News
GERMANY - Venture capitalists exit Xignal Technologies
Benchmark Capital Europe, Atila Ventures, BayTech Venture Capital and STAR Ventures have exited their stakes in German data converter developer Xignal Technologies via a sale to US-based National Semiconductor Corporation. The venture capitalists had...
UK - Enterprise Equity has acquires Northern Irish bus company
Enterprise Equity, a private equity house with offices in both Northern Ireland and Eire, has acquired Chambers Coach Hire in a deal of undisclosed value. Chambers hires out coaches, mini-buses and limousines.
UK - Countrywide a target again as Apollo circles
Market sources suggest that Apollo is preparing to launch a bid for Countrywide. The UK estate agency chain was recently the subject of a 3i take-private bid which lost its footing after shareholders, including a number of hedge funds, believed 3i's offer...
UK - Sainsbury's would be Europe's biggest deal
Speculation about private equity's first foray into the FTSE 100 via a possible take-over of supermarket giant Sainsbury's has intensified over the weekend. CVC, Blackstone and KKR revealed they were considering a bid for the company after the founding...
FRANCE - TCR Capital backs secondary buyout of Locatel
Via its fund TCR Capital Partners III, the private equity firm has backed the secondary buyout of hotel and hospital multimedia services provider Locatel.
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 £1bn 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.
UK - Cobalt Corporate Finance recruits Chris Williams
Cobalt Corporate Finance has recruited Chris Williams, former corporate finance partner and global head of TMT at Deloitte, as its newest partner.
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 £30m. This represents a money multiple of over 2.6x ECI’s investment. ECI backed the £17m 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 £27m. Despite the growth in its core kitchen business, supplying house builders, national distributors and social housing. Administrators were appointed...
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...
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,...
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 £5.5m 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 £15m, which included funding from GMAC Commercial Finance...