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American Capital's affiliate opens Paris office
29/04/2005. American Capital Strategies has announced the opening of the Paris office of its affiliate European Capital Financial Services, a buy-out and mezzanine firm. Jean Eichenlaub, managing director and member of the Investment Committee and Jacques Pancrazi, director will lead the team in Paris. The office will open with six employees. 
Pan-European buy-out firm CVC announces NOK830m Polimoon IPO
29/04/2005. CVC's portfolio company Polimoon has successfully completed its IPO giving the group a market capitalisation of NOK830m (102m). Polimoon listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange on 26 April.
US Huron Capital closes The Huron Fund II on $185m
29/04/2005. US firm Huron Capital Partners has held a final closing on The Huron Fund II with $185m in aggregate commitments. The firm said that the new fund, launched six months ago, has exceeded the original target by over 20 per cent. Institutional investors include Dow Employees' Pension Plan, CIGNA Investment Management and DuPont Pension Trust.
US Sun Capital Partners closes $1.5bn leveraged buy-out fund Sun Capital Partners IV
29/04/2005. US private equity firm Sun Capital Partners has closed Sun Capital Partners IV, a $1.5bn leveraged buy-out fund. The original target was $1.0bn. University endowments, fund-of-fund investors, pension funds, high-net-worth individuals, families and trusts are participating in fund.
Englefield and Duke Street bid to take UK Cox Insurance private
29/04/2005. European buy-out firms Englefield and Duke Street have made a recommended cash offer worth £298m to take private Cox Insurance. The offer will be 92p in cash for each Cox share, a premium of 45 per cent over the closing price in November last year when the firm announced it was in possible takeover talks.
CDC appoints Brian Lim as manager
29/04/2005. CDC, a UK government-backed fund of funds investor in emerging markets, has appointed Brian Lim as a manager. In his new role Lim will be responsible for managing commitments to CDC's existing fund managers in South and South East Asia in addition to identifying new fund managers.
AGF Private Equity launches new fund of funds
28/04/2005. French fund of funds manager AGF Private Equity has held a first closing of its new fund of funds, AGF Private Equity Holding Europe IV, on 100m. The target size is 250m.
ABN AMRO Capital acquires Swedish industrial automation equipment supplier FlexLink
28/04/2005. ABN AMRO Capital has acquired Swedish industrial equipment supplier FlexLink for 153m via a management buy-out from EQT. EQT acquired a 90 per cent interest in FlexLink from AB SKF in 1997.
Buy-out firm CVC drops IPO plans and puts Kwik-Fit up for sale
28/04/2005. Pan-European buy-out firm CVC has decided that a sale is the better exit option for its portfolio company Kwik-Fit and has reportedly dropped plans for an IPO. CVC hopes that the UK car parts repair specialist could raise as much as $800m, according to Reuters.
Hicks Muse (Europe) renames itself Lion Capital to mark its independence
28/04/2005. The three-month-long search for the new name for Hicks Muse (Europe) is over and the firm will from now on be known as Lion Capital. The name change marks the final step towards full independence for the firm from its former US parent Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst.
Vision Capital buys seven companies from Legal & General Ventures
28/04/2005. Venture capital firm Vision Capital has bought a portfolio of seven companies from Legal & General Ventures for an undisclosed amount, the Financial Times reported. The portfolio includes TM Group, comprising the Forbuoys, RS McColl, More, Dillons and Martin's chains; Trident Components; and Coal Products.
3i closes Birmingham office, will open Shanghai office in spring
28/04/2005. 3i is closing down its office in the centre of Birmingham in a move that the firm explains as a continuation of its strategy shift from a geographical to a business-line structure. The idea is to have fewer but bigger teams which develop a deep private equity sector experience in 3i's three business lines: buy-outs, venture capital and growth capital.
PAI partners sells Panzani to Spanish food group Ebro Puleva
27/04/2005. French buy-out group PAI partners has sold its investment in pasta and pasta sauce specialist Panzani to Spanish food group Ebro Puleva in a transaction that values the company at 650m.
US venture capitalists invested less capital in Q1 2005 than in Q4 2004
27/04/2005. Another set of data shows that US venture investment slowed down in the first quarter. US VCs invested $4.6bn in the first quarter of 2005, down from $5.4bn in Q4 2004, according to the MoneyTree Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thomson Venture Economics and the National Venture Capital Association.
