News
ITALY - Siparex Italia arranges MBO of TecMo
Siparex Italia has completed the management buyout of TecMo from Thermadyne Holding Corporation, a multinational manufacturer of cutting and welding products. Siparex has taken a 50% interest in the acquisition vehicle and the senior debt was arranged...
FRANCE - AFIC announces the creation of the Maison du Capital Investissement
Renaud Dutreil, French Minister for Small Businesses and Entreprise, has inaugurated the new Maison du Capital Investissement.
NETHERLANDS - Rabo Private Equity invests in Duck-To Farm Holding BV
Rabo Private Equity and the current management have jointly acquired Duck-To Farm Holding BV, including its subsidiaries Duck-To Farm BV and Tomassen Poeliersbedrijf BV.
GERMANY - Texas Pacific Group defends Grohe PR disaster
In a dinner speech at the Handesblatt Private Equity Conference, Frankfurt on 9 May, Andrew Dechet of Texas Pacific Group justified the investor's much criticised restructuring of the beleaguered Grohe. Dechet, from the US, delivered his speech in German,...
UK - CVC and Bain in bidding for Caudwell Group
CVC Capital and Bain Capital are the remaining two competitors in the contest to buy the Caudwell Group, reports The Times today. John Caudwell offloaded part of his business in April and the bidders are now neck-and-neck for the rest of his empire, which...
UK - 3i announces £700m return to shareholders.
3i has announced a total return of £831m for the year ending 31st March 2006, representing a 22.5% return on opening shareholders’ funds. It has also announced its intention to return £700m to shareholders through a bonus issue of listed B shares.
NETHERLANDS - NPM-owned Neerlands Glorie to acquire United Biscuits?
Press reports suggest that NPM-owned Neerlands Glorie, producer of exclusively Dutch food products, is looking into a possible acquisition of the Dutch, French and Belgian activities of United Biscuits.
FRANCE - Thierry Laugel joins AGF Private Equity's venture capital team
AGF Private Equity has appointed Thierry Laugel as partner in itsventure capital team.
UK - Mathew Masters joins Caledonia Investments
Mathew Masters has joined Caledonia Investments Plc as an investment executive.
UK - Gresham appoints new investment executive
Mike O’Brien has joined Gresham's investment team as an investment executive based in London.
DENMARK - VC-backed Santaris Pharma launches DKK 19.6m budget research collaboration
Santaris Pharma and the Department for Medical Biochemistry at the University of Copenhagen have announced the creation of a new MicroRNA research consortium.
FRANCE - Argos Soditic backs Sitour's MBO
Argos Soditic has backed the management buyout of Groupe Sitour. This is the first investment made through the equity house's new fund, Euroknights V.
FINLAND - Inustri Kapital, Fortum and MB Funds sell Enermet
Industri Kapital, Fortum Oyj and MB Funds have signed an agreement with Bayard Group to sell Enermet Group Oy for an enterprise value of approximately EUR 90m. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.
UK - M&C Ventures makes new hire
M&C Ventures has appointed Neil Sebba as a corporate finance executive. Sebba joins from BDO Stoy Hayward, where he qualified as a chartered accountant in 2003.
UK - Imperial Innovations spin-outs win LDA grants
Imperial Innovations, the technology commercialisation company based at Imperial College London, has announced that six of the companies in its portfolio have been awarded prestigious R & D grants worth nearly £700,000 from the London Development Agency.
FRANCE - BI-SAM Technologies receives EUR 5m from Galileo and Alven
Galileo Partners and Alven Capital have invested EUR 5m in BI-Sam Technologies, in two tranches. The company’s three founders retain a majority equity stake
UK - ISIS invests £4.87m in Reed & Mackay
ISIS Equity Partners has taken a significant minority stake in Reed & Mackay Limited, a leading provider of business travel management services. ISIS has invested £4.87m as part of the transaction, alongside senior debt and working capital facilities...
FRANCE - ABN AMRO Capital France acquires majority of NextiraOne
ABN AMRO Capital France has signed an agreement to buy the majority of NextiraOne and the management and Indigo Capital will take minority shareholdings.
FRANCE - Avenir Entrprises gestion backs Medil's MBI
Eric Menanteau and his management team are taking a 57% stake in medical equipment provider, Medil. Avenir Entreprises Gestion has backed this management buy-in, taking 33% of the company's equity.
SWEDEN - EQT and Investor receive clearances for Gambro offer
Indap AB, indirectly jointly-owned by Investor AB and EQT IV, has received clearances from relevant competition authorities regarding the offer to the shareholders in Gambro AB, which was announced on April 3 2006. The offer acceptance period will expire...
FRANCE - Spef Venture sells 3D animation software company Eovia
Spef Venture has agreed to sell Eovia to Californian 3D animation company DAZ Productions for an undisclosed sum.
SWEDEN - Mannheimer Swartling to open Moscow office
Swedish law firm Mannheimer Swartling plans to open an office in Moscow with both Swedish and Russian lawyers specialising in real estate, finance, M&A and establishment work. The firm expects to have at least ten lawyers at the office within one year.
UK - Index backs Last.fm
The London-based consumer internet startup Last.fm has raised its first round (an undisclosed sum) initiated by Index Ventures.
UK - Gresham sells Alstec for £44.9m
Gresham has made a successful exit from Alstec Group Ltd, a support services business. Gresham made a ruturn of nearly 4x its investment in the sale to Babcock International Group Plc for £44.9m.