News
UK - Close of Caudwell deal approaches
Caudwell, the phone group which includes the Phones 4 U chain, is now in exclusive negotiations with BAIN Capital and Doughty Hanson according to the Times. John Caudwell is selling the Carphone Warehouse's main rival for a figure thought to be close...
NORWAY - NeoMed's Clavis Pharma appoints new CFO
Stine Rolstad Brenna has been appointed CFO of Oslo-based biopharmaceutical company Clavis Pharma ASA. She joins from a similar position at Avishuset Dagbladet AS, a media and publishing house, where she has had overall financial responsibility.
UK - TutorVista secures £1.1m funding from Sequoia Capital
TutorVista, a leading online personal tutoring service, today announced it has secured £1.1m in series A round funding. The round was led by Sequoia Capital India, who have also funded Google and includes prior angel investors.
FINLAND - Eqvitec sells Saraware
Wipro Technologies has signed an agreement to acquire Eqvitec-backed Saraware Oy in an all cash deal. With a consideration of EUR 25m, the transaction includes upfront cash payment and debt takeover in addition to earn-outs on achieving targeted financial...
SWEDEN - Amadeus and Creandum invest in Edgeware
Edgeware has secured SEK 17m from new investor Amadeus Capital Partners and SEK 11m from existing investor Creandum.
FRANCE - OFI Private Equity boosts its investment team
OFI Private Equity, subsidiary of the Ofivalmo Group, has announced two new appointments to its investment team. Ludovic Prévost, 36, will be director of investor relations. He leaves his associate position at Global Private Equity. His career started...
FRANCE - Sagard acquires pharmaceuticals distributor
Sagard has taken a majority stake in Depolabo, the leading French distributor of pharmaceuticals, alongside its management. Previous investor Steinbeck Holding retains a minority stake in the company.
NL- Valcon acquires more than 97% of VNU shares
Valcon Acquisition BV has announced that it has received more than 97% of the share capital of VNU, allowing it to proceed with a squeeze out procedure to acquire all remaining shares and delist the information and media company from Euronext Amsterdam.
FRANCE - Bids for PagesJaunes to close on 18 June
The deadline for bidders to declare their interest in France Telecom's directory business PagesJaunes is the 18 June.
UK - Costcutter backed by Kaupthing
Kaupthing Principal Investments has completed an investment in Costcutter, the convenience food retailer, in a transaction that values the group at approximately £100m. Kaupthing has taken a 20% stake in Costcutter as a result of the deal.
UK - Blackstone delays IPO of Cineworld
Blackstone is to postpone the floatation of Cineworld due to stock market volatility. It purchased the 820 screen cinema giant from UGC in 2004. The decision to list Cineworld, which was expected to be worth £400m on the market, was made on 10 May since...
NL- ABP to increase allocation to private equity
ABP, the Dutch pensionfund which currently allocates almost 12% of its EUR 195bn under management to private equity, is reportedly intending to increase its exposure to the asset class.
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity and Jaccar invest in ship builder
AXA Private Equity and Jaccar have each taken a 40% stake in Piriou, while the company's management retain the balance.
FRANCE - Vulcanic changes hands
AXA Private Equity has sold its interest in Vulcanic Group, a European electrothermics and instrument transformer manufacturer, to 21 Centrale Partners and the company's management for EUR 82.5m
FRANCE - Stone Point Capital backs AXA RE's spinout
AXA has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to cede AXA RE, its mid-sized reinsurer, to a syndicate of investors led by US private equity firm, Stone Point Capital.
SPAIN - Monitor Capital buys 95% of the restaurant chain Pinocchio
The private equity firm Monitor Capital has acquired 95% of the shares of the Spanish food chain Pinocchio, which operates ten restaurants and pizzerias in Montecarlo, Madrid and Valencia.
FRANCE - AGF Private Equity recruits VoIP specialist
Matthieu Baret joins AGF Private Equity's venture team, where he will specialise in telecoms, IT and electronics investments.
UK - F&C expands Edinburgh-based private equity
F&C Asset Management has further strengthened its private equity funds team with the appointment of Richard Nairn as associate director, private equity funds. Nairn joins the Edinburgh-based F&C team from Intelli Corporate Finance, a corporate advisory...
UK - Matrix backs Pasta King
Matrix Private Equity Partners has financed the MBO of Pasta King alongside management and HSBC (Exeter) which provided senior debt and a invoice discounting facility.
SPAIN - Cuatrecasas launched its own London office
The law firm, which has just opened an office in the heart of the City of London, is now closer to the decision center of many of its clients.
NETHERLANDS - Halder acquires Hebu in secondary buyout
According to press reports, Halder has acquired a 77,5% stake in hydraulic systems and components business Hebu from Gilde Investment Management and ABN AMRO Capital.
NORWAY - Ferd buys retail chain Nille
Ferd Private Equity Fund II has acquired 70% of the shares in Nille AS and Per Aarskog AS. Mons and Mathias Aarskog will continue to own 30% of the new holding company.
UK - Intermediate Capital Group profits from buoyant private equity market
The listed mezzanine finance provider, Intermediate Capital Group, has seen its pre-tax profit rise by 72% from £95m to £190m.
UK - Candover appoints Simon Marc to its European team
Candover has announced a further addition to its European team with the appointment of Simon Marc as an investment manager.