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AMB Generali Private Equity sets up fund of funds
30/06/2006. Latest fund marks the internationalisation of the Generali Group's private equity activities, with a planned investment volume of 350m per year. 
Bridgepoint drives home with CP Group AB exit
30/06/2006. European car parking company Q-Park has acquired Swedish parking firm CP Group AB from Bridgepoint in a trade sale.
Cinven closes latest private equity mega-fund on 6.5bn
30/06/2006. Largest fund raised to date for European buy-outs, comfortably exceeding their 5bn target.
Behrman Capital in $410m ILC Industries recap
30/06/2006. New York and San Francisco-based Behrman Capital has completed a $410m recapitalisation for ILC Industries, Inc., a defence, aerospace and industrial products firm. This marks the second recapitalisation for ILC by Behrman.
Warburg Pincus funds Fortent
29/06/2006. Fortent, a new firm created to deliver a suite of risk and compliance solutions to financial institutions, has been backed by global private equity house Warburg Pincus.
DFJ closes $284m Cleantech Venture Fund
29/06/2006. DFJ Element, a venture capital fund formed to invest in clean technology companies, has closed its first fund with a total of $284m in capital commitments from a range of institutional investors. DFJ Element had an initial target of $150m.
Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan sell Berry Plastics for $2.25bn
29/06/2006. Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan have agreed to sell US-based BPC Holding Corporation to Apollo Management and Graham Partners for $2.25bn. The parties expect to complete the transaction by the end of the third quarter subject to regulatory approval.
Activa Capital hires Benjamin Moreau
29/06/2006. French buy-out group Activa Capital has hired Benjamin Moreau as an investment analyst.
Mike Hodges joins ATA Ventures
29/06/2006. ATA Ventures, a Redwood City-based venture capital firm focusing on early-stage private equity investments, has appointed Mike Hodges as venture partner.
Haddington Ventures closes on $182m private equity fund
28/06/2006. Houston-based Haddington Ventures has closed their new private equity fund with total committed capital of $182m. The new fund, Haddington Energy Partners III, is to be used for investments in the North American midstream energy industry.
Private equity consortium buys Univision for $13.7bn
28/06/2006. Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Thomas H Lee Partners and Saban Capital Group have signed a definitive agreement under which the group will acquire Univision, a US Spanish-language media company, for $36.25 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $13.7bn, including the assumption of $1.4bn in debt.
McClatchy to sell Times Leader
27/06/2006. California-based McClatchy Company has announced that it has reached a agreement to sell the Times Leader to an investor group led by Richard Connor and PE firm HM Capital Partners.
Catterton Partners closes its sixth fund
27/06/2006. Catterton Partners, a consumer-focused middle-market private equity firm, has closed its sixth fund, Catterton Partners VI. Total limited and general partner commitments of $1.0bn were raised in this new fund.
Apax makes investment in Plexus Systems
27/06/2006. Apax Partners has backed Michigan-based Plexus Systems, a provider of a suite of applications that automates business processes for manufacturers.
American Capital backs Contec buy-out
27/06/2006. US private equity house American Capital Strategies has invested in the buy-out of set-top box repair and maintenance firm Contec.
Yoni Cheifetez joins Lightspeed
27/06/2006. Yoni Cheifetez has joined Lightspeed Venture Partner, a provider of early stage venture capital, at the partner level. He will be based in Herzliya, Israel with a focus on investment opportunities in the Israeli market across sectors including internet and media, communications, software, semiconductors and other emerging technologies.
Heliocentris lists on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
27/06/2006. Heliocentris Fuel Cells - a portfolio firm of the German private equity firm bmp - has completed its listing in the open market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
First closing for Bridges CDV Fund II
27/06/2006. UK community development venture capital firm Bridges Community Ventures has raised £33m and announced a first closing of its second fund, Bridges Community Development Ventures Fund II.
