News
NL - Waterland portfolio company Optisport to acquire ESN
Waterland Private Equity has announced that its portfolio company Optisport has signed a letter of intent to acquire Exploitatie Sportobjecten Nederland (ESN) as part of its buy and build strategy.The first formal steps of the acquisition process are...
Poland - Krokus Private Equity acquires Izoterm
Krokus Private Equity has acquired a 74% stake in thermal insulation services provider Izoterm for around EUR 5m. The company’s president, Mr Józef G³adki will retain a 26% equity stake. This represents the first investment for Krokus from its new fund...
GERMANY - 25% stake in Hochtief up so sale
Rothschild is reported to have been mandated with the sale the 25% holding of billionaire August von Finck in international construction group Hochtief. Strategic as well as financial investors are said to have already approached the French investment...
GERMANY - immatics receives EUR 40m
Biopharmaceutical company immatics biotechnologies GmbH has received EUR 40m in a second round of financing from a consortium of investors. This includes previous investors Wellington Partners and 3i, but also new investors National Technology Enterprises...
UK - Bridgepoint to float Safestore
Bridgepoint is preparing a ТЃ700m IPO for Safestore, the self-storage company which has property assets of ТЃ475m. Bridgepoint has already realised ТЃ101m from Safestore through a ТЃ237m recapitalisation carried out by Royal Bank of Scotland and Merrill...
UK - Apax-backed Incisive Media acquires VNU UK operations
Apax portfolio company Incisive Media has acquired the UK operations of VNU in a back-to-back transaction from 3i following its acquisition of VNU's European publishing interests. 3i completed the buyout of Netherlands-based VNU Business Media Europe...
ITALY – Alitalia's suitors list ready, private equity prevails
As reported in today's edition of Il Sole 24Ore, five offers for airline Alitalia have been shortlisted.
SPAIN/ITALY – RCS takes Recoletos home for EUR 1.1bn
As reported yesterday by unquote news", Spanish publishing group Recoletos was considering a purchase offer from its Italian counterpart RCS.
ITALY – Sinergia con Imprenditori courts security business
According to reports in the Italian press, the fund Sinergia con Imprenditori has shown interest in security business Sicurglobal.
FRANCE - Sigefi Private Equity invests EUR 5.6m in public works business
Sigefi Private Equity (of the Siparex group) has invested over EUR 5m in growth capital in Jalmat Group, a Velaux-based public works business.
FRANCE - European Capital invests EUR 12.5m in LBO France's buyout of Poult
European Capital has announced that it has invested a total of EUR 12.5m to help finance LBO France's buyout of biscuit maker Poult, which took place last October.
FRANCE - Government certifies more business angel networks
The French minister for SMEs, trade and craft industry Renaud Dutreil, has certified 13 additional business angel networks (BANs), including Lyon Angels, Ouest Angels and Invest Y. Certified BANs receive a grant, worth a maximum of EUR 100,000 over three...
UK - Modus Private Equity invests £8m in packaging MBO
Modus Private Equity has invested over ТЃ8m to back the management buyout of Mondi Speciality Packaging, formerly a part of Anglo American Plc.
UK - Ingenious appoints Kip Meek to its board
Ingenious, the media investment and advisory group, has appointed Kip Meek as a director to the board, effective from 1 May. Meek was until recently chief policy partner at Ofcom and was chairman of the European Regulatorsт Group. He will have a wide-ranging...
GERMANY - Strong interest in Landesbank Berlin
It is reported that 19 parties have declared an interest in bidding for the city of Berlin’s 81% stake in Landesbank Berlin. The city has not identified potential bidders but it is said that they include German and foreign banks, as well as private equity...
UK - New London director for Nova Capital-backed Directorbank
Directorbank has appointed Ian Menzies as a director to head up its London office and build the executive search side of the company. His appointment comes on the back of Directorbankтs first six-month results since completing the management buy-out last...
NL - ABN AMRO Capital to acquire Baarsma Wine Group
ABN AMRO Capital has signed an agreement to acquire a majority interest in wine distribution firm Baarsma Wine Group Holding. The current management team will retain a 40% stake in the firm and in addition, managers in key positions will be given the...
UK - TPG joins Sainsbury's bid team barring chance of rival bid
The CVC-led consortium preparing to launch an ТЃ11bn bid for Sainsbury's has added another member to its ranks. Texas Pacific Group, which had been in talks with Cinven and Bain Capital about a rival bid for the supermarket chain, now joins CVC, KKR and...
SPAIN - RCS makes EUR 1.3bn offer for Recoletos
Publishing group RCS, owner of Italian broadsheet Corriere della Sera, is reported to have made an offer of EUR 1.3bn for media group Recoletos.
FRANCE - AGF Private Equity leads EUR 6m funding in online brands retailer
AGF Private Equity (EUR 5m) and business angels (EUR 1m) have backed 24h00, an online retailer of branded clothing.
UK - Catapult Growth Fund leads investment in Oxford Genome Sciences
Catapult Growth Fund, a newly launched ТЃ30m ECF run by Catapult Venture Managers has led an investment in Oxford Genome Sciences Ltd (OGeS). Existing investors South East Growth Fund and Oxford Capital Partners also participated in the funding round...
EUROPE - Return expectations of private equity investors reach record levels
The return expectations of private equity investors have strengthened significantly over the last 12 months т almost half of LPs are now forecasting medium-term returns of 16%+, according to Coller Capitalтs latest Global Private Equity Barometer, compared...
DENMARK - Langholm Capital invests in Cane-Line and Sika-Horsnaes
Langholm Capital has invested in Cane-Line and Skia-Horsnaes, two Danish furniture specialists focusing on woven indoor and outdoor furniture. The investor retains a minority stake in both companies following the deal.
GREECE - Apax and TPG sell TIM Hellas to Naguib Sawiris
Apax Partners and Texas Pacific Group (TPG) today announced the sale of TIM Hellas Telecommunications S.A. the third largest mobile phone carrier in Greece, to Weather Investments, the vehicle owned by telecom tycoon Naguid Sawiris.