News
SPAIN – Doughty Hanson acquires transport firm
According to reports, Doughty Hanson-controlled transport group Avanza has reached an agreement to acquire regional bus operators Alosa.
UK - Truphone raises £16.5m series-B funding
A group of investors has invested £16.5m in VOIP company Truphone. Backers include exisiting investors Burda Digital Ventures, Independent News & Media, Eden Ventures and Wellington Partners Venture Capital, as well as private investors.
CEE – RC II acquires 63% of Antares Hotels in EUR 8m deal
Reconstruction Capital II has acquired 63% of Romanian resort Antares hotel in a EUR 8m deal. The deal consisted of the acquisition of existing shares and subscription to new shares. This represents the first investment for Reconstruction Capital since...
WORLD - CVC closes $4.1bn Asia Pacific Fund
CVC Capital Partners has closed its third fund dedicated to investments in the Asia Pacific region, CVC Capital Partners Asia Pacific III, on $4.1bn. It is the biggest ever private equity fund raised in the region.
FINLAND - Borenius & Kemppinen gets new managing director
Borenius & Kemppinen has appointed Jari Vikiö as managing director. Vikiö succeeds Jyrki Tähtinen, who takes up the position of senior partner. Vikiö has been a partner at the law firm since 2001, heading its transactions practice group.
UK - Candover-led consortium makes £1.6bn bid for Expro
A consortium of investors led by Candover also comprising Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and AlpInvest has made a £1.6bn offer for listed oil-field services provider Expro. The offer values each share at 1,435 pence, a premium of 54.9 per cent to the...
CEE – Advent closes fourth fund on EUR 1bn
Advent International has closed its fourth fund dedicated to Central & Eastern Europe, ACEE IV, on EUR 1bn. It is three times bigger than the last fund raised by the investor. The new fund will invest between EUR 30 and 100m in companies across the region.
GERMANY - Blackstone divests its 25% stake in Gerresheimer
Blackstone has sold its 25% stake in Gerresheimer AG, a manufacturer of specialty products made of glass and plastic for the pharma & life science industry.
SWEDEN - SEB and Industrifonden back dental company
SEB Venture Capital and Industrifonden have backed Biomain, a Helsingborg-based dental company for an undisclosed value.
UK - Matrix backs buyout of Plastic Surgeon Fine Finishers
Matrix Private Equity has invested £2m to support the management buyout of Plastic Surgeon Fine Finishers, a provider of cosmetic surface repair services to the construction and housing industry. Matrix has acquired a 30% stake.
GERMANY - JC Flowers leads Hypo investment
A private equity consortium led by JC Flowers is poised to take a 24.9% stake in property finance group Hypo Real Estate (HRE).
UK - Risk Capital portfolio company acquires SignPost Solutions
Risk Capital Partners' portfolio company APT Controls Group has acquired manufacturer of traffic signposts SignPost Solutions Ltd (SPS).
UK - Piper invests in The Rug Company
Piper Private Equity has acquired a minority stake in rug designer and producer The Rug Company for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Elderstreet exits UM Holdings
Elderstreet has exited UM Holdings, the owner of U Mole, a provider of trenchless installation equipment to the utility market. VP Plc, a equipment rental specialist, has acquired the company.
SPAIN – 3i acquires minority stake in Unión Radio
3i has acquired a significant minority stake in Hispanic radio operator Unión Radio. The deal was carried out via a private placement and capital increase with an initial investment of EUR 125m, out of total commitment of EUR 225m.
UK - Octopus appoints rising star
Octopus Ventures has appointed Alliott Cole as an investment manager. Cole, 29, joins Octopus Ventures following four years at international law firm Ashurst.
GERMANY/AUSTRIA - Waterland Private Equity acquires Windrose
Waterland Private Equity has acquired a majority stake in Windrose Fernreisen Touristik GmbH, a travel agency for high-end adventure and luxury travel. The current Windrose management team remains unchanged.
LUXEMBOURG – Partners Group opens in Luxembourg
Switzerland-based Partners Group has opened an office in Luxembourg led by Jerry Ludig.
SPAIN – Grupo Zriser backs renewable energy player
Grupo Zriser has acquired a 5.38% stake in photovoltaic cell manufacturer Siliken in a deal valued at EUR 65m.
FRANCE - Butler Capital Partners recruits two
Lionel Mestre has joined Butler Capital Partners as a director. Previously Mestre spent three years with PricewaterhouseCoopers and ten years with PAI.
ITALY - ACP Capital to launch renewable energy fund
ACP Capital has the launch of a dedicated renewable energy assets fund. The vehicle will focus on the acquisition and development of renewable energy companies in Italy and Southern Europe.
RUSSIA – East Capital to buy 20% of FIA Bank for EUR 15.5m
East Capital has agreed to acquire a 20% stake in FIA, a Russian bank operating in Samara, a region in the south west of the country, for EUR 15.5m.
UK - Private equity interest in Infineum
Private equity bidders have shown strong interest in Infineum, the oil additives venture run by Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. It has been reported that a deal could value the company at as much as £1.5bn.
SPAIN – Riverstone joins bid for energy player CLH
According to reports US-based Riverstone has joined the bidding for Enbridge's 25% stake in pipeline network managing firm CLH, which has been valued at EUR 900m. Citibank is running the auction.