HLM hires Dr Teo Forcht Dagi as GP
27/06/2006. Boston-based HLM Venture Partners has hired Dr Teo Forcht Dagi, a health care investment professional and neurosurgeon, as a general partner.
OncoMethylome lists on Euronext
27/06/2006. Life Sciences Partners' portfolio company OncoMethylome Sciences, a Belgian molecular diagnostics company, has been listed on Euronext Brussels and Amsterdam.
Kultajousi exit for CapMan and Helmet
27/06/2006. CapMan and Helmet Capital have realised their investment in jewellery retailer Kultajousi Oy. The funds, together with other joint owners, have sold their entire holding in Kultajousi's parent company Goldhold Oy to the Swedish Iduna Group.
BS Private Equity picks up Tecnowind
27/06/2006. Industrial conglomerate Finsei has sold its 90 per cent majority stake in Tecnowind, an independent manufacturer of cooking hoods and electric hobs, to BS Private Equity. The stake in Tecnowind was purchased by the BS Investimenti IV fund.
Bruce Cleveland joins InterWest Partners
26/06/2006. InterWest Partners, a US venture capital firm, has announced the addition of Bruce Cleveland as a partner with the firm. Cleveland will seek new investment opportunities in the software and services sector.
Argonaut Private Equity appoints Anil Khatod as managing director
26/06/2006. Argonaut Private Equity has appointed Anil Khatod as managing director of their India office, where Khatod will have responsibility for all of Argonaut's investments in India.
Nanosolar secures $100m in funding
26/06/2006. Nanosolar, a solar power innovation company, has announced that it now has $100m in funding to take its photovoltaic solar electricity technology into volume production.
BioXell lists on Swiss Stock Exchange
26/06/2006. Life Sciences Partners, the pan-European life science venture capital group, has announced the IPO of BioXell, its Italian-based portfolio company, on the main board of the Swiss Stock Exchange.
ABN AMRO Infrastructure Capital Equity Fund acquires ESP in secondaries deal
26/06/2006. The ABN AMRO Infrastructure Capital Equity Fund has acquired ESP Pipelines Group for £225m from private equity group Terra Firma.
Louis Dreyfus Group invests in Direct Energie
26/06/2006. The Louis Dreyfus Group has acquired a majority stake in France-based Direct Energie, a supplier of electricity to small business, multi-site networks and municipalities.
FF&P acquires Acorn Brands minority stake
26/06/2006. FF&P Private Equity Limited has invested in a minority stake in Acorn Brands, the Europe-based soft drink group. FF&P has agreed to make 100m in equity available to help finance future acquisitions for Acorn.
JW Childs sells American Safety Razor to Lion Capital
26/06/2006. US-based JW Childs Associates has agreed to sell American Safety Razor, a manufacturer of razor blades to Lion Capital. The transaction values the business at $625m and is expected to be finalised in late July 2006.
UK Montagu announces ClinPhone IPO
23/06/2006. Montagu Private Equity's portfolio company ClinPhone, a specialist supplier of technology solutions to the clinical trials industry, has successfully completed its IPO on the London Stock Exchange. The offering raised a total of £56.3m at £148p a share, giving it a market capitalisation of £94.1m.
Industri Kapital to sell Continental Bakeries to NPM Capital
23/06/2006. European private equity firm Industri Kapital has agreed to sell Dordrecht, the Netherlands-headquartered Continental Bakeries, a producer and distributor of private label biscuits in Western Europe, to NPM Capital for an undisclosed amount.
European private equity lays down new records for 2005
23/06/2006. At 29.8bn, 2005 represented a record year for divestments at cost - as opposed to exit value - up from 19.6bn in 2004, according to the EVCA. Write-offs were down to 4.7 per cent from 9.7 per cent in 2004.
3i sells Nordic IT infrastructure firm Atea
22/06/2006. 3i has agreed to sell its 48.7 per cent stake in Atea Holding, a provider of IT infrastructure in the Nordic market, to Norwegian IT company Ementor. The deal values the company at 114m. The purchase price for the whole company is 114m.