Access Capital Partners launches two European third-generation funds of funds
27/04/2005. European funds of funds manager Access Capital Partners has started to market two third-generation funds of funds; Access Capital Fund III Mid-market Buy-out Europe and Access Capital Fund III Technology Europe. The firm expects both funds to close this year.
US Clearstone Venture Partners closes $200m venture capital fund
27/04/2005. US Clearstone Venture Partners has closed its third venture capital fund with capital commitments totaling more than $200m from universities, pension funds and institutional investors.
Barclays Private Equity appoints three co-heads
27/04/2005. Barclays Private Equity, the semi-captive pan-European buy-out firm, has appointed three new co-heads to replace the former sole head Graham White, who died earlier this year. Tom Lamb, managing director UK, Gonzague de Bligniθres, managing director France, and Peter Hammermann, managing director Germany, will assume their new roles in addition to their country responsibilities.
Montagu Private Equity acquires UK waste management company Cory for £200m
27/04/2005. Pan European mid-market firm Montagu Private Equity has agreed to acquire Cory Environmental from logistics and supply chain management specialist Exel for £200m.
US venture investment activity slows in Q1 on same period last year
26/04/2005. The US venture capital investment activity recorded a decline in the first quarter of this year on the same period of last year, according to the Quarterly Venture Capital Report released by VentureOne and Ernst & Young. The number of investments fell nine per cent on the same period last year to 474 and the value dropped 16 per cent to $4.6bn.
Veronis Suhler Stevenson sells US Canon Communications
26/04/2005. Veronis Suhler Stevenson, the transatlantic media and communications specialist private equity firm, has sold its US portfolio company Canon Communications to Apprise Media, a niche media company backed by Spectrum Equity Investors, for an undisclosed amount. It is understood that VSS has made a good return on the investment.
US Cerberus considers acquisition of German insurer Gerling
26/04/2005. Cerberus Capital Management is interested in taking over German insurance group Gerling and is considered to be the favourite buyer, the Financial Times reported. According to the newspaper Cerberus is 'in the final phase of assessing Gerling'.
US Hellman & Friedman to acquire DoubleClick for $1.1bn
26/04/2005. San Francisco-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman is to acquire DoubleClick for $1.1bn in a transaction which is expected to be completed in the third quarter. Stockholders will receive $8.50 in cash for each share of DoubleClick common stock, representing a 10.6 per cent premium over the average closing price of DoubleClick's stock for the last thirty trading days.
Actis and Cordiant launch private equity fund for Africa with a Can$200m target
26/04/2005. Actis, a private equity investor in emerging markets, and Cordiant, a Canadian emerging market asset manager, have launched Canada Investment Fund for Africa with a target of Can$200m. The new fund will provide capital for private investment in companies in Africa.
Investments by Dutch private equity firms increase from 1.1bn in 2003 to 1.7bn in 2004
26/04/2005. Dutch private equity firms invested 1.7bn in 2004, compared to 1.1bn in 2003, according to a survey carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers Corporate Finance on behalf of the Dutch Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (NVP).
Advent International closes 2.5bn buy-out fund
25/04/2005. Mid-market buy-out firm Advent International has closed its global buy-out fund Advent International GPE V above its orginal 1.75bn target on the hard cap of 2.5bn. The firm said that its latest fund, launched in October 2004, was significantly oversubscribed with more than 4bn of interest from investors.
Duke Street buys UK Hogg Robinson Benefits and Consultancy Services Group (BCS)
25/04/2005. Duke Street Capital has acquired Hogg Robinson Benefits and Consultancy Services Group (BCS), which comprises Entegria, Paymaster and Claybrook. Following the transaction the senior management team will remain with the company.
CVC, Apax and Blackstone offer 12bn for Spanish telecoms and cable firm Auna
25/04/2005. CVC Capital Partners, Apax Partners and The Blackstone Group have reportedly submitted a joint 12bn offer for Auna, the Spanish telecoms and cable firm. The deal, if successful, would be the largest ever private equity buy-out in Europe and the second largest of all time anywhere in the world.
Peter Wilson joins Warburg Pincus
25/04/2005. Peter Wilson has joined Warburg Pincus as managing director, based in London. He will focus on the firm's European later-stage and leveraged investment activities.
