News
FRANCE - Auriga leads EUR 8.4m second round for Theraptosis
Auriga Partners, Seventure, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, CDC Entreprises and industrial company Blue Medical have committed over EUR 8m in the series-B financing of pharma company Theraptosis.
SPAIN - Benchmark Capital Europe backs Internet business
Alongside telecom player Swisscom, private equity firm Benchmark Capital Europe is backing Whisher, a Spanish company launching the first social network powered by a Wi-Fi network.
UK - Eversheds appoints William Sharpe
Eversheds has appointed William Sharpe. He joins as a partner in the private equity group from Olswang. Sharpe has significant M&A experience and specialises in acting for private equity clients. His work includes the syndication of the ТЃ1bn Yell.com...
SPAIN - Perez-Llorca to boost its private equity practice
Law firm Perez-Llorca has recently promoted Iván Delgado as a partner for the Corporate & Financial division.
SPAIN - Vista Capital leads competition for pharma business
Reports in the Spanish press suggest that Vista Capital is the most likely buyer of pharmaceutical business Laboratorios Indas. The deal is valued at around EUR 360m.
UK - Bridgepoint- and LDC-backed Adams to avoid administration
Bridgepoint- and LDC-backed UK retailer Adams may have attracted a suitor that would save the retailer from administration, although the buyout houses are unlikely to generate any positive returns as a result.
UK - GIMV, 3i and Atlas exit biotechnology company via sale to AstraZeneca
London-based biotechnology company Arrow Therapeutics has been acquired by AstraZeneca in a $150m deal allowing previous investors GIMV, Atlas Venture, 3i, Alta Partners, ITX, Merlin BioMed Group, NIF, Northern Venture Managers, Scottish Widows Investment...
UK - Private equity to try something new at Sainsbury's?
CVC, KKR and Blackstone are all reported to be pondering a take-private bid for supermarket giant Sainsbury Plc. Shares in the company rose to their highest level for eight years yesterday amid speculation of a take-over.
UK - Ian Bagshaw joins Linklaters from Clifford Chance
Linklaters has expanded its private equity practice with the appointment of Ian Bagshaw.
UK - ECI Partners makes 2.6x from Enviros exit
ECI Partners has sold Enviros, an environmental consultancy business, to Alfred McAlpine Plc for ТЃ30m. This represents a money multiple of over 2.6x ECIтs investment. ECI backed the ТЃ17m management buyout of Enviros in 2001. Enviros now boasts a blue...
UK - Endless acquires Bernstein Group
Endless has acquired the Bernstein Group Holdings, a UK kitchen manufacturer which has a turnover of ТЃ27m. Despite the growth in its core kitchen business, supplying house builders, national distributors and social housing. Administrators were appointed...
GERMANY -Techem takeover bid fails
Australian financial investor Macquarie Bank and BC Partners have failed to win shareholder support for their bid to buy German utility billing specialist Techem. On 11 January the two financial bidders combined their offers for EUR 55 per Techem share,...
GERMANY - New investment analyst at Waterland
Waterland Private Equity Investments has appointed Michael Krall as investment analyst in order to support the German activities. Krall finished his studies in business management in 2006, specialising in corporate finance and strategic management at...
PORTUGAL - The Riverside Company completes acquisition of ONI
US private equity firm The Riverside Company has completed the acquisition of Lisbon-based ONITelecom - Infocomunicações SA from utilities player EDP (Energias de Portugal).
ITALY - Aksia Capital III backs industrial player
Fund Aksia Capital III, closed earlier this week, has purchased a majority stake in Robuschi SpA, a manufacturer of industrial blowers and pumps.
SWEDEN - EQT sells HemoCue to Quest Diagnostics
EQT II BV has sold HemoCue, a point-of-care diagnostic testing company, to Quest Diagnostics.
UK - Simon Pearson becomes partner at Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young has announced the admission of Simon Pearson as an M&A partner. Person will be based in London and will continue to lead the Technology M&A practice for the firm.
UK - Octopus Investments backs acquisition of specialist history publishers
Octopus Investments has invested ТЃ5.5m in NPI Media Group to facilitate the acquisitions of two of its key competitors. Equity investment was provided as part of a combined deal valuation of ТЃ15m, which included funding from GMAC Commercial Finance...
UK - Imperial Innovations leads £769,000 investment in biomaterials company
Imperial Innovations Group has invested ТЃ469,000 in Advanced Tissue Therapies Ltd (ATT), a biomaterials company that develops tissue engineering products aimed at orthopaedic and maxillofacial markets. The investment in ATT is part of a ТЃ769,000 seed...
UK - Terra Firma renewable power portfolio company makes £80m acquisition
Terra Firma portfolio company Infinis Ltd has acquired RE-Gen, a 42MW biogas power generation business for ТЃ80m from Summerleaze. Infinis, a generator of renewable power, was part of WRG Holdings, a Terra Firma-backed company which sold its waste disposal...
SWEDEN - Eqvitec strengthens its Swedish team
Eqvitec Partners has recruited Ivar Strömberg as a senior adviser in the Stockholm office. Strömberg is the entrepreneur behind Swedish Tele1/Song Networks, a company employing more than 1,000 people. His other engagements include Ricaro, Gajdo, AllTele,...
UK - Dubai International Capital abandons bid for Liverpool FC
Dubai International Capital (DIC) has abandoned its ТЃ4,500 per share offer for Liverpool FC & Athletics Ground Plc after the board of the company was unable to recommend the offer to shareholders. It is expected that US sports tycoon George Gillett will...
FINLAND - CapMan buys vehicle logistics business
CapMan has purchased a 60% shareholding in John Nurminen Oy’s Vehicle Logistics Unit. John Nurminen Oy will hold 25% of the shares in the newco.
NORWAY - Venture-backed Algeta applies for listing
Therapeutics company Algeta ASA has applied for listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company raised NOK 185m in series-A financing from a consortium of investors, including HealthCap, Advent Venture Partners, SR One, and existing investors, Selvaag...