Nordic mid-market buy-out firm Segulah sells NVS Installation to Triton
22/06/2006. Segulah II has sold NVS Installation to Triton, a European private equity investment firm. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Bank of Ireland, Paul Capital establish Paul Capital Top Tier Investments
21/06/2006. Bank of Ireland Group has established a joint venture with US private equity specialist Paul Capital Partners to provide private equity fund of funds products and advisory services to institutional and other investors. The new joint venture will be called Paul Capital Top Tier Investments. It will be based in San Francisco, California.
Formative Ventures appoints Dino Vendetti as investing partner
21/06/2006. Formative Ventures, an early stage technology venture capital firm headquartered in California, has appointed Dino Vendetti as an investing partner. Vendetti will invest across a broad range of technologies. These will include wireless equipment, software and services, semiconductors, and communication.
Boston Ventures, Clarity Partners, Legal & General Ventures sell Vue shareholdings
21/06/2006. Boston Ventures, Clarity Partners and Legal & General Ventures have sold their shareholdings in Vue Entertainment, a cinema developer and operator in the UK. Bank of Scotland Corporate, through its Integrated Finance Team, has backed the management buy-out of Vue.
Industri Kapital to acquire ELFA for 130m
21/06/2006. European private equity firm Industri Kapital has agreed to acquire ELFA, a Stockholm, Sweden-headquartered catalogue distributor of electronic components in Northern Europe, from the owners, the Jensen family. The Jensen family will remain as minority shareholders in ELFA.
Exponent Private Equity acquires UK online and call centre rail retailer Trainline
21/06/2006. London-based Exponent Private Equity has acquired Trainline, a UK online and call centre rail retailer and information provider, from a consortium of shareholders that include Virgin, Stagecoach and National Express transport groups for £163m.
KKR to acquire Australian businesses of Cleanaway and Brambles Industrial Services
20/06/2006. US buy-out giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. has agreed to acquire the Australian businesses of Cleanaway and Brambles Industrial Services from Brambles Industries in a transaction valued at approximately Aus$1.83bn (approximately US$1.35bn). This acquisition marks KKR's first transaction in Australia.
Jun Tsusaka joins Texas Pacific Group as partner
20/06/2006. Jun Tsusaka has joined US-based Texas Pacific Group as a partner. He will lead the Tokyo office. TPG operates in Asia through Newbridge Capital, which is now integrated with the firm's global buy-out teams.
US firm JH Partners closes $350m private equity fund
20/06/2006. San Francisco-based private equity firm JH Partners has closed its second institutional fund on $350m.
Returns across all parts of the European private equity industry improved in 2005
20/06/2006. Returns improved steadily across all parts of the private equity industry in 2005, according to the final performance figures for 2005 published by the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association.
3i sells JP Corry Group stake
19/06/2006. 3i has sold its minority stake in Belfast-based JP Corry Group to Saint-Gobain Building Distribution. JP Corry Group is an independent builders merchant. 3i's sale profits will generate a 43 per cent IRR, according to the firm.
Dr Kleanthis Xanthopoulos to join Enterprise Partners
19/06/2006. Dr Kleanthis G Xanthopoulos, CEO of Anadys Pharmaceuticals, will join California-based Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, a firm focusing on the life sciences and technology, as a managing director by the end of this year.
Wedbush Capital Partners closes on $120m
19/06/2006. Wedbush Capital Partners, a private equity firm launched by Geoff Bland, Peter Shoemaker and Eric Wedbush, has closed its new fund, Wedbush Capital Partners, on $120m.
Partners Group European Buyout 2005 (B) closes on 279m
19/06/2006. Zug, Switzerland-headquartered alternative asset manager Partners Group has held a final closing for Partners Group European Buyout 2005 (B) on 279m. Partners Group European Buyout 2005 (B) and Partners Group European Buyout 2005 (A), which is expected to close in August 2006, are sub-funds of Partners Group's latest investment vehicle focused on European buy-outs.
