UK unquote
Gresham-backed ICR in third bolt-on
Gresham Private Equity portfolio company ICR Integrity has acquired UK-based oil & gas services provider Chemical Injection Utilities (CIU).
Gresham's James Grant Group buys Hall or Nothing
James Grant Group, a UK-based talent management and professional services business owned by Gresham Private Equity, has acquired music management agency Hall or Nothing.
Better Capital’s Reader’s Digest to undergo restructuring
Better Capital portfolio company Reader’s Digest UK is to undergo a restructuring via a company voluntary agreement (CVA).
Cerberus buys Admiral Taverns from Lloyds
US private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management has acquired UK-based tenanted pub group Admiral Taverns from Lloyds Banking Group.
AshHill et al. invest in Heart Metabolics
US private equity firm AshHill Investments and Australian VC fund Trans Tasman Commercialisation Fund (TTCF) have invested $4m in London-based biotech company Heart Metabolics.
ECI backs Citation in £50m deal
ECI Partners has acquired a majority stake in professional advice firm Citation, in a deal that values the company at £50m.
Terra Firma looking to sell Odeon
Terra Firma is again looking to sell cinema chain Odeon & UCI Group in 2013, potentially raising up to £1bn, according to reports.
UK private equity’s 2012 highlights
2012 in review: UK
AlpInvest and Honeywell Capital Management invest £35m in Towry
AlpInvest Partners and Honeywell Capital Management have invested £35m in Towry Group, a UK-based wealth advisory firm backed by Palamon Capital Partners.
Aquiline buys Equity Red Star for £87m
Aquiline Capital Partners has bought UK-based motor insurance business Equity Red Star (ERS) from Insurance Australia Group (IAG) for £87m.
Government to investigate Comet collapse
Vince Cable is to launch an investigation into the demise of electricals retailer Comet, which had been bought by turnaround specialist OpCapita in November 2011 before going into administration a year later.
Ludgate et al. back ECO Plastics
Ludgate Environmental Fund, SAM Private Equity and other existing shareholders have invested £6m in UK-based plastic bottle re-processor ECO Plastics.
PE funding gains traction with UK entrepreneurs
Nearly a third (31%) of UK entrepreneurs are considering private equity or venture capital to raise finance in 2013, according to 800 UK business leaders polled in a recent Baker Tilly survey.
BC Partners loses managing partner
BC Partners' Andrew Newington is understood to have left the firm due to disagreements over future strategy.
Advent Venture appoints new operating partner
Advent Venture Partners has appointed Ian Nicholson as an operating partner in its life sciences team.
BGF invests £3m in Camino
The Business Growth Fund (BGF) has provided UK-based tapas restaurants operator Camino with £3m of funding.
LDC invests in Blue Rubicon
LDC has taken a majority stake in UK-based PR consultancy Blue Rubicon, in a deal that values the business at £30m.
Endless backs MBO of Vion Food UK
Turnaround player Endless has invested in the management buyout of Dutch food producer Vion's British pork business.
WestBridge backs £6m MBO of Anglia Business Solutions
UK SME investor WestBridge Capital has pumped £2.6m into the buyout of Cambridge-based Anglia Business Solutions in return for a 43% stake in the business.
Sovereign achieves 4.2x on sale of DC Leisure
Sovereign Capital has exited its investment in DC Leisure Holdings Ltd in a sale to property management firm Places for People Group Ltd, reaping 36% IRR on its investment.
NBGI partially exits Pasta King
Yorkshire Bank has provided £8.7m of senior debt and working capital to Pasta King in a deal that sees NBGI Private Equity partially exit the firm.
Directorbank and Rockpool team up to back and manage UK businesses
Executive search firm Directorbank and tax-efficient private equity investment firm Rockpool Investments have formed an alliance.
Dunedin’s CitySprint buys Eagle Express
CitySprint, a distribution network backed by Dunedin, has acquired Eagle Express Worldwide Couriers.
UK & Ireland unquote" December 2012/January 2013
In defiance of problems on the continent, the UK has seen a surge in mega-buyouts this year, topped off with the recent acquisition of Annington Homes for £3.2bn.