News
ITALY – Berlusconi to partner with Goldman Sachs Private Equity for Endemol bid
According to speculation in the Italian press, the group Mediaset is to bid for a Telefonica-owned 75% shareholding in fellow broadcasting group Endemol. The stake valued at around EUR 2bn.
UK - 3i strengthens media team through appointment of Wolfgang Kitza
3i has strengthened its media sector team with the appointment of Wolfgang Kitza as venture partner with 3i’s global venture capital team. In his new role, Kitza will bring experience and contacts to help 3i increase its investment opportunities in...
FINLAND - CapMan invests in Mirasys
CapMan has invested in software company Finnish Mirasys Ltd in return for a maximum of 42% of the fully diluted shares in the company.
GERMANY - HSH N Kapital acquires Siemens division
HSH N Kapital GmbH has announced the acquisition of Siemens Building Technologies electronic GmbH from Siemens Building Technologies for an undisclosed amount. Mühlhausen-based Siemens Building Technologies electronic GmbH, develops and produces energy...
SWEDEN - Northzone invests $10m in Xcerion AB
Northzone Ventures has invested $10m in Xcerion AB to launch its collaborative XML Internet OS. Xcerion aims to distribute the OS and accompanying applications free as a service over the internet.
GERMANY - 3i strengthens Frankfurt buyout team
3i announced the appointment of Dr Thorsten Grenz verstärkt as operating partner to its pan-European buyout team in Frankfurt. Together with fellow partners Tim Harrison and Iain McRitchie in London, Jerome Girzsyn in Paris and Frederik Roth in Frankfurt,...
GERMANY - Veronis Suhler Stevenson sells Berliner Verlag
US private equity house Veronis Suhler Stevenson has sold its stake in Berliner Verlag to minority shareholder Mecom Group plc for reportedly EUR 320m. The financial investor had acquired majority holding alongside Mecom in October 2005 from the Stuttgart-based...
UK - Quester exits Oxxon Therapeutics
Quester-backed biopharmaceutical company Oxxon Therapeutics has been acquired by London Stock Exchange-listed Oxford BioMedica Plc for £16m. The sale to Oxford BioMedica, a company previously backed by Prelude Trust before being floated, represents a...
SPAIN - BPEP makes 4.6x on Euroatomizado
Baring Private Equity Partners Spain has divested its stake in Euroatomizado.
UK - Barclays Ventures generates 3.5x return on fire services exit
Barclays Ventures and management have sold SFS Fire Services Limited to UTC Fire & Security, a business unit of US-based United Technologies Corporation. Although the enterprise value of the company was not disclosed, the exit enabled Barclays Ventures...
UK - Close Ventures backs £6.7m buyout of Compass Supply Solutions
Close Ventures has invested up to £6.7m into Chichester Holdings Ltd to back the management buyout of Compass Supply Solutions Ltd (Compass).
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“The fact that major private equity players are teaming up to coordinate their PR efforts, in our view, confirms that the funds are somewhat driven by the discussion and feel the need to step out from behind the scenes and correct some misperceptions.”...
UK - Darwin Private Equity evolves out of the market
Derek Elliott, Jonathan Kaye and Kevin Street, former senior investment executives from CVC and Permira, have launched Darwin Private Equity. The firm will focus on the lower mid-market in the UK and target investments in the GBP 50m-150m range.
GERMANY - ALNO AG receives new equity from GermanCapital
German kitchen manufacturer ALNO AG has increased its capital stock by 1,047,463 new shares at an issue price of EUR 7.78. Küchen Holding GmbH, a company advised by GermanCapital has subscribed to all newly issued shares for a total value of approximately...
FINLAND - Hansastroi raises EUR 20m from Quadriga-led syndicate
Quadriga Capital Russia Private Equity Fund has led a syndicate including EBRD, DEG and private investors for the EUR 20m financing of Finland based construction company Hansastroi.
UK - Nomad Digital acquires QinetiQ Rail
Nomad Digital, backed by Amadeus Capital Partners, has acquired the commercial rail division of QinetiQ, a defence and security technology company. QinetiQ has sold QinetiQ Rail to Nomad Digital for 8.6% of Nomad's ordinary share capital and in addition...
SWEDEN - Kwintet acquires The Cotton Group
Industri Kapital portfolio company Kwintet has acquired European promotional wear company The Cotton Group. Industri Kapital backed the buyout of Kwintet in 2005.
FRANCE - Sofinnova and Ventech invest EUR 6.5m in new music standard
Sofinnova Partners and Ventech have invested in the fist round of funding in MXP4, a start-up which has created technology allowing artists to create non-linear, interactive music.
FRANCE - Candidates prepare bids for Saur
LBO France, Terra Firma, AXA Private Equity and Eurazeo are said to mulling bids for water utility company Saur, according to reports in the French press.
FRANCE - CDC Capital Investissement hires three investors
CDC Capital Investissement (CDC CI) has poached three new investors from Sigefi, Ernst & Young and Natexis Investissement Partners.
FRANCE - AtriA sells Clextral to Legris Industries
AtriA Capital Partenaires has sold its 43% stake in extrusion equipment manufacturer Clextral, to Chequers-backed Legris Indutries.
GERMANY - Triton acquires SMS businesses
Triton has acquired a portfolio of companies supplying plastics processing machinery in the field of pipe and profile extrusion as well as film and sheet extrusion technology from SMS Kunststofftechnik. The companies comprise Battenfeld Extrusiontechnik,...
GERMANY - Carlyle looking at Merck generics unit
The Carlyle Group is rumoured to be considering a bid for the generics business of German Chemical-pharmaceutical company Merck. The sale of the division is expected to attract further private equity firms, with Bain Capital, Apax Partners, KKR and Warburg...
BELGIUM - 3i backed AviaPartner acquires Aero Groundservices
AviaPartner, a 3i portfolio company, has acquired cargo handling firm Aero Groundservices from VCK Holding, a logisitics and travel company.