3i acquires Nordic healthcare services company Carema
22/04/2005. 3i has signed an agreement to acquire Carema Vεrd och Omsorg AB from 65 institutions and private individuals, of which Norwegian Orkla is the largest. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed but 3i said that Carema had a turnover of 270m in 2004.
PAI Europe IV closes well ahead of target on 2.7bn
22/04/2005. French buy-out group PAI partners has closed its latest fund, PAI Europe IV, on 2.7bn, making it the largest private equity fund to date in Continental Europe. The firm said that the fund was significantly oversubscribed and closed well ahead of its original target of 2bn.
US Sentinel Capital Partners closes third small, mid-cap buy-out fund on $319m
21/04/2005. US small and mid-cap buy-out fund Sentinel Capital Partners has closed its third fund with commitments of $319m, well ahead of its target of $225m.
US specialist venture fund of funds Knightsbridge closes fund VI on $500m
20/04/2005. Early-stage venture capital fund of funds Knightsbridge Advisers Incorporated closed its latest fund with commitments of $500m. Knightsbridge Venture Capital VI will invest in US top-tier early-stage venture partnerships and in public emerging tech companies.
Ontario Teachers' and AIG Highstar Capital II to acquire InterGen for Can$2.2bn
20/04/2005. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan has formed a joint venture with private equity fund AIG Highstar Capital II to purchase InterGen and ten of its power plants from Shell Generating and Bechtel Enterprises Energy for Can$2.2bn (US$1.75bn). Ontario Teachers' and the AIG companies are equal partners in the joint venture.
David C Turner new head of WestAM Private Equity
20/04/2005. WestAM, the asset management arm of German bank WestLB, has named David C Turner head of its US-based Private Equity Group.
Pool of venture-backed companies continues to shrink in US and Europe
19/04/2005. The post-bubble venture consolidation continues apace in both the US and Europe, according to a new study by Ernst and Young and VentureOne. The number of active venture-backed companies and the cumulative amount invested in them fell significantly in both regions between 2003 and 2004, the study said.
UK early stage venture firm MTI Partners to open US office
19/04/2005. UK early stage venture firm MTI Partners has unveiled plans to internationalise its activities by opening a US office by the start of next year. The office will either be in the Boston or the Bay Area and will headed up by senior partner David Ward.
UK HIT Entertainment gives potential bidders more time
18/04/2005. Potential bidders interested in taking over HIT Entertainment are expected to get more time to prepare their counterbids, according to the Financial Times. Lions Gate Entertainment, a producer and distributor of motion pictures, home entertainment, family entertainment, television programming and video-on-demand content, has reportedly asked for more time to consider a bid, which could be in the area of $1bn (£528m).
Soros professionals found new private equity firm TowerBrook
18/04/2005. Senior professionals of Soros Private Equity have formed a new firm, TowerBrook Capital Partners. The former co-heads of Soros Private Equity Neal Moszkowski and Ramez Sousou are the co-CEOs of the newly formed firm.
PPM Ventures sells Astron to RR Donnelley for £520m
18/04/2005. Mid-market private equity firm PPM Ventures, together with the management team, have agreed the sale of The Astron Group to R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company for a consideration of £520m. PPM acquired Astron in 2000.
UK private banks double clients' allocation to alternative investments in three years
18/04/2005. UK private banks have doubled the proportion of their clients' portfolios that is allocated to alternative investments over the last three years, according to research undertaken by Hotbed, a specialist supplier of private equity.
US VC fundraising up in Q1 2005 compared with Q1 2004
18/04/2005. Total commitments to US venture capital funds were significantly greater in Q1 2005 than in the first quarter of 2004. In the first quarter of this year 48 venture funds raised $5.3bn, compared with 49 venture funds raising $2.6bn in Q1 2004, Thomson Venture Economics and the National Venture Capital Association found.
Stephan Illenberger joins AXA Private Equity's Global Executive Committee
15/04/2005. French-based AXA Private Equity has appointed Stephan Illenberger, the managing director responsible for Germany, as a member of the Global Executive Committee. Besides managing the German business, Illenberger will now also be involved in shaping the global strategy of the firm.
3i invests $45m into CDH China Growth Capital Fund II
15/04/2005. 3i has announced that it has led the $162m first closing of the $310m CDH China Growth Capital Fund II with a commitment of $45m. The firm, which usually makes direct investments, said its interest in the fund would help it further its knowledge of the local market.
