News
NORWAY - First Reserve and DOF bid for DOF Subsea
Norwegian Shipping Group DOF ASA has teamed up with First Reserve Corporation to put forward a cash offer for all the outstanding shares in subsea services contractor DOF Subsea at a price of NOK 39 per share.
GLOBAL - Permira appoints senior adviser
Permira has appointed David Williams, former CEO of SIG Plc, as senior adviser.
GERMANY - BPE-backed Eschenbach Group completes acquisition
Barclays Private Equity has backed portfolio company Eschenbach Group, a provider of eyewear and related products, in its acquisition of International Eyewear Limited, a UK-based manufacturer of eyewear and sunglasses, for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Eden backs USD 12.5m VOSS financing
New investors Eden Ventures and Paris-based XAnge Private Equity have joined existing backer Pyrford Enterprises in a USD 12m series-B funding round for unified communications service delivery software provider VOSS.
GERMANY – MIG leads EUR 5m Corimmun funding
MIG AG has led a EUR 5m series-A funding round for biotechnology company Corimmun Gmb. The round also included contributions from new investors GC Fund, Bayern Kapital and KfW Bank, as well as existing backers High-Tech Gründerfonds, Bio-M AG and SeedFonds...
FRANCE - Sigefi-backed Batilor completes merger
Sigefi Private Equity-backed construction company Batilor has merged with sector rival Babeau Seguin to form Groupe Performance Construction.
FRANCE - I-Source exits NETIA
I-Source has sold its stake in software developer NETIA to GlobeCast, a subsidiary of France Telecom.
EUROPE – European Parliament demands greater transparency
MEPs are demanding tough new regulations to force greater transparency from hedge funds and private equity groups.
SPAIN - Santander suspends fundraising for fund-of funds
Santander has suspended the fundraising of its fund-of-funds vehicle Santander Private Equity II due to a lack of interested investors.
UK - Camburn joins Deloitte
Deloitte has hired Liam Camburn as a new director in its private equity transaction services team.
ITALY - Sator acquires 40% of Baglioni Hotels
Financial group Sator has acquired a 40% stake in Baglioni Hotels in a deal valued at EUR 30m.
NETHERLANDS - Sitra joins Capricorn Cleantech Fund
Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra has commited EUR 10m to the Capricorn Cleantech Fund, which held its final close on EUR 100m last May.
UK - KCP opens Birmingham office and hires new investment manager
Key Capital Partners (KCP) has opened a new office in Birmingham and appointed Jonathan Lamb as investment manager in its Midlands team.
UK - Close Ventures invests £1.4m in healthcare business
Close Ventures has backed Prime Care Holdings Limited, a domiciliary care agency, with funding of ТЃ1.4m.
NETHERLANDS – Capricorn recruits three
Capricorn has hired Daniel von Scheven as investment manager.
IRELAND - Lightspeed leads USD 21m PCH funding
A syndicate of US investors, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and including Focus Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners, has invested USD 21m into supply chain management solutions provider PCH International.
NETHERLANDS - Unilever et al invest EUR 1.5m in BAC
A consortium of existing investors led by Unilever Ventures and FF&P Private Equity have invested EUR 1.5m in BAC, a company specialising in affinity purification of biological materials.
SWITZERLAND - Capvis and HgCapital join forces on KVT
Capvis and HgCapital have agreed a co-investment in industrial parts company Koenig Verbindungstechnik AG (KVT).
GERMANY – Munich Venture Partners leads Communology investment
Munich Venture Partners has led a second round of funding for software company Communology, alongside existing investors S-VC and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau and the company's founders.
GERMANY – High-Tech Gründerfonds supports SCHAD
High-Tech Gründerfonds has invested an undisclosed sum into SCHAD GmbH, a provider of mobile systems for observing and operating machine and plant controls, in a first round of institutional financing.
GERMANY - Clifford Chance bolsters Düsseldorf team
Clifford Chance has strengthened its tax and banking team in Düsseldorf with the appointment of Dr Marc P Scheunemann and Manfred Ziwey.
SPAIN - Private equity reports 37% drop
According to figures released by ASCRI, private equity investment during the first semester of 2008 totalled EUR 1.27bn, a 37% drop from the same period last year.
SPAIN - Thesan appoints four new executives
Turnaround specialist Thesan Capital has appointed four new executives, including three former Lehman Brothers employees.
ITALY - Figures suggest investment activity remains strong
Italian private equity does not appear to have slowed following last year’s record high figures, with the first semester of 2008 seeing investments totalling EUR 2bn recorded, according to preliminary statistics released by AIFI.