News
SWEDEN - Doughty Hanson sells Tumba Centrum for SEK 550m
Doughty Hanson & Co Real Estate has agreed to sell Tumba Centrum to Citycon for SEK 550m. Tumba Centrum is a 32,000 square metre shopping centre, which also includes the municipal library and art gallery as well as municipal offices and residential apartments....
FINLAND - Aspida secures EUR 500,000 in funding
Finnish Industry Investment and private investors have invested EUR 500,000 in software company Aspida Oy.
UK - August sells Securistyle to BoSIF
August Equity has sold UK hardware manufacturer Securistyle Holdings in a $42.3m secondary buyout to Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance. August had invested £11.3m as part of a management buyout from Dublin-based Allen McGuire in November 2003.
FRANCE - Butler and Cita sell 1001 listes to TF1 for EUR 20m
Butler Capital Partners and Cita Gestion have sold their entire 95% stake in 1001 Listes, a website which coordinates the purchase and delivery of wedding gifts, to Teleshopping, a shopping channel of the TF1 group, for about EUR 20m.
UK - Noble Fund Managers leads £2.6m investment in Optasia Medical
Noble Fund Managers has led a £2.6m investment in Optasia Medical Ltd alongside Saffron Hill Ventures. The new capital will be used to accelerate the introduction into clinical practice of Optasia's radiography-based CAD tools for musculoskeletal diseases.
SPAIN - Catalana d'Iniciatives divests stake in Ritz Hotel
Private equity firm Catalana d'Iniciatives has sold its 34.9% shareholding in Barcelona-based Ritz Hotel.
SWEDEN - Swedish funds invest SEK 4bn in Q3
Swedish private equity and venture capital groups invested SEK 4bn in 139 transactions in Q3 2006, according to a report issued by the Swedish Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (SVCA).
GERMANY – European Capital acquires Metall Technologie Holding for EUR 106m
European Capital has acquired the European manufacturer of high-end heat treatment industrial furnaces, Metall Technologie Holding for EUR 106m. Post close, the financial investor will own approximately 83% of the shares with the management team holding...
SWITZERLAND – SAM Private Equity becomes Emerald Technology Ventures
Following Robeco and SAM Group’s decision to create a sustainable platform for asset management, with Robeco becoming the majority shareholder in SAM on 31 December, the SAM Private Equity team will buy out the entire private equity business and create...
UK - New secondaries firm Shackleton Ventures makes acquisition
Shackleton Ventures Ltd, a new venture capital firm formed in November 2006, is to acquire the secondaries business formerly owned by AIM-quoted Strathdon Investments Plc. The business comprises the general partner and manager of the Strathdon Secondaries...
SPAIN - Doughty Hanson buys Avanza for EUR 600m
Doughty Hanson's Madrid branch has completed its first deal by acquiring transport group Avanza.
SPAIN - ERA Biotech raises EUR 1.4m from private equity investors
Bioproductivity company ERA Biotech has raised EUR 1.4m to finance its activities related to the manufacture of recombinant proteins in cultured cells.
FRANCE - Charterhouse buys Vivarte from PAI for EUR 3.5bn
Charterhouse has reportedly agreed to back the secondary buyout of clothing and shoes distributor Vivarte, in a deal worth over EUR 3bn.
LUXEMBOURG - Oostvogels Pfister Roemers appoints new partner
Oostvogels Pfister Roemers has announced the appointment of Jean-François Trapp, formerly partner at Noble & Scheidecker, as finance partner.
GERMANY – KKR and Permira win auction for ProSiebenSat1
A consortium comprising Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co and Permira Advisers has acquired a 50.5% stake in German broadcaster ProSiebenSat1. The value of the transaction is believed to be over EUR 3bn. Following the acquisition, media analysts expect the...
FRANCE - Fondinvest appoints new managing director
Former Caisse des Dépots subsidiary Fondinvest Capital has appointed Emmanuel Roubinowitz as managing director. Roubinowitz, who joined Fondinvest in February 2004 thus became the second managing director alongside François Gamblin. Both report to Charles...
UK - TDR Capital in bid to delist portable accommodation company
TDR Capital has made a recommended cash offer for Wraith Plc, a supplier of portable accommodation and related site services based in Lincolnshire. The 105p per share offer represents a market capitalisation of £30.29m and a 15.4% premium to the closing...
UK - Dunedin leads MBO of WFEL Ltd
Dunedin Capital Partners has led the £48m management buyout of WFEL Ltd, a designer and manufacturer of mobile bridging systems and related products. Dunedin provided £21m of equity, for a majority stake, alongside a debt package of £27.5m provided...
FRANCE - Seventure invests in online insurance broker
Seventure, formerly known as Spef Venture, has invested EUR 3m in a EUR 4.2m first round of institutional funding in online insurance broker AssurOne. The remainder was provided by business angels, including Hubert Saltiel, former CEO of Saltiel Assurances...
UK - Gresham sells Busy Bees for £71m
Gresham Private Equity has agreed to sell childcare provider Busy Bees to Australian company ABC Learning Centres Ltd in a deal worth £71m. The exit generated a 3.6x return on Gresham's investment. Gresham first backed Busy Bees in February 2000 with...
UK - Alchemy bids for Floors-2-Go Plc
Alchemy Partners has tabled a £52.4m bid for AIM-listed real wood and laminate flooring specialist Floors-2-Go Plc. The offer of 40p per share through a bid vehicle advised by Close Brothers Corporate Finance represents a 53.8% premium to the closing...
GERMANY – PPM Capital acquires orizon AG
PPM Capital has acquired the German temporary employment agency orizon AG for approximately EUR 200m from its main shareholder GL Aktiengesellschaft, Hamburg, and other private investors. The transaction is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities.
SWEDEN - CapMan invests EUR 1.4m in QuickCool
Funds managed by CapMan will invest EUR 1.4m in Swedish medtech company QuickCool AB, a developer of a new method to prevent brain damage by cooling of the brain. CapMan Life Science IV Fund will have a 25% stake in the company. The majority of the remaining...
UK - GI Partners makes new appointment
Kristen Mary has joined GI Partners' London office as director of investor relations. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Partner at placing agent MVision Private Equity Advisers.