Private equity firms keen to take Daimler units private
15/04/2005. Private equity firms have repeatedly approached DaimlerChrysler shareholders in an attempt to break up the company and take it private, according to the Financial Times. So far the offers have reportedly been rejected because of the prices that the private equity firms are willing to pay.
Electra Partners Europe acquires Covenant Healthcare for £170m
15/04/2005. European mid-market private equity specialist Electra Partners Europe has acquired Covenant Healthcare for £170m.
Apax Partners withdraws offer for UK retailer Woolworths
14/04/2005. Buy-out group Apax Partners has withdrawn its £837m offer for Woolworths. Apax was considering taking private the UK retailer and offered 58.2 pence per share but said in a statement that it had been 'unable to confirm certain cash items' and has now dropped its interest in the business.
French Banexi Ventures Partners closes 130m fund
14/04/2005. French venture specialist Banexi Ventures Partners has closed its new fund, BV4, on 130m. The firm said that its fund was oversubscribed in a matter of weeks.
Private equity firms bid for BBC Broadcast
14/04/2005. The BBC has announced that it is proceeding with the sale of its commercial subsidiary BBC Broadcast. The Corporation said in a statement that it has launched the next stage of the sale process, although the sale remains subject to the approval of the BBC Governors and Executive Board and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Prudential Capital Partners closes second US mezzanine fund above target on $775m
13/04/2005. Prudential Capital Partners has closed its second mezzanine fund, Prudential Capital Partners II, with capital commitments of $775m. The fund's original target was set at $600m.
Private equity consortia to bid for luxury retailer Neiman Marcus
13/04/2005. US private equity firm Warburg Pincus has joined forces with Texas Pacific Group, another US private equity giant, to submit a joint bid for luxury retailer Neiman Marcus, the Financial Times reported. The transaction could be worth at least $3.9-4.9bn.
US technology investment firm August Capital closes venture capital fund on $550m
13/04/2005. US August Capital has closed August IV, a venture capital fund with $550m of committed capital. The firm will continue focusing on its successful early-stage venture capital and larger private equity investment strategy.
GMT and Tehranian separate as firm reduces early-stage investment activity
13/04/2005. European private equity firm GMT Communications Partners and partner Terrence M Tehranian have agreed to separate 'to pursue diverging investment strategies', GMT said in a statement.
Goldman Sachs reportedly raises $8.5bn buy-out fund to set new record
13/04/2005. Goldman Sachs, the global investment banking, securities and investment management firm, has reportedly raised the largest private equity fund to date, with $8.5bn in commitments, according to various reports.
European Q1 private equity fundraising up 33 per cent on year; US fundraising up 54 per cent
12/04/2005. Private equity fundraising in both Europe anD the US has started the year at breakneck pace and appears comfortably on course to outstrip last year's performance. The value of final closes in Europe in the first quarter rose 33 per cent to 8.6bn compared with 6.5bn in the same period last year, while in the US the total rose 54 per cent to $25bn from $16.2bn over the same period last year, according to data produced by placement, research and consulting group Almeida Capital.
French Access to invest 250m for New York State Common Retirement Fund
12/04/2005. The New York State Common Retirement Fund has committed 250m to a fund managed by European funds of funds manager Access Capital Partners. The fund will commit capital over the next three to four years to selected Western European mid-market buy-out funds.
Pacific Corporate Group forms unit to make PE investments in emerging markets
12/04/2005. US investment management and advisory firm Pacific Corporate Group has formed a subsidiary named PCG International to focus on making private equity investments outside the US, Western Europe, Australia and Japan.
UK mid-market firm ECI Partners holds first and final close for ECI VIII on £255m
11/04/2005. UK mid-market buy-out specialist ECI Partners has held the first and final close of its latest fund, ECI VIII, on £255m. The fund, launched at the end of 2004, will continue the investment strategy of its predecessor funds, investing in UK mid-market buy-outs of £10-100m.
Value of UK buy-out deals up 28 per cent in Q1 2005 compared to Q1 2004
11/04/2005. The value of UK buy-outs in the first quarter of 2005 jumped 28 per cent from the same quarter last year, according to KPMG's Private Equity Group. The first quarter saw the completion of 35 transactions with a total value of £4.78bn, compared to 30 deals worth £3.73bn completed in Q1 2004. The average value of transactions in Q1 2005 was £137m compared to £124m for Q1 2004.