Morgan Stanley AIP raises $1bn for Private Markets Fund III
19/06/2006. Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners has raised $1bn in commitments for Morgan Stanley Private Markets Fund III.
ACI Capital, MidOcean Partners to sell Jenny Craig to Nestlι
19/06/2006. Private investment firms New York-based ACI Capital and New York and London-based MidOcean Partners have agreed to sell weight management firm Jenny Craig to Nestlι in a transaction valued at approximately $600m.
US Clayton, Dubilier & Rice to acquire interest in Sally Beauty Company
19/06/2006. US buy-out group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice has agreed to make an investment for a 47.5 per cent equity interest in Denton, Texas-headquartered Sally Beauty Company, Alberto-Culver's beauty supplies distribution business. CD&R will invest $575m for its equity stake. The transaction value, including $1.85bn of debt, is approximately $3bn.
In Europe investments into companies reached all-time record level of 47bn in 2005
16/06/2006. In 2005 a total of 47bn of equity capital was invested in 7,207 companies, up from the 36.9bn invested in 6,985 companies in 2004, according to the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association.
Duke Street appoints Didier Bismuth as new partner in France
16/06/2006. European buy-out firm Duke Street Capital has appointed Didier Bismuth as a partner in its French office. Didier will undertake a wide-ranging role across all aspects of deal making: origination, execution, transformation and exit.
Nordic Capital to acquire Nordic food service company ICA Meny
16/06/2006. A subsidiary to Nordic Capital Fund VI has agreed to acquire Stockholm, Sweden- headquartered ICA Meny from ICA. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. ICA Meny is a Nordic food service company with revenues of 625m.
Gary Nusbaum joins Palladium Equity Partners as managing director
15/06/2006. Gary D Nusbaum has joined New York-based private equity firm Palladium Equity Partners as managing director.
Javier Loizaga becomes EVCA's new chairman
15/06/2006. The European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association has elected Javier Loizaga, CEO and managing partner of Madrid-based Mercapital, as association chairman for the period June 2006 to June 2007.
CapMan Buyout VIII closes on 440m
14/06/2006. CapMan's eighth buy-out fund, CapMan Buyout VIII, has closed on 440m, exceeding its 375m target. The fund was launched in summer 2005 and held a first closing in November 2005 on 312m. The new fund invests in middle-market buy-out transactions in the Nordic countries.
William Johnston joins Carlyle as senior advisor to the healthcare team
14/06/2006. William P Johnston has joined The Carlyle Group as a senior advisor to the healthcare team. Johnston will help identify investments in the healthcare sector and provide strategic and management guidance to Carlyle healthcare portfolio companies.
Brentwood Associates to sell Oriental Trading Company to Carlyle
14/06/2006. US private equity giant The Carlyle Group has agreed to purchase Oriental Trading Company, an Omaha, Nebraska-headquartered direct marketer of party and school supplies, from Brentwood Associates. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed but sources said that the deal was worth approximately $1bn. Brentwood will maintain a large minority stake in the company, according to a statement.
HitecVision closes oil and gas sector fund on $300m
14/06/2006. HitecVision Private Equity, a private equity firm focusing on the energy sector, has closed its new fund, HitecVision Private Equity IV, on $300m, the fund's hard cap. The original target of the fund was $200m.
Former US ambassador to EU Rockwell Schnabel returns to Trident Capital
14/06/2006. Trident Capital co-founder Rockwell Schnabel has returned to Trident as an advisory director. Schnabel left the firm in 2001 to become a US ambassador to the European Union. He was a managing director of Trident from its inception in 1993.
Carlyle Asia Growth Partners III closes on $668m
14/06/2006. US private equity firm The Carlyle Group has raised $668m for Carlyle Asia Growth Partners III. The fund invests in private companies in China, India, Japan and Korea.
