News
UK - Bridgepoint to exit Tilney?
Market sources suggest that Deutsche Bank is in talks with asset management company Tilney. Tilney was acquired by Bridgepoint in 2005 in a deal thought to be worth approximately £100m.
FRANCE - LBO rumours benefit Atos Origin
According to UK press reports, Blackstone is in talks to take-private IT services provider Atos Origin, currently listed on Euronext Paris' Compartment A.
GERMANY – 3i floats Nanogate
Europe's largest listed private equity firm, 3i, has successfully floated Nanogate AG on the Entry Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. 3i first invested in Nanogate in 1998, when it backed the spin-off from the University of Saarbrücken.
UK - Baird Capital Partners Europe celebrates 35 years
Baird Capital Partners Europe, the international mid-market private equity firm, is celebrating three and a half decades in the business. The firm marks the 35th anniversary of its first investment: Twinlock Ltd in 1971. Twinlock, a manufacturer of filing...
SPAIN - Qualitas backs acquisition of Garnica Plywood
Private equity house Qualitas Equity Partners has acquired the entire shareholding in plywood distributor Garnica Plywood alongside its management team in a deal of undisclosed value. The growth route for the La Rioja-based company encompasses the acquisition...
GERMANY – $10m second round for spodradio
Baytech Venture Capital and Benchmark Capital Europe have invested $10m in a Series-B funding of spodradio. Munich-based Baytech had previously invested $2.4m in a Series-A funding in 2005.
SPAIN - Avanza attracts private equity interest
Several private equity firms and industrial players are interested in acquiring transport group Avanza. It is rumoured that Dougthy Hanson, Advent International and Apax Partners are among the possible private equity bidders. One of the prospective purchasers...
UK - Hotbed backs consumer website Pigsback.com with £2.5m investment
Pigsback.com, the consumer website that is fast becoming a favourite for online marketing and advertising amongst leading brands, has received a £2.5m investment from Hotbed, the private investor network. 48 members of Hotbed invested in Pigsback.com,...
UK - ABN AMRO Capital exits Page Group Ltd
Page Group Ltd, the company which designs and manufactures aerospace lighting and cockpit controls, has been acquired by Hamilton Sundstrand, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation. The deal, the details of which are not disclosed, represents...
UK - Lyceum Capital-backed Clinovia makes fourth acquisition this year
Clinovia, an independent home healthcare provider backed by Lyceum Capital, has acquired CCS Blackpool. The purchase of CCS Blackpool, a care agency specialising in providing quality community support services to individuals in their own homes, is Clinovia’s...
UK/GERMANY - Merger of KPMG's UK and German firms
Subject to the approval of its partners, which is expected in early December, KPMG's UK and German firms will be merged to create KPMG Europe. This move will form the largest integrated accounting firm in Europe and is the first step of a wider merging...
UK - FTSE 250 Informa in talks with Candover and Cinven
Informa Plc, the FTSE 250 company which provides specialist information and services for the academic and scientific, professional and commercial business communities, is in talks with Candover and Cinven about going private. The deal would see Informa...
UK - Monument Group makes new hire
Monument Group Inc, a leading independent private equity placement agent, is pleased to announce that John B. McCormick has joined as a director. McCormick, formerly a specialised consultant with Cambridge Associates, joins Monument with 10 years of global...
ITALY - SG Capital buys majority stake in Co.Import
SG Capital Europe has agreed to purchase 80% of Co.Import, a retailer of accessories and small home furnishings, from its founding family for EUR 15m. The management is reportedly reinvesting EUR 3m for the remaining stake. Co.Import owns a network of...
SPAIN - All eyes on Mercapital's Occidental Hoteles
Press reports suggest that Mercapital is in advanced negotiations to finally sell its 29.5% shareholding in Occidental Hoteles. The chains Barceló, Sol Meliá and NH Hoteles have already submitted offers and the deal is likely to be completed before...
UK - Promethean portfolio company DLG makes acquisition
Promethean portfolio company Data Locator Group (DLG) has acquired the business and assets of Wegener DM Group Plc (WDM) from the listed media group Koninklijke Wegener NV. WDM has created a database on UK consumers and their lifestyles and collects the...
UK - Catalyst takes new premises in Grosvenor Gardens
Catalyst Corporate Finance is relocating its growing London team to new premises in Grosvenor Gardens.
UK - Merseyside Special Investment Fund backs SLR Technology Solutions
SLR Technology Solutions received almost £80,000 of funding from Merseyside Special Investment Fund to complete its proof of concept phase.
NORWAY - SCAN closes a NOK 202.5m subordinated convertible bond issue
SCAN Geophysical ASA, which Norvestor IV LP holds a 35.5% stake in, has closed a NOK 202.5m subordinated convertible bond issue towards existing shareholders and new investors. The unsecured bonds have a fixed interest rate of 7% per annum, maturity of...
FINLAND - Benchmark Capital invests in online estate agency
Igglo Oy, the Finnish online estate agency, has raised EUR 12.5m in a funding round led by Benchmark Capital Europe and including co-founder of Igglo, the Taivas Group. The new capital will be used to accelerate Igglo’s expansion in Europe.
AUSTRIA - PONTIS Venture Partners leads financing round for Alumonte
Graz-based aluminium technology company Alumonte has received EUR 3.3m in a second financing round led by PONTIS Venture Partners. The Austria Wirtschafts Service and the Austrian Research Promotion Company(FFG) also participated in the deal.
GERMANY - Waterland acquires amusement arcade operator
Waterland Private Equity has backed the management buyout of Löwen Play, Germany’s second largest amusement arcade operator. The acquisition was made through Waterland Private Equity Fund III BV that closed on EUR 400m in April this year.
GERMANY - Corporate restructurings to increase, says Alix Partners
Research has shown that Germany is set to be at the forefront of restructurings in Western Europe over the next 18 months. The recent survey by AlixPartners LLC revealed that over 50% of bankers, lawyers, fund managers and other industry experts expect...
GERMANY/SWEDEN – Benson Elliot appoints investment head Hansson
Private equity real estate firm Benson Elliot Capital Management has recruited Jan-Olof Hansson as an investment manager to direct German and Swedish operations.