PE head
International law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has hired Raymond McKeeve to head up its private equity practice.
ITALY - Quantica to invest in Banzai
Quantica SGR is to invest an undisclosed sum into Italian web operator Banzai.
GERMANY - Merck launches strategic venture capital fund
Merck KGaA has launched Merck Serono Ventures, a venture capital fund designed to invest in biotech start-up companies in the company's core therapeutic areas.
UK/NETHERLANDS - A&M hires nine
Turnaround management specialist Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has hired nine advisers for its European financial institutions advisory services team, eight of which will be based in London and one in Amsterdam.
GLOBAL - Freshfields elects 14 new partners
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has elected 14 new partners, with the appointments taking effect from 1 May 2009.
GERMANY - Key leveraged team members leave Dresdner Kleinwort
Kai Gebauer, the managing director and head of leveraged finance for Germany and CEE at Dresdner Kleinwort in Frankfurt, has resigned together with the main part of his team, including vice-presidents Jennifer Kroehl and Paul Kim and associate Aileen...
UK - Zeus-backed XLN makes acquisition
Zeus Private Equity has backed portfolio company XLN Telecom, a telecommunications provider, in its acquisition of sector rival OneBillTelecom.
GERMANY – KKR and Permira to restructure ProSiebenSat1 debt
KKR and Permira are reported to have hired Houlihan Lokey to negotiate a restructuring of almost EUR 2bn of debt in portfolio broadcasting company ProSiebenSat1.