News
DENMARK - VC-backed Santaris Pharma enters collaboration agreement
Venture-backed Santaris Pharma A/S has entered into a collaboration with Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc in a deal potentially worth over $200m. The companies will co-develop and commercialise a series of innovative RNA antagonists and the drugs will be based...
FRANCE - 21 Centrale Partners in Batisanté secondary buyout
21 Centrale Partners has bought health and safety services provider Batisanté from CDC Entreprises, following an auction process run by Transaction R.
UK - Pinsent Masons makes new appointment to corporate finance team
One of the leading corporate lawyers in the North West, Stephen Levy, is joining Pinsent Masons' Manchester team in a move which underscores the top-level reinvigoration of the firm's regional corporate practice.
GERMANY - Equita exits woodwork specialist
Equita has sold a 19.7% stake in German sawmill and wood working enterprise Klenk Holz AG via the Klenk family to WestLB AG. The remaining 10% stake was sold to the Klenk Holz AG itself as treasury stock. Equita was invested in Klenk Holz AG through its...
GERMANY - Auctus Management makes 18x money on Time Partner
Auctus Management has exited a majority share in its temporary recruitment platform Time Partner to Investcorp for approximately EUR 250m. The financial investor made 18x its invested capital which it began building in 2004, yielding EUR 100m from the...
UK - Latham & Watkins appoints new structured finance partner
Latham & Watkins has announced that Mark Nicolaides has joined the firm's London office as a partner in the finance department.
FRANCE - Authorities approve the sale of Taittinger
Starwood Capital, has announed it has received the approvals it required for the sale of champagne-maker Taittinger to Crédit Agricole du Nord Est.
UK - Bridges Community Ventures backs Nottingham healthcare services company PHF
Bridges Community Ventures (Bridges) the UK’s first community development venture capital company announces its investment in PHF Services Ltd, a Nottingham based company that aims to revolutionise the market for the provision of healthcare practice...
UK - Graphite Capital backs further acquisition by Avery Healthcare
Graphite Capital has provided equity funding for the acquisition by Avery Healthcare of Hadrian Healthcare. Based in Gateshead, Hadrian has eight care homes for the elderly in North East England and is regarded as one of the leading operators in the region....
UK - European Capital to close UK deals
According to the Financial Times, European Capital is due to complete two management buyouts this week, whilst simultaneously being in talks with British Airways to purchase its Air Miles business.
UK - Permira acquires All3Media generating 5.5x returns for Bridgepoint
Permira has acquired a majority stake in All3Media from Bridgepoint in a deal which values the company behind Richard & Judy, Hollyoaks, Midsomer Murders amongst others, at £320m. The deal represents an exit for Bridgepoint which has made a money multiple...
FINLAND - CapMan exits from Matka-Vekka
Funds managed by CapMan have sold Finland’s private travel agency chain Matkatoimisto Oy Matka-Vekka to Icelandic Heimsferdir EHF. The value of the deal has not been disclosed. CapMan funds Finnventure IV and Finnmezzanine II acquired ownership of Matka-Vekka...
GERMANY - Steadfast Capital acquires Peine Group
Steadfast Capital, alongside the company's management, has acquired Peine Group. The Wilhelmshaven-based company is a producer of business and formal wear for men.
GERMANY - Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein to refinance APCOA
Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein has been mandated by Investcorp to lead the refinancing of German car parks operator APCOA. No equity will be taken out in the course of the refinancing.
ITALY - Strategia Italia closes its first transaction
The private equity firm Strategia Italia SGR has recently concluded its first transaction as a lead investor, in partnership with specialist investor Piemonte High Technology. The consideration has not been disclosed.
UK - Light Blue Optics secures $2.5m seed funding from 3i-led consortium
Light Blue Optics, developer of industry-leading miniature projection technology, today announced the closing of a $2.5m seed funding round. 3i Plc, the FTSE 100 listed global venture capital firm, led the round, which also included investment from NESTA,...
UK - Phoenix acquires NFT Distribution
Phoenix Equity Partners announces that it has reached agreement on the proposed acquisition of the business and assets of NFT Distribution (NFT) from Northern Foods Plc in a £51.2m management buyout. Contracts have been exchanged and completion is expected...
UK - Caudwell phone group sold to Providence Equity Partners and Doughty Hanson
The Times reports that this week will see the official announcement that John Caudwell's mobile phone empire has been sold to Providence Equity Partners and Doughty Hanson.
UK - Private equity wants to muscle in on Severn Trent's planned IPO of Biffa
Severn Trent's planned IPO of its Biffa waste business later this year is no longer a certainty after a team formed by KKR and Apollo Management expressed an interest in acquiring Severn Trent. The bid for the company would be in the region of £5bn.
UK - Sun European Parnters sells light commercial vehicles company LDV
Sun European Partners, the European adviser to Sun Capital Partners Inc, has announced the sale of its affiliate LDV Holdings Ltd to GAZ International Limited. Under the deal, LDV, the specialist manufacturer of the multi award winning range of Maxus...
UK - Strathdon Investments launches secondaries venture capital fund
Strathdon Investments Plc, the technology investment company, has announced that it has formed a new LP fund with a major investor and that the first transactions have been completed. Strathdon’s subsidiary, Strathdon Finance Ltd, will manage the specialist...
ROMANIA - GED completes Romanian deal
GED Private Equity, a mid market investor in Iberia and South Eastern Europe, has acquired a majority stake in four Romanian mobile phone distributors in a EUR 4.5m deal. The investor plans to consolidate and rebrand the companies at the beginning of...
UK - New developments in Birds Eye auction
The £1.2bn Birds Eye auction is reported by the Sunday Times to have a new competitor following the teaming up of Kerry Foods with Blackstone and JP Morgan Partners. Kerry Foods is Ireland's eight largest listed company and is one of the largest suppliers...
UK - Hermes set to acquire Beacon Bingo chain
According to a report in the Sunday Times, the private equity arm of Hermes is set to acquire Thomas Holdings, the parent company of the Beacon Bingo chain.