The seventh Real Deals/BVCA Private Equity Awards recognised the best that the industry had to offer during 2007.

The worst financial crisis in decades has coincided with a private equity fundraising bonanza. Priority number one is putting capital to work. Are take-privates the answer?

A Central and Eastern Europe strategy is this year’s must-have accessory. Whether
there are enough deal opportunities to go around is another matter.

With a deteriorating macro outlook and rigorous bank demands, few investors consider specialist due diligence a box-ticking exercise.

The fund of funds sector continues to increase in popularity – but convincing pension funds to invest in private equity remains a problem in Europe. 

The venture capital industry has struggled to get started in Eastern Europe’s fragmented markets. But in cash-rich, high-tech Russia the foundations for a new venture capital hub are being laid.

Forecast: sudden showers followed by sunny spells. Outlook: bright. Nordic investors are some of the happiest in Europe.

Six private equity placement agents make their predictions for the future of fundraising.

Buyouts make big returns for private equity firms – this much we know. But if you want to avoid another year of political and public criticism, it’s time to look beyond your wad.

It may require expert knowledge, but while mega-deals remain off the agenda, more private equity investors are turning to property.

The Walker review, published last week, has provoked criticism, much of it conflicting. That suggests Sir David has struck a reasonable balance.

Through recession and boom James Greenbury has been at the unglamorous end of private equity: street cleaning, couriers, post rooms. Now chief executive of
Candover-backed DX Services, he comes clean on what makes blue collar business services work.

The days of the quick flip are over. As the effects of the credit crunch continue to be felt, your nearest exit may be behind you.

Germany has been the best country for big buyouts in Europe of late. While the market
is in temporary shutdown, opportunities remain vast.

France, like everywhere else, has seen big buyouts dry up as a result of the global credit crunch – and an estimated €10bn of leveraged loans remain unsyndicated. Even the mid-market is lacking that je ne sais quoi.

In venture capital’s lean post-bubble years, one organisation consistently supported the industry – the European Investment Fund. Now conditions have improved dramatically, it is seeking to branch out.

Despite rising activity levels and deal sizes, the UK’s regional markets remain idiosyncratic.

After two years of searching for the perfect partner, DFJ is returning to Europe with a stake in Esprit Capital Partners...

Ford’s impending sale of Jaguar is the latest in a growing line of turnaround opportunities being seized upon by private equity

No longer an embarrassment to be brushed under the carpet, GPs are now using secondaries deals as leverage to raise their next funds.

A wave of western private equity investors are entering the EU’s eastern nations. But hiring the right talent is tough, and they are being met by fully staffed domestic firms armed with billion-euro funds.

As competition heats up in Central and Eastern Europe, only the boldest investors are looking to Russia and beyond.

Reviewing the buying practices of portfolio companies is an effective way to improve efficiency.

Private equity houses agree that the most crucial aspect of any deal is management. But while the use of external due diligence specialists is growing, many are still sceptical.

Increases in government spending have created opportunities for private equity in the defence sector. However, finding niche market leaders can be difficult in an area dominated by big guns.

The proliferation of financial due diligence – particularly from vendors – has resulted in ever-increasing sizes of reports, as advisers compete to provide the most comprehensive service. But more concise documents are often more effective.

HIG is one of the many private equity firms setting up abroad yet an overseas office is not without its complexities.