Nordic EQT sells leisure products manufacturer Dometic to BC Partners
11/04/2005. Nordic buy-out firm EQT has agreed to sell its leisure products business Dometic to pan-European buy-out firm BC Partners for around 1.1bn. EQT bought the business in 2001 from Electrolux.
Q1 2005 saw 119 healthcare venture capital deals globally and 25 in Europe
11/04/2005. Total spending on healthcare venture capital transactions increased by approximately 19 per cent in the first quarter of 2005 compared with the previous quarter, according to Irving Levin Associates. In the past three months approximately $1.9bn in venture funding was invested in 119 healthcare companies, representing a nearly 23 per cent increase in deal volume compared with the previous and the year-ago quarters. In Europe 25 deals were publicly announced, accounting for $427m of the total.
Short-term US venture returns continued their recovery at end 2004
11/04/2005. Short-term returns on US venture capital fund investments continued their recovery in the fourth quarter of last year but medium-term horizon performance remains discoloured by the effects of the implosion of the technology bubble, according to the latest figures from Thomson Venture Economics and the National Venture Capital Association.
Private equity firms reportedly eye UK health and beauty retailer Boots
08/04/2005. Blackstone, Texas Pacific Group, CVC Capital and Cinven have reportedly shown an interest in acquiring Boots. The transaction could be worth as much as $8.7bn, according to the Wall Street Journal.
UK leisure gaming group Gala considers IPO
08/04/2005. UK leisure gaming group Gala, owned by majority shareholders Cinven and Candover, is currently looking for a banking adviser to help the company with an IPO later this year or at the beginning of 2006. If successful, the IPO could value Gala at £1.7-1.8bn.
Terra Firma to acquire East Surrey Holdings for £453m
08/04/2005. Kellen, formed by private equity firm Terra Firma, is to acquire all of the issued and to be issued share capital of East Surrey Holdings. The consideration to be received under the Ordinary Scheme and the Interim Dividend values East Surrey Holdings' existing issued ordinary share capital at approximately £453m.
Australian GS Private Equity renames itself Archer Capital
07/04/2005. GS Private Equity has renamed itself Archer Capital. The new name comes from Archer, one of the great stayers of Australian horseracing. Archer won the first two
Melbourne Cups, carrying the second-largest ever-winning weight, and is still one of only
three horses to have won the race on consecutive occasions.
Overhang of European venture capital funds estimated at 10.5bn
07/04/2005. European venture capital funds raised since 1999 have yet to invest an estimated 10.5bn, according to a new survey compiled by VentureOne, a unit of Dow Jones Newswires and the publisher of VentureSource. The research found that 13 per cent of 1999 funds, 18 per cent of 2000 funds and 30 per cent of 2001 funds remain to be invested.
AXA Private Equity extends its venture activities abroad
07/04/2005. AXA Private Equity has recruited Ivan Bernard-Brunel to launch the firm's venture activities in London and in Singapore. The firm has also moved Pierre-Emmanuel Boulic from Paris to its London office. The appointments are part of AXA Private Equity's plan to extend its venture activities abroad.
CVC gives up on buying Swiss Forbo but wins Spanish Mivisa
07/04/2005. Pan-European buy-out firm CVC has abandoned its long-running effort to take over listed Swiss firm Forbo after failing to win sufficient support from shareholders. There may be some consolation, however, in its purchase of Spanish can manufacturer Mivisa in a 527m transaction, the largest secondary buy-out to date in Spain.
Coller warns of private equity 'scandal' and calls for greater transparency
06/04/2005. The private equity industry must embrace transparency and the highest standards of corporate governance if it is to avoid a major scandal precipitating immobilisingly 'heavy handed regulation', according to Jeremy Coller, head of UK-based secondaries specialist Coller Capital.
US Greenhill holds initial closing of Greenhill Capital Partners II on $558m
06/04/2005. Greenhill & Co. has held an initial closing on its second private equity fund, Greenhill Capital Partners II, with total committed capital of $558m. The investment bank itself has committed $85m and Greenhill's managing directors and other professionals have committed a further $135m. The other investors are institutional investors, wealthy families and qualified corporate executives.
US Thomas H Lee Partners plans to raise $7.5bn fund
06/04/2005. US-based buy-out firm Thomas H Lee Partners is reportedly planning to raise a fund with a $7.5bn target, joining the growing list of new mega funds in the market that are significantly deepening the pool of investable capital.
