News
UK - Carlyle to inject £25m into IMO
According to reports, Carlyle Group is negotiating a restructuring with creditors of portfolio company IMO Carwash designed to allow it to maintain control of the business, in a deal that would see it fork out up to ТЃ25m in return for a significant write-off...
EUROPE - Debt-free deals see sharp rise in Q4
According to unquote" data, more than a quarter of the 237 buyouts completed across Europe in the last three months of 2008 contained no acquisition leverage, while in the beleaguered UK a staggering 40% of Q4 buyouts were all-equity deals.
FRANCE - Creathor Venture invest in Mobiles Republic
Creathor Venture has invested an undisclosed sum into mobile internet start-up Mobiles Republic in a first round of financing.
FRANCE/US - AGF, Balderton and Partech invest $9m into TVtrip
New investors AGF Private Equity and historic backers Balderton Capital and Partech International have invested $9m into TVtrip.com, an online hotel viewing site, in a second round of financing.
NORWAY - FSN hires debt professional
Norwegian buyout house FSN Capital has appointed Per Etholm as executive adviser with particular responsibility for sourcing debt and subordinated capital for future investments.
ITALY - Sator becomes majority shareholder in Banca Profilo
Sator Private Equity has invested EUR 110m into Banca Profilo as part of a capital increase, taking a majority stake in the bank.
UK - Inflexion reaps 1.5x money from sale of CHKS
Inflexion Private Equity has wholly exited healthcare performance benchmarking specialist CHKS Limited in a trade sale to Capita Group Plc, generating returns of more than 1.5x the investment. Capita cites the price tag for the deal as ТЃ11.6m.
AUSTRIA - Pontis- and uni-backed Alumonte files for insolvency
Pontis Venture and uni venture-backed ALUmonte Technologiefortschritt in Aluminium GmbH has filed for insolvency.
SWEDEN - STING Capital backs Cortus with SEK 2m
STING Capital has invested SEK 2m into renewable energy developer Cortus.
DENMARK - Danske holds second close on EUR 600m
Danish fund-of-funds Danske Private Equity has reached its EUR 600m target in a second close of its new fund, Danske PEP IV.
UK - Golden Gate sells stake in Micro Focus
Reports suggest that Golden Gate Capital is to sell its 22.3% stake in business software developer Micro Focus International Plc, in a deal that is thought to be worth approximately ТЃ117.1m.
UK - Gresham's London chief leaves
Gresham's London head Mike Henebery has left the firm "and will be taking a break before deciding what route his career will take in future" according to a statement.
EUROPE - Candover downsizes fund
UK buyout house Candover has become to latest large-cap investor group to succumb to the pressures facing firms at the top of the market by announcing a reduction in the size of its latest fund.
NORWAY - Herkules buys Tilbords from subsidiary
Norwegian buyout house Herkules Capital has acquired kitchen and interior products retailer, Tilbords, from Nordic Interior Group (NIG), a portfolio company in Herkules Private Equity Fund II.
FRANCE/US - CAPE leads $8m Bizanga funding
Crédit Agricole Private Equity has led an $8m investment into US-based software company Bizanga, alongside returning investor Galileo Partners.
IRELAND - Novartis et al. invest EUR 18m into Opsona
Novartis Venture Fund, Foundtain Heathcare Partners, Inventages Venture Capital and Seroba Kernel Life Sciences have invested EUR 18m in a second round of funding for biotechnology company Opsona Therapueutics.
FINLAND - Bridgepoint to de-list Terveystalo
Pan-European buyout house Bridgepoint has received acceptance from approximately 96% of shareholders of listed Finnish healthcare provider Terveystalo Healthcare Oyj for its EUR 2 per share takeover bid.
GERMANY - Lazard hires Doll
Lazard has appointed Alexander Doll as managing director in its German financial advisory business.
UK - Oaktree in Countrywide talks
Restructuring specialist Oaktree Capital is reportedly in talks with Apollo Advisers regarding the acquisition of a controlling stake in Apollo portfolio company Countrywide, a residential estate agency.
FRANCE/SPAIN - Elaia and Necotec form alliance
French venture capital firm Elaia Partners has formed a strategic partnership with Neotec Capital Riesgo, a Spanish investment fund that focuses on the technology sector through investments into Spanish and European venture capital funds.
LUXEMBOURG - Oostvogels appoints managing partner
Luxembourger law firm Oostvogels Pfister Feyten has promoted Frédéric Feyten to the position of managing partner.
ITALY - AXA PE takes minority stake in TRE & Partners
AXA Private equity has taken a 45% stake in TRE & Partners, a newly established holding company designed to invest in wind, hydro and solar projects in Italy, as part of a joint venture with Italian industrial group Tozzi.
FRANCE - CAPE and Alven back MonShowRoom with EUR 4.3m
Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE) and Alven Capital have invested EUR 4.3m into online retail company MonShowRoom.com in a second round of financing.
GERMANY - zouk leads EUR 10.4m funding round for Triton-Format
zouk ventures has led a EUR 10.4m financing round for water management specialist Triton-Format AG, alongside US-based investor group Meidlinger Partners.