Carlyle invests in internet marketing agency Global Media
13/06/2006. US private equity giant The Carlyle Group has acquired a significant minority stake in Munich, Germany-headquartered Global Media, an internet marketing agency. Further details regarding the size of the stake and financial details were not disclosed.
Lightspeed hires Ron Cao as partner
13/06/2006. Ron Cao has joined Lightspeed Venture Partners, a provider of early stage venture capital to technology companies, as a partner, based in Shanghai. His focus will be on opportunities in the China market. Cao will work across multiple investment sectors including communications, internet, wireless and semiconductors.
Nordic Capital to acquire Dangaard Telecom
13/06/2006. A subsidiary of Nordic Capital fund VI has agreed to acquire Dangaard Telecom, a Padborg, Denmark-headquartered distributor of mobile phones, smart phones and original accessories, from BHS Holding, debitel, Fleggaard Holding and Dangaard Telecom Partners. Financial details were not disclosed.
AXA Private Equity sells Vulcanic to 21 Centrale Partners for 82.5m
13/06/2006. AXA Private Equity has sold the Vulcanic Finances Group, a European provider of electrothermics and instrument transformers, to 21 Centrale Partners and management for 82.5m.
Bedminster holds first closing of Southeast Europe Equity Fund II on $200m
12/06/2006. Bedminster Capital Management has announced the initial closing of its new private equity fund, Southeast Europe Equity Fund II, on $200m, which is the fund's target size. The fund, launched in the third quarter of last year, will accept further commitments. Bedminster expects that SEEF II will hold one or more subsequent closings during the course of 2006.
Simon Marc joins Candover's European team
12/06/2006. European buy-out specialists Candover has appointed Simon Marc as an investment manager.
AGF Private Equity appoints Matthieu Baret as partner
09/06/2006. AGF Private Equity, a subsidiary of the AGF insurance company, member of the Allianz Group, has appointed Matthieu Baret as partner within the venture capital team where he will work in the fields of telecommunication, IT and electronic.
GI Partners to acquire 290 managed pubs from the Spirit Group for £571m
09/06/2006. GI Partners has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Orchid Pubs, has agreed with Punch Taverns to acquire 290 managed pubs from the Spirit Group for £571m.
F&C hires Richard Nairn as associate director, private equity funds
08/06/2006. F&C Asset Management has named Richard Nairn as associate director, private equity funds. Nairn joins the Edinburgh-based F&C team from Intelli Corporate Finance, a corporate advisory firm with a focus on asset managers and closed-end investment funds.
Menlo Park-headquartered venture capital firm Opus Capital raises $280m fund
07/06/2006. US and Israel-focused venture capital firm Opus Capital has closed its new fund, the Opus Capital Fund, with over $280m in commitments. The target size for the fund was $250m.
Former Sovereign managing partner Peter Brooks joins Pi Capital as MD and partner
07/06/2006. Peter Brooks has joined Pi Capital as a managing director and partner. Previously, Brooks was the managing partner of Sovereign Capital. He left the firm only months after Sovereign's second fund closed.
US venture capital firm Canaan Partners opens investment office in India
07/06/2006. Silicon Valley, California-based venture capital firm Canaan Partners has opened an investment office in Gurgaon, near Delhi, India. The new office will initially focus on the internet and wireless sectors.
Adams Capital Management appoints Anthony Lye as venture partner
07/06/2006. US-based venture capital firm Adams Capital Management has appointed Anthony Lye as a venture partner. Lye will be based in Palo Alto, California to help expand ACM operations. He will evaluate potential investments and work with existing portfolio companies in the IT and networking infrastructure industries.