BC Partners interested in German KarstadtQuelle's department stores
05/04/2005. Pan-European buy-out firm BC Partners has expressed an interest in buying 75 department stores from German retailer KarstadtQuelle, according to the Financial Times. BC Partners is not alone in its attempt - two other parties, one of which could be a UK retailer, reportedly also have plans to take over the stores.
Sanjay Patel new co-head of Goldman Sachs' European private equity business
05/04/2005. Sanjay Patel has re-joined Goldman Sachs, where he will now co-head the bank's European private equity business. Patel joins from alternative asset management firm GSC Partners. Prior to joining GSC Partners, he was a managing director with Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York.
Apax target HIT Entertainment attracts further potential bidders
05/04/2005. US company Classic Media, owner of the rights to Lassie, has reportedly joined with buy-out firm Thomas H Lee to explore bidding for the troubled children's entertainment company HIT Entertainment, which has already agreed a £489m offer from European private equity firm Apax.
Nordic Capital to acquire Finnish Outokumpu Copper
05/04/2005. Nordic Capital has signed an agreement to acquire fabricated copper products manufacturer Outokumpu Copper Products Oy from the Outokumpu Group, excluding the Tube and Brass division.
Hellman & Friedman to acquire Universal Underwriters for $1.1bn
05/04/2005. An investor group led by San Francisco-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman has signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire Universal Underwriters Group from Zurich Financial Services Group in a transaction valued at approximately $1.1bn. Farallon Capital Management, GIC Special Investments Pte and Universal Underwriters' management will invest alongside Hellmann & Friedman. Following the transaction the investor group will own 100 per cent of Universal Underwriters.
BC Partners on track to smash Permira's European fundraising record
04/04/2005. Pan-European buy-out firm BC Partners is on course to smash Permira's 5.1bn fundraising record. The firm has held a first close on its new fund with commitments of 5bn from existing investors and is targeting around 5.5bn for a final close in the coming months, according to Financial News.
French buy-out firm Astorg closes new fund with 300m of commitments
04/04/2005. French buy-out firm Astorg Partners has closed its third fund with commitments of 300m. The fundraising elevates the firm into an elite band of just five groups in the country to have raised funds of that size or larger.
Apax and TPG agree to pay 1.1bn for 81 per cent stake in Greek wireless operator
04/04/2005. Buy-out firms Apax and Texas Pacific Group have signed a conditional agreement with Telecom Italia to pay 1.1bn for an 81 per cent stake in its Greek wireless operator TIM Hellas Communications.
German venture firm Wellington hires two new life sciences partners
04/04/2005. Wellington Partners, the German venture specialist, has hired two new life sciences general partners. They are Thomas Widmann, the founder of Swiss-based biotech firm Actelion, and Erich Schlick, the former 3i executive and head of research and development at BASF Pharma.
Advent International closes Central European fund above target on 330m
04/04/2005. Advent International has closed its latest Central European fund on 330m, above its original 300m target. ACEE III, which is the firm's third fund for investment in Central Europe, will focus on the media, communications, healthcare, construction materials, financial services and retail sectors.
Graphite sells UK care home operator Ridgmont to Ashbourne Healthcare for £88m
04/04/2005. UK mid-market private equity firm Graphite Capital has sold Ridgmont Care Homes to Ashbourne Healthcare in a transaction which values the care home group at £88m. The sale provides Graphite with a total return of 6.4 times its original investment and an internal rate of return of 76 per cent, the firm said.
Bridgepoint set to close pan-European mid-market fund on 2.5bn
01/04/2005. Bridgepoint, the pan-European mid-market buy-out firm, is reportedly approaching a final close on its latest fund with commitments of around 2.5bn and interest of considerably more.
3i backs two buy-outs in two days; Wendt in Germany, Care Principles in UK
01/04/2005. Listed private equity firm 3i has backed two management buy-outs in two days. The first was the 86m MBO of German manufacturer Wendt and the second was the £90m MBO of specialist care provider Care Principles.
Value of Q1 US venture-backed M&A activity highest for four years; IPOs slow
01/04/2005. The value of US venture-backed merger and acquisition activity in the first quarter of this year exceeded $7bn, the highest level for four years, according to new data. IPO activity, however, was slower, with the number and the value slipping to the lowest level since 2003.
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