News
UK/IRELAND - Endless expands into Ireland
Endless is to launch in Ireland. The buyout and turnaround specialist has appointed John Kernohan and Richard Gillan to lead its operations in Ireland. Kernohan has previously represented 3i on the boards of portfolio companies. Gillan has worked for...
FRANCE - TCR Capital refinances Locatel
Just nine months after backing the company's secondary buyout, TCR Capital has refinanced hotels and hospitals multimedia systems business Locatel.
NETHERLANDS - Aescap Venture takes 25% stake in I-Optics
Aescap Venture has taken a 25% stake in Dutch medical technology company i-Optics.
UK - Graphite realises 7.6x returns from sale of Huntress to Nomura
Graphite Capital has sold recruitment specialist Huntress Group to Nomura in a secondary management buyout. Graphite achieved total returns of 7.6x the money invested, representing an IRR of 38.5%. The value of the deal was understood to be in the region...
FRANCE - LFPI exits recycling business
La Financière Patrimoniale d'Investissement (LFPI) has sold its stake in Bartin Recycling Group, a company which collects, treats and recycles industrial waste, to larger competitor Veolia Propreté.
UK - SEP invests £2.5m in Skyscanner
Scottish Equity Partners has invested £2.5m in Skyscanner, a commercial flight search engine. The investment represents Skyscanner's first round of funding.
GERMANY – Nord Holding provides expansion capital to Eckhard Marine
Nord Holding Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, based in Hanover, has invested in Hamburg-based Eckhard Marine GmbH. The financing was provided in the form of a stille Beteiligung.
UK - Oxford Capital Partners leads £1.5m investment into Oxitec
Oxford Capital Partners has led a £1.5m round of funding into Oxitec Ltd, a company which develops pest control solutions that do not use insecticides, alongside exisiting investors East Hill, the University of Oxford and the management team. Oxford...
ITALY - ABN Amro acquires pump manufacturer
ABN Amro Capital has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Finder SpA, a manufacturer of centrifugal and vacuum pumps and filters. The news of the acquisition follows ABN Amro's recent sale of gardening products manufacturer GGP to 3i.
SWEDEN - FSN Capital II acquires fitness chain
FSN Capital II has acquired 70% of Nautilus Group, a Nordic fitness chain, for an undisclosed value. Debt financing for the transaction was supplied by DnB NOR.
UK - Deadline for Northern Rock bids approaches
Today marks the deadline for indicative proposals to be put forward by those wishing to buy all or part of Northern Rock, with several private equity firms expected to be among those making an offer for the stricken bank.
UK - DLA Piper hires new US corporate partner
DLA Piper has announced the appointment of Sarah Cebik as a partner in its London corporate group.
UK - ECI sells Bounty for £70m
ECI Partners has agreed to sell Bounty, the UK’s largest parenting club for £70m. The acquirer is Kaboose, the largest independent family-focused online media company in North America. Since funding the management buyout of Bounty in December 2004,...
NETHERLANDS – Merger talks between ABP and Cordares
Dutch pension funds ABP and Cordares, are reported to be in negotiations to merge in 2008, a step that would create one of the world's largest pension funds. If the merger takes place, the new company would manage a pension capital of EUR 245bn for up...
BALTIC - BaltCap acquires remaining stake in itself
The management of Baltic private equity firm BaltCap have acquired the remaining stake in the firm from Evli Group and CapMan. Previously Evli and CapMan had been minority shareholders in BaltCap.
UK - Phoenix-backed Gaucho scraps IPO
Phoenix Equity Partners portfolio company Gaucho has abandoned its plan to float on the London Stock Exchange. The restaurant chain has been owned by Phoenix since August 2006 when it bought it as part of a £55m secondary buyout from Barclays Private...
UK - 3i acquires Agent Provocateur
3i has signed an agreement to acquire Agent Provocateur, the luxury brand lingerie retailer. 3i's funding will enable Agent Provocateur to pursue further growth opportunities. The deal sees both the founders remain as shareholders in the business, with...
UK - Noble Group appoints new directors
Independant UK Investment bank Noble Group has announced the appointment of Stephen Curran and Keith Jones to the board as non-executive directors.
GERMANY – Strategic Value Partners to exit Vestolit
According to the German press, US Strategic Value Partners plans to exit Vestolit, a Marl-based producer of PVC. Strategic Value Partners bought the company from a Candover-led consortium last year.
SPAIN - Al Numa Capital to sue Catalan government
After losing the mandate for the management of Mediterrània - a EUR 100m fund focused on investments in Spain and Maghreb - Al Numa Capital is to commence legal proceedings against the Catalan government.
UK - Accel invests in GetJar
Accel Partners has invested an undisclosed sum in GetJar, a mobile application distribution and developer community, in a series-A funding round.
UK - Eden supports Huddle with $4m investment
Eden Ventures has led a series-A $4m funding round for Huddle.net, a provider of social business networks.
UK - AnaCap acquires Apex from BCW Group
AnaCap Financial Partners, the financial services specialist private equity fund, has acquired debt collection company Apex Credit Management Ltd from BCW Group Plc. The deal was structured as a management buy-in led by Neil Clyne.
GERMANY – MIG-Fonds 5 invests EUR 27m in Antisense Pharma
MIG AG has invested EUR 27m in Antisense Pharma GmbH, a developer of targeted therapies for malignant tumors.