News
UK - Esporta bidding for golf course business The Club Company
The Times reports that The Club Company (TCC), the golf and country club business, owned by Legal and General Ventures has three to four bidders left in the running to acquire it.
UK - Bridgepoint seeks exit from All3Media
All3Media, the television production company formed in 2003 by Bridgepoint's backing of the acquisition of Chrysalis Group's television division, is the subject of a bid by DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. The bid by the private equity arm of Credit Suisse...
FINLAND - CapMan exits Sentera
Finnventure IV, V and V ET funds managed by CapMan have sold their 30.1% shareholding in Sentera Plc to SysOpen Digia Plc for EUR 12.8m. SysOpen Digia Plc paid the main part of the transaction in cash and a small part with the company’s own shares.
SWEDEN - InnovationsKapital recruits Falkevall as investment director
Martin Falkevall has been appointed investment director of InnovationsKapital and will be part of the Stockholm-based information and communication technology team.
UK - Legal Services Bill presents new opportunities for private equity?
Last week's Legal Services Bill could lead to law firms receiving private equity investment, according to a report from The Lawyer.com. Taylor Wessing has become the first firm to reveal that it is considering selling an equity stake to private equity....
GERMANY - Deutsche Telekom could bid for BT
According to a report published in the FT today Deutsche Telekom, in which The Blackstone Group recently acquired a minority stake, might consider an offer for British Telecom.
UK - USS considers £6bn move from equities to alternative assets
The UK's second biggest pension fund, the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) is considering a major £6bn shift from equities into alternative assets, according to the FT.
NETHERLANDS - Bencis acquires Winsol Group
Bencis Capital Partners has reached an agreement to acquire a substantial equity interest in Winsol Group, a producer of PVC and aluminium windows and doors, sun protection systems, rollers shutters, sectional doors and balustrades.
BELGIUM - Big Bang Ventures leads investment round for Qlayer
Big Bang Ventures has announced that it has taken the lead in a EUR 1.3m first round of financing for Qlayer, a provider of virtualisation management software for commercial data centers. The transaction represents the first investment of Big Bang Ventures'...
UK - Permira to float Hogg Robinson
The Sunday Times reported on the expected IPO of Hogg Robinson over the weekend. Permira took Hogg Robinson private in a 2000 deal worth EUR 640m and now intends to return it to the stock market through a 'competitive' IPO. This controversial route to...
FRANCE - Bridgepoint acquires French publisher from Sagard
Bridgepoint has taken a majority stake in Groupe Moniteur in a secondary LBO. French buyout house Sagard is exiting the investment it made in 2004.
FRANCE - Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners backs Alturia's owner buyout
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners and Socadif have taken minority stakes to back Henry Robet's buyout of Groupe Alturia.
UK - Private equity rumours continue to surround Britvic
Following rumours last week that poor sales at Britvic had sparked private equity interest in the underperforming soft drinks manufacturer, further reports have emerged today linking PAI to Britvic.
UK - PAI Partners bid for Cleanaway UK
Cleanaway UK, one of the UK's biggest waste management companies, has shortlisted about six bidders including French private equity company PAI Partners, in the final stages of its auction.
UK - CVC to back MBO of Helphire?
The Financial Times reports that CVC Capital Partners has been in talks with Helphire, a Bath-based company that provides replacement vehicles for drivers who claim to be the innocent victims of car accidents. Talks between Helphire and CVC are understood...
SWEDEN - CapMan invests in Spintop Netsolution
Funds managed by CapMan will invest in Spintop Netsolution AB, a Swedish software development and services company. Following this investment, CapMan funds will have a 30 percent stake in Spintop and the company’s founders and key employees will hold...
UK - Speculation about the future of Britvic
Soft drinks manufacturer Britvic issued its third profit warning in three months sparking a flurry in trading of the company's shares yesterday. Despite the dismal performance and volatility in the carbonated drinks market, Britvic shares closed 17.75p...
ITALY - MCC Sofipa acquires majority stake in Cobra
MCC Sofipa SGR SPA, the private equity arm of Gruppo Capitalia, has acquired a majority stake in Cobra Spa via the funds Sofipa Equity Fund and Sofipa Equity Fund II. The funds have together invested approximately EUR 17.5m for a 70% shareholding, while...
GERMANY - BMG auction to attract private equity
Bertelsmann has announced that it will put its BMG Music Publishing unit up for auction and hopes to receive upwards of EUR 1.5bn.
UK - Nigel Beer takes minority stake in Hotbed
Nigel Beer, former head of KPMG's corporate finance division in London, has taken a minority stake in Hotbed. He will take on the role of non-executive director of the private investor network, but remains active as a consultant for KPMG.
NETHERLANDS - Valcon to buy back VNU debt
Private equity consortium Valcon, which recently declared its EUR 29.50 per share bid for VNU to be unconditional, has now also made an offer for most of VNU's outstanding bonds and notes, worth around EUR 1bn euros.
UK - Shaun Beaney joins BDO as deal origination manager
Shaun Beaney has joined the corporate finance department at BDO Stoy Hayward as deal origination manager. Beaney arrives at BDO from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Corporate Finance Faculty, where he was business development...
UK - Telent to be taken private by Fortress Investment
Telent has been offered 529.5p per share by the US private equity firm Fortress Investment according to a report in today's Times. The deal will value Telent, the only part of former industrial giant Marconi that remains independent, at £346m. Ericsson...
FRANCE - Indian brewery may buy Taittinger
According to press reports, Indian company United Breweries is part of six potential buyers shortlisted for the acquisition of French champagne producer, Taittinger.