News
FINLAND - Arcapita buys Paroc from BA Capital Partners
BA Capital Partners Europe has agreed to sell Paroc Holding Sverige AB and its subsidiaries to affiliates of Arcapita Limited. The transaction value is approximately EUR 620m and closing is expected to occur in August 2006.
UK - Bank of Ireland and Paul Capital Partners launch fund-of-funds
Bank of Ireland has established a joint venture with Paul Capital Partners (PCP), a leading US private equity specialist, to provide private equity fund-of-funds products and advisory services to institutional and other investors worldwide. The new joint...
SPAIN - Gala Capital buys 58% of Grupo Page
According to reports in the Spanish press, the private equity firm Gala Capital has purchased 58% of the technology group Page for an undisclosed sum.
UK - CriticalBlue raises $3.7m second round funding
CriticalBlue, a provider of tools for accelerating software in embedded microprocessor applications has announced the closure of its B round financing. The funding round was led by Herald Ventures and was fully supported by existing investors Pentech...
SPAIN - GED set to exit Continental Hotels in Bucarest
The Spanish private equity firm GED will exit the Romanian chain Continental Hotels via a listing on the Bucarest Stock Exchange in July. GED will probably list all of its 28% stake in the company. The remaining shares are held by founding familiy, Enache,...
POLAND - Bankier SA lists on Warsaw Stock Exchange
Polish finance portal Banker SA, a bmp portfolio company in which its managed fund CEEV GmbH holds a stake, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange today. The opening price was PLN 8.25 per share, 10% over the issue price of PLN 7.50.
FRANCE - Industri Kapital acquires French laboratories in tertiary buyout
Industri Kapital has acquired a majority stake of Group Cerba from Astorg Partners for about EUR 160m. To secure this buyout, the European private equity firm defeated APAX Partners, 3i and PPM Capital in a competitive auction. The deal should be completed...
DENMARK - Nordic Biotech and Bioscience Managers complete $25m portfolio deal
Bioscience Managers Limited (BML), a London-based venture capital firm, has acquired shareholdings in a number of clinical stage portfolio companies from the Nordic Biotech K/S fund. The value of the deal is $25m.
UK - Wound Solutions receives £5m funding from Hotbed and Octopus
A syndicate of investors, including Hotbed and Octopus Bioscience VCT have provided £5m funding to Wound Solutions.
UK - Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone court iSoft
The struggling healthcare software company, iSoft, is thought to be latest company to be weighed up by private equity with Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone all reported to be interested according to the Observer.
UK - Further activity in caravan park industry as LGV looks to buy South Lakeland
South Lakeland Caravans is reported by the Sunday Times to be in advanced talks with Legal & General Ventures (LGV).
GERMANY - Triton acquires stake in Dematic
Triton, together with the company's management, has taken over shares previously held by Siemens AG in Dematic GmbH & Co. KG. The parties have agreed not to disclose details of the transaction. Dematic employs around 4,000 people and achieved revenues...
UK - Terra Firma to bring energy business to the stock market with Alan Lovell's help
Terra Firma is understood to have hired Alan Lovell, the CEO of Jarvis who has overseen a period of restructuring of the group, according to yesterday's Sunday Times.
UK - Hedge fund threatens 3i's Mayborn acquisition
The hedge fund, Trafalgar Asset Managers, is threatening to block 3i's take-private of Mayborn Plc. Despite the deal having won approval from the Mayborn board and its largest shareholder, Trafalgar believes the 500p a share offer undervalues the company.
UK - Macquarie-3i consortium to outbid Goldman Sachs for ABP
It is reported in today's Times that the consortium led by Macquarie is likely to offer £2.7bn for Associated British Ports (ABP), outbidding the Goldman Sachs consortium's £2.53bn offer.
UK - Apax assess All3Media
All3Media, the television production company formed by three former ITV executives, is being assessed by Greg Dyke who is a consultant to Apax, according to The Times today.
SWEDEN - 3i sells its stake in Atea
3i has sold its shareholding in Atea Holding AB, a supplier of IT infrastructure, to Ementor ASA. Ementor buys the entire company for SEK 1,050m.
SWEDEN - CapMan and Investor Growth Capital invest in Neoventa Medical
CapMan Life Science IV fund managed by CapMan and Investor Growth Capital has invested in Neoventa Medical AB, a Swedish medical technology company within the area of fetal monitoring.
PORTUGAL - Money set for Portugal Telecom buyout
According to reports on the Portuguese press, a consortium of private equity funds including Blackstone, Cinven, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Permira and Providence Equity have secured EUR 4.9 b of their own funds available should they decide to go ahead...
UK - Anil Hansjee joins GP Bullhound
Anil Hansjee, previously at IDG Ventures, has joined technology investment banking firm GP Bullhound. He has over 15 years experience in the technology industry and has worked as an IT engineer, in IT corporate finance and, most recently, as a principal...
UK - Star Capital considers sale of PFI Investment Fund
Star Capital has appointed NM Rothschild in order to review the Secondary Market Infrastructure Fund (SMIF) that it bought in 2003 from Abbey National and Babock and Brown according to today's Financial Times.
FRANCE - Duke Street reinforces its French team
Didier Bismuth joins Duke Street Capital as a partner in its French office.
UK - Bidding war pushes ABP shares to 850p
The Financial Times reports today that Goldman Sachs has raised its offer to Associated British Ports from 810p to 840p per share as competition between its consortium and that led by Macquarie intensifies.
SWEDEN - Nordic Capital buys ICA Meny
A subsidiary to Nordic Capital fund VI has signed an agreement to acquire ICA Meny from ICA AB for an undisclosed sum. The completion of the transaction is subject to approval by relevant authorities.