News
GERMANY - Polytechnos to differentiate fund strategy
Having raised two hybrid funds since 1998, PolyTechnos has decided to evolve from its hybrid fund strategy and offer separate dedicated ITC and Life Science investment vehicles for its third fund generation. This move, which has been taken by other European...
ITALY - MPS Venture divests stake in Iseo
Two years after its original investment, MPS Venture has sold its entire stake in lock and hinges manufacturer Iseo Serrature back to the company's founding family for EUR 15m. Iseo Serrature is based in Pisogne (Brescia). It expects to report a turnover...
UK - Close Brothers Corporate Finance makes new appointments
Close Brothers Corporate Finance has made several senior promotions. Appointments include a further three directors in the UK, a new director in France and senior promotions in Germany. The three new UK directors are Gareth Davies, Darren Redmayne and...
UK - Endless acquires six-site Mercedes-Benz dealership
Endless is pleased to announce that it has supported the management buyout of H&L Garages Ltd (H&L) from its parent, PD Ports Group Ltd, part of quoted Australian company Babcock & Brown Infrastructure, for ТЃ8.5m. Funding for the buyout was also provided...
UK - Sir Ronald Cohen to re-enter the arena
One of the founders of Apax Partners, Sir Ronald Cohen, who left the business in 2005, is set to indirectly re-enter the private equity world. He is teaming up with Lord Jacob Rothschild to set up Portland Capital, a fund which will invest in commodities,...
UK - Palamon to acquire British payment card issuer Retail Decisions Plc
Retail Decisions Plc, a London Stock exchange-listed company which assists retailers, telecommunications companies, oil companies, e-commerce retailers and banks to prevent the fraudulent use of payment and credit cards, has received a cash offer from...
UK - Britvic offer abandoned by Permira
Permira has abandoned a planned bid for soft drinks maker Britvic. The offer would have valued the company which sells brands such as Pepsi and Tango at around ТЃ600m.
UK - Anglia water to be acquired by Colonial First State consortium
Anglia Water (AWG) has recommended a takeover approach from a consortium led by Colonial First State, the fund management arm of Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the government pensions fund of Canada, CPP Investment Board. 3i's infrastructure fund...
UK - 3i realises its investment in Vibration Technology
3i has announced the sale of its minority stake in Vibration Technology Ltd, a developer of wireless solutions for the oil, gas and mineral exploration sector, to Sercel, a division of Compagnie General de Geophysique. 3i's proceeds from the sale of ТЃ6m...
UK - Imperial Innovations backs environmental technology developer Lontra
Imperial Innovations Group Plc, one of the leading technology transfer and commercialisation companies in the UK, has invested ТЃ150,000 in environmental technology developer Lontra Ltd. This brings the total Imperial Innovations has invested in Lontra...
HUNGARY - Permira to acquire BorsodChem Nyrt
Permira has made a public purchase offer for all registered shares in BorsodChem Nyrt, which values Borsod's equity at approximately EUR 850m. The offer price per share is HUF 3,000 and is being made by First Chemical Holding Vagyonkezelö Kft, a holding...
SWEDEN - Industrifonden sells LTP for SEK 225m
Industrifonden Cimon Medical, DSM Venturing, management and other private investors have sold Lipid Technologies Provider AB (LTP) to DSM Food Specialties BV for SEK 225m. Industrifonden first invested in LTP in 2001. The company develops, produces and...
GERMANY - Advent Venture Partners and Partech invest in Qype
Qype, a local search service offering user reviews of over 1,000 cities in Germany, has received series-A funding from Advent Venture Partners and Partech, alongside angel investors and Internet entrepreneurs.
UK - PPM Capital to acquire restaurant group Paramount
The restaurant group behind Chez GУЉrard and CaffУЈ Uno is expected to be acquired by PPM Capital in a deal worth ТЃ108m. In the last financial year the restaurant group which is known as Paramount, which trades from 80 sites, generated sales in excess...
ITALY - Aksia Group buys majority stake in Turbosol
Private equity firm Aksia purchased a 80% shareholding in Turbosol Produzione SpA from its founding family for EUR 15m. The company, located in the suburbs of Treviso, specialises in the production of machinery and systems for pumping and spraying mortars...
SWEDEN - Accent Equity sells Hydrauto to Wipro
Accent Equity has sold hydraulic cylinder manufacturer Hydrauto Group to Indian-listed Wipro Group. Accent entered the company in 2002.
FRANCE - 3i sells Keolis to SNCF
According to press reports, 3i has sold its 52.5% stake in Keolis back to its previous owner, state-owned rail group SNCF.
ITALY - Synergo Sgr buys 40% of Air Italy
Gianfilippo Cuneo's firm Synergo Sgr has recently agreed to invest an undisclosed amount of capital in return for a 40% stake in troubled low-cost airline Air Italy. The consideration has not been disclosed. The growth plan will see the expansion of the...
UK - August Equity announces appointment of Keith Davidson
August Equity Ltd has announced the appointment of Keith Davidson as Investment Manager. Davidson joins August Equity from PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he has been since 2002. Keith qualified as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen in 2002 before...
SPAIN - Applus+ still attracting private equity interest
Reports suggest that even after the failed takeover bid by Candover, the shareholders of Applus+ are still determined to sell the company.
ITALY - Private equity courts Alitalia
According to press reports, the Italian government is considering the possiblity of selling a 20% shareholding in national airline Alitalia to a private equity fund.
ITALY - Synergo Sgr buys 40% of Air Italy
Gianfilippo Cuneo's firm Synergo Sgr has recently agreed to invest an undisclosed amount of capital in return for a 40% stake in troubled low-cost airline Air Italy. The consideration has not been disclosed. The growth plan will see the expansion of the...
UK - HitecVision and Ferncliff back Noble Denton Holding Ltd
The shareholders of Noble Denton Holding Ltd have today agreed to sell the company to a consortium of Norwegian investors consisting of HitecVision and Ferncliff. Key employees of Noble Denton will retain a significant 40% share of the business going...
FRANCE - Apax makes almost 4x on sale of Séché Environnement shares
Apax Partners France has generated a money multiple of almost 4x on the sale of its 8.5% shareholding in Séché Environnement, a recycling and waste treatment company listed on Euronext's compartment B. The buyer is Caisse des Depôts.