Investor group acquires AXA RE
07/06/2006. AXA Group has accepted the binding offer submitted by Paris Re Holdings to acquire the business of AXA RE from AXA Group. Paris Re Holdings, which will have an initial capitalisation of approximately $1.5bn, was formed by an investor group including Stone Point Capital, Hellman & Friedman, Vestar Capital Partners, Crestview Capital Partners, Och Ziff Management, ABN AMRO and New Mountain Capital
New Venture Partners closes $275m fund
07/06/2006. New Venture Partners, a venture capital firm focused on corporate technology spin-outs, has closed its latest fund, NV Partners IV, on $275m. The original target of the fund was $200m.
Great Hill Equity Partners III closes on $750m
07/06/2006. Great Hill Partners has closed its third investment fund, Great Hill Equity Partners III, on $750m.
UK private equity firm Sovereign Capital hires Phil Hinson
06/06/2006. Phil Hinson has joined UK lower mid-market private equity firm Sovereign Capital as an assistant director. Prior to joining Sovereign, Hinson worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers - Corporate Finance, where he was a founding member of the Business Services sector team, focusing primarily on the facilities management sector.
Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. and Castle Harlan to buy Bravo Development
06/06/2006. New York-based private equity firms Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. and Castle Harlan have teamed up to acquire Columbus, Ohio-based Bravo Development, operator and owner of 52 Italian restaurants under the Brio Tuscan Grille and Bravo! Cucina Italiana names.
IDG Ventures Europe's general partners form Acacia Capital Partners
06/06/2006. The general partners managing the IDG Ventures Europe portfolio have bought out the fund holding the European venture capital portfolio from IDG with backing from a syndicate lead by Partners Group and Access Capital Partners. The three general partners are Ajay Chowdhury, Hitesh Mehta and Chris Smart.
Venture-backed valuations in Q1 reach highest quarterly level in US since 2000
06/06/2006. The median pre-money valuation of US venture-backed companies hit the highest point in more than five years in the first quarter of this year, reaching $18.4m, according to Dow Jones VentureOne. The overall annual median pre-money valuation in the US has not been this high since the fourth quarter of 2000, when it was $23m.
Evolvence Capital launches $150m life sciences fund for India
05/06/2006. Dubai-based alternative investment house Evolvence Capital has launched Evolvence India Life Sciences Fund, a $150m private equity fund that will provide growth capital to Indian pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Evolvence is the cornerstone investor and sponsor of the new fund.
Bill Boisture joins Carlyle as senior advisor
05/06/2006. W W Boisture, Jr, a former president of NetJets, has joined US private equity giant The Carlyle Group as a senior advisor to the aerospace and defence team. Boisture will help identify attractive investments in the aerospace, defence and business services sectors. He will also provide management, industry and marketing guidance to existing portfolio companies.
Canadian Onex closes second fund on Can$575m
02/06/2006. Onex Corporation has closed its second small and mid-cap private equity fund, ONCAP II, on Can$575m. Half the fund's committed capital comes from Onex, and the other half from US and Canadian institutions, the ONCAP management team and high-net-worth investors.
3i exits UK company Azzurri Communications
02/06/2006. 3i has sold its 75 per cent stake in Azzurri Communications, a Newbury, UK-headquartered converged voice and data communications company, to PPM Capital in a deal valuing the company at £182.5m. The Azzurri management team will be re-investing alongside PPM. 3i's proceeds from the sale of £115m represent an IRR of 38 per cent and a money multiple of 4.9 times the initial investment, according to the firm.
Dr William Madia joins EnerTech Capital's advisory board
01/06/2006. Dr William J Madia has joined the advisory board of EnerTech Capital's third fund.
European buy-out firm Argos Soditic holds second closing on Euroknights V
01/06/2006. Argos Soditic has announced a second closing for its fifth European buy-out fund, Euroknights V, on 267m. The fund's first closing was on 192m in March 2006. Argos Soditic has agreed a hard cap of 275m with limited partners and expects to hold a final closing in either June or July, the firm told AltAssets. Euroknights V's initial target was 250m.
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