News
UK - Debt advisory heads leave Houlihan Lokey
Unquote" can exclusively reveal that joint heads of European debt advisory at investment bank Houlihan Lokey William Allen and Jonathan Guise have left the firm. Their departures come less than two years after joining as managing directors when the firm...
FRANCE - Blackstone recruits new senior MD
The Blackstone Group has hired Jean-Manuel Richier as senior managing director in its Paris office. Richier joins from Citigroup where he was the deputy head of the French investment banking division.
FRANCE - Evolem power Evasol with EUR 2.2m
Evolem has taken a minority stake in Evasol, a solar installations company for EUR 2.2m.
UK- Walkers expands Jersey office
Global offshore law firm Walkers has expanded its Jersey office, which will see Ian Gobin and Charles Lee relocate from London.
NORWAY - Energy Ventures secures NOK 85m for top-up fund
Norwegian venture capital firm Energy Ventures has raised NOK 85m for a top-up fund for its Energy Ventures II KS fund.
GLOBAL - Freshfields appoints new head of global tax practice
Law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Cologne-based tax partner Stephan Eilers to succeed Murray Clayson as the head of the firm's global tax practice.
GERMANY - Kruemmer leaves 3i Germany
3i partner and managing director of the German-speaking business, Stephan Kruemmer, is leaving the firm for personal reasons to be replaced by Ulf von Haacke and Peter Wirtz.
CEE - What’s happening in Central & Eastern Europe?
Once the hottest destination for Western European GPs to access new markets, Central & Eastern Europe has firmly debunked the de-coupling theory when it comes to the economic crisis (see story below). Join unquote on 21 May in London for the third annual...
Global - SJ Berwin to open in Dubai
SJ Berwin has announced plans to open an office in Dubai later this year - the firm's first office in the Middle East.
UK - PUK Ventures et al. invest £1.1m into Monica Healthcare
PUK Ventures has invested £750,000 as part of a funding round totalling just over £1m for Monica Healthcare Limited, alongside Catapult Venture Managers, University of Nottingham and private investors.
UK - Carlyle and Net Partners exit bfinance
The Carlyle Group and Net Partners have wholly exited their investment in independent financial services consultancy bfinance through a management buyout led by chief executive David Vafai.
GERMANY - CMS Hasche Sigle hires Hartmut Papenthin
CMS Hasche Sigle has hired Hartmut Papenthin as a manager.
GLOBAL - Terra Firma to bid for AIG's aircraft leasing unit
Private equity house Terra Firma is reportedly one of three groups that will bid for American International Group Inc's aircraft leasing business, International Lease Finance Corp.
DACH – Target Partners II holds final close on EUR 113m
Venture firm Target Partners has conducted the final close of Target Partners Fund II on EUR 113m.
FRANCE - 360 and Gant invest EUR 1m into Vupen Security
360 Capital Partners and Gant & Partners have injected EUR 1m into Vupen Security, a security research company that advises on potential IT threats.
UK - LDC-backed Ultimate Products acquires Intempo
LDC-backed Ultimate Products, a homeware merchandise supplier, has acquired Manchester-based electronic equipment firm Intempo Digital for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - UFG PE invests EUR 5m into Arkadin
UFG Private Equity, via its funds FCPI Diadième III and IV, has invested EUR 5m into Arkadin, a provider of audio and web conferencing services, in a third round of funding.
UK - BLM Partners makes two senior hires
Alternative asset management firm BLM Partners has hired Jason Carley and Gero Wendenburg as partners.
EUROPE - Andrew Hartley makes secondary move
In a further sign of the sea change in the industry, August Equity founder and former managing director Andrew Hartley has joined Chamonix Private Equity, a direct secondaries player founded in 2006 when it took over a buyout portfolio from 3i.
UK - Sovereign-backed NFA makes three bolt-on acquistions
Sovereign Capital-backed National Fostering Agency (NFA) has completed three bolt-on acquisitions to expand its coverage across the nation: Children First Fostering Agency Ltd (CFFA), Alliance Foster Care Limited and Alpha Plus Fostering Ltd.
LUXEMBOURG/UK - Alter opens Guernsey office
Luxembourg-based Alter Domus, a provider of outsourced fund administration services, has opened an office in Guernsey.
EUROPE - 3i considers issuing new shares
3i is considering a rights issue in an effort to reduce its debt pile, which totalled £2.1bn in December.
AUSTRIA – Atlas co-leads EUR 14m ProtAffin financing
Atlas Venture and SR One Ltd, the corporate venture fund of GlaxoSmithKline, have co-lead a EUR 14m Series-B round of financing for biotechnology company ProtAffin AG, alongside existing investors Aescap Venture, Entrepreneurs Fund and Z-Cube.
GLOBAL - KKR delays merger with European fund, again
Reports suggest that KKR has again delayed plans to merge with its Amsterdam-listed fund KKR Private Equity Investors (KPE).