Vulture 2.0
Posted at 10:47am
The reason you are unlikely to see a buyout version of Northern Rock is that private equity is structurally balanced, unlike the infamous UK lender – whose short-term assets and long-term liabilities caused the first run on a UK bank in over a century. Read more
Posted at 10:46am
Former Cazenove exec Simon Cook is enjoying his new persona as transatlantic adventurer. To celebrate its tie up with US venture firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson, the Esprit Capital Partners boss (pictured) took some clients to a Star Wars exhibition. Read more
Posted at 10:45am
The buyout industry may have got its way with the UK’s 18 per cent flat tax, but one of the Vulture’s spies reported an interesting sighting on the day of the Pre-Budget Report: Read more
Posted by By Real Deals at 10:43am
No sooner was he back from his trip to China than Apax boss Martin Halusa flew to Scotland to partake in one of his favourite pastimes. Read more
Posted by By Real Deals at 10:41am
Two Walkers associated with the BVCA is confusing enough, but three is beyond the pale. Read more
Posted at 12:00am
If all the portfolio companies of UK venture firms were crowded into Mayfair, right next door to their own premises, it might look something like Herzliya Pituah – the high-tech cluster 10km north of Tel Aviv, where numerous venture capitalists, and international technology companies have set up shop. Read more
Posted at 12:00am
People do some strange things to enter the prestigious Guinness Book of World Records: eating a light aircraft or encouraging a child to perform caesarean section. Read more
Posted at 12:00am
After many blinkered years of wilful ignorance, the UK pension fund industry finally has something to say about private equity. In fact, it has gone straight to the top of the NAPF’s agenda. They don’t like the fees and intend to let their feelings be known at the very top. Read more
Posted at 12:00am
If European venture is unpopular in other parts of the world, it could be because no one has noticed even its greatest successes. Read more
Posted at 12:00am
It was set to be one of the highest profile technology venture panels of the year. But almost as soon as Patrick Sheehan, leader of EVCA’s venture capital platform, had introduced the speakers at the Rome Symposium, an irritating drilling noise began, making the session virtually inaudible. Read more
LATEST ISSUE
Leader
A new name, a fresh approach
Of all the topics covered in this column over the past six years, the overriding issue that demands a definitive answer is “how private should private equity be?”
Top Story
Q&A with Brian Blakemore
After 20 years shaping one of the few successful captive buyout operations, the man who said “sod this” to an education is stepping down at Barclays Private Equity.
Feature
The Private Equity Awards
The seventh Real Deals/BVCA Private Equity Awards recognised the best that the industry had to offer during 2007.
Comment
The converging market
Private equity firms should be applauded for trying to increase their product range – but GPs must not hedge their bets.
News Analysis
Scraping the barrel
The Environmental Technology Fund’s recent £110m (€139m) close of its maiden fund has highlighted the ever-growing interest in clean technology investment opportunities, with the sector fast cementing its position as the third pillar of the venture world.









