News
UK - Carlyle targets Virgin Media
Carlyle Group is reported to be leading a bid to take-private NASDAQ-listed Virgin Media. It is understood that Carlyle is working in association with Providence Equity, KKR and Cinven and could offer up to £4bn for the company. Any deal would have to...
FRANCE - IDI aims to raise additional EUR 50m
Mid-cap investor IDI is to launch a capital increase of EUR 50m, in order to boost its private equity activity and increase the liquiditiy and attractiveness of its shares.
UK - Lyceum exits Asquith Nurseries via sale to Dawnay, Day and Swordfish
Lyceum Capital has sold Asquith Nurseries to Dawnay, Day Principal Investments and Swordfish Investments LLP for £95m. Asquith Nurseries is a children’s day nursery operator with places for up to 10,000 children across 113 nurseries and crèches nationwide....
UK - Lyceum strengthens risk management portfolio company with acquisition
Lyceum Capital risk management portfolio company National Britannia Group Ltd (NBG) has acquired Corporate Health & Safety Solutions Ltd (CHSS). CHSS is a strong player in the safety, health and environmental professional training market. It offers training...
FRANCE - Elior's acquisition of Vivae provides exit for Quartus
Quartus Gestion is set to divest its stake in contract catering group Vivaë, through a trade sale to Charterhouse and Chequers-backed restaurant giant Elior.
UK - Balderton backs online advertising marketplace AdJug.com
Balderton Capital has provided AdJug.com, an online advertising marketplace, with a multi-million dollar investment. Balderton was formerly known as Benchmark Capital. The deal represents Balderton's second online start-up investment in a week - it provided...
UK - Hermes makes five new appointments
Hermes Private Equity has made five new appointments across both the direct investments and funds areas. The strengthening of the team coincides with the announcement that the BT Pension Scheme has approved £300m of backing for Hermes third direct private...
FRANCE - Siparex completes three exits
Siparex has generated between 24% and 30% IRR from each of its three latest exits.
FRANCE - Venture-backed Pertinence merges with Intercim
Paris-based Enterprise manufacturing intelligence specialist Pertinence has merged with manufacturing execution systems solution provider Intercim, allowing Seeft Venture, Advent Venture Partners and Partech Intenational to realise their stakes.
UK - LDC backs £100m buyout of British Salt from US parent
LDC has acquired British Salt Ltd in a £100m management buyout from its US parent company, US Salt Holdings. It has invested £35m for a majority shareholding. Debt funding was arranged by the acquisition finance division of Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets...
ITALY - Carlyle acquires Palazzo Tergesteo in Trieste
The Carlyle Group has acquired Finrex S.p.A., owner of Palazzo Tergesteo in Trieste, from Associazione Cassa Nazionale di Previdenza ed Assistenza a Favore dei Ragionieri e Periti Commerciali. Carlyle is investing in this project through its second European...
SWITZERLAND - Consortium acquires TechnoMarine
A consortium led by Cobepa and Crédit Agricole Suisse has acquired Swiss luxury watch manufacturer TechnoMarine for an undisclosed amount. 123Venture also invested as well as the management team consisting of Jean-Claude Yana and Gilbert Ohayon.
SWEDEN - CapMan invests in healthcare provider Nacka Närsjukhus Proxima
Funds managed by CapMan will, together with management, acquire Swedish Nacka Närsjukhus Proxima AB, a private healthcare provider offering specialised healthcare in the greater Stockholm area.
FINLAND - CapMan exits from Medianorth
Funds managed by CapMan have sold their holding in media house Medianorth Group Oy to Avaus Consulting Oy.
FRANCE - Coronis Systems sold to Elster Group
Coronis systems, a developer of ultra-low-power wireless solutions headquartered in Montpellier has been acquired by metering company Elster Group, providing an exit for Banexi Ventures and AXA Private Equity.
GERMANY - 3i exits Wendt Holding GmbH
3i has sold German grinding machines and tools manufacturer Wendt Holding GmbH to Swiss Winterthur Technologie AG. The transaction value is said to be approximately EUR 100m. 3i backed the management buyout of Wendt in March 2005, acquiring the company...
FRANCE - Argos Soditic leads MBO of FBH
Mid-market private equity firm Argos Soditic has backed the management buyout of Financiere Harlé Bickford, a real-estate-owning diversified family conglomerate in the field of pyrotechnics and radiocommunications.
AUSTRIA – Darby commits EUR 20m to DDSG Cargo buyout
Darby Converging Europe Mezzanine Fund has committed EUR 20m to a EUR 100m leveraged buyout of river transportation company DDSG Cargo Group by East Point Holdings, a Serbian-controlled conglomerate.
SWITZERLAND – PregLem raises CHF 32m
Sofinnova Partners together with NeoMed Management and MVM LifeScience Partners has co-led a CHF 32m series-A financing round in biopharmaceutical company PregLem.
GERMANY – Bain Capital buys yacht manufacturer
Bain Capital has acquired Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH from the founding families Herrmann and Meltl for an undisclosed amount.
GERMANY – Terra Firma sells 50% of Tank & Rast
Terra Firma has sold 50% of German motorway service operator Tank & Rast to RREEF, the global alternative investment management business of Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division. The transaction value has not been disclosed. The financial investors...
UK - Duke Street and Europa in £260m buyout of Channel Islands group
Duke Street Capital and Europa Capital have made a recommended offer for Jersey-based company C.I. Traders Ltd. The proposal values the business at approximately £260m and includes funds provided by Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, a Bank of Scotland-owned...
SWEDEN - Segulah completes re-capitalisation of Nordform, returning 1.2x
Segulah III has completed a re-capitalisation of Nordform, Sweden’s leading producer and marketer of prefabricated concrete products. Funded by an additional tranche of senior debt and excess cash, Nordform was able to repay a subordinated loan provided...
UK - Balderton Capital backs online debt management start-up
Balderton Capital has provided Wonga, a start-up online service for same day personal debt management, with $6m of early-stage funding. The investment will be used to accelerate platform and product development, with the goal of establishing Wonga as...