News
ITALY - Carlyle and Bridgepoint bid for Sia-Ssb
Reports suggest the auction for credit card processing business Sia-Ssb, which is being run by Citigroup, has received six non-binding offers, with buyout houses Carlyle and Bridgepoint thought to be among the bidders.
ITALY - MPS invests EUR 10m into Neomobile
MPS Venture has underwritten a EUR 10m capital increase in B2C mobile entertainment company Neomobile, taking a 16% stake in the business.
IRELAND - NCB holds first closing on EUR 75m
The Ulster Bank Diageo Venture Fund LP, managed by NCB Ventures, has held its first closing on EUR 75m.
FRANCE - Ouest Ventures to launch EUR 50m fund
According to reports, Ouest Ventures is to launch its second fund in November with a target of EUR 50m.
SPAIN - Mercapital's Vital Dent offer could be accepted
Market rumour suggests that Mercapital and Merrill Lynch’s EUR 500m takeover offer for Vital Dent, an operator of dental clinics, may be reconsidered after being initially turned down by the company’s owner as it is believed to have been the highest bid...
ESTONIA - Alta Capital in need of funds
According to reports, Alta Capital's real estate development arm is in need of EEK 500m to redeem bonds over the next few months.
CEE - Ex Oriente Lux hires Martin Kurz
Ex Oriente Lux, a fund dedicated to investments in Croatia, has hired Martin Kurz.
UK - Catalyst and RIT exit MessageLabs in USD 695m deal
Catalyst Investors and RIT Capital have wholly exited their investment in software company Message Labs Ltd in a trade sale to Amercian software business Symantec valued at USD 695m.
FRANCE - Somfy acquires Sirem
Somfy has acquired an 89% stake in Financière Nouveau Monde, the new holding company of pump and motor manufacturer Sirem, with the management team led by Nicolas Ciampi holding the balance of the equity.
BELGIUM - N+1 abandons Access deal
Spanish banking group N+1 has announced its intention to call off an agreement to acquire the 35% stake in fund-of-funds Access Capital Partners held by Finnish private equity firm CapMan, blaming the current general financial crisis.
SWEDEN - Initium et al invest SEK 4.5m into Medfield
A syndicate of investors, comprising Initium, K-Svets Ventures, Salhgrenska Science Park, Innovationsbron and business angels, has completed an investment of SEK 4.5m into Medfield Diagnostics, a medical device company.
FRANCE - 21 Centrale Partners sells AFU to Amlin
21 Centrale has wholly exited its investment in Anglo French Underwriters (AFU), an underwriting agent for Lloyd’s of London in France, to Amlin Plc, a UK based insurance and reinsurance company.
EUROPE - EVCA study reveals little improvement in tax and legal environment
The European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EVCA) has published its fourth Benchmarking study of European tax and legal environments, with the results revealing that there has been little overall improvement in conditions since the previous...
FRANCE - Chequers Capital acquires Cenexi
Chequers Capital, formerly Charterhouse France, has backed the buyout of pharmaceutical products manufacturer Cenexi from Hoffmann-La Roche (Roche). Chequers will take a majority stake in the business, with the management and mezzanine provider Indigo...
UK - Foresight hires two
Foresight Group has hired Mike Rand and Tom Thorp to its environmental team.
UK - Octopus invests £220,000 in 21Net
Octopus Ventures has invested ТЃ220,000 in broadband internet access provider 21Net.
UK - Taylor Wessing hires Jonathan Rogers
Taylor Wessing has appointed Jonathan Rogers as partner.
UK - IQ invests in Phonetic Arts
IQ Capital has invested an undisclosed sum in speech technology developer Phonetic Arts Ltd.
NETHERLANDS - Mentha acquires a majority stake in PBG
Mentha Capital has acquired a majority stake in PBG, a Dutch provider of diabetes and medical supplies.
FRANCE - 360º leads EUR 5m financing of E-Blink
360º Capital Partners has lnvested EUR 3.5m as part of a EUR 5m funding round for telecommunications company E-Blink, with returning investors I-Source Gestion and Alven Capital providing the balance.
UK - British Private Equity Awards Shortlist
unquote" is delighted to announce the Shortlist for the British Private Equity Awards 2008 . The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony being held on 27 November at тThe Roomт by the River in Londonтs Waterloo.
FRANCE - Apax seeking to divest Morgan
Apax Partners is reportedly seeking to exit its investment in Prêt-a-Porter fashion brand Morgan, with Emerisque, the investment company belonging to Lee Cooper owner Ajay Khaitan, believed to have shown interest in acquiring the business.
UK - Private equity interest in Creston
US-based private equity firm Cartesian Capital Group is believed to have declared an interest in acquiring Creston Plc, a London-listed marketing and communications agency.
CIS - Aureos invests USD 5m into Ala TV
Aureos Central Asia Fund has invested USD 5m into Ala TV, a Kyrgyz cable TV company.