Advent International has hired advisers to prepare a sale of Poundland, the UK discount retailer.

Primary Capital has acquired software and data services business Amtech from HSBC Private Equity in a deal worth £35m (€38.5m). Lloyds provided £15m of debt for the deal.

HgCapital Trust, the listed investment trust that invests in HgCapital funds, has launched a share placing on the London Stock Exchange to raise £50m (€55.07m).

Oxsensis has raised a £3m (€3.3m) funding round from Carbon Trust Investments and existing investors Albion Ventures, Seven Spires Investments, Frog Capital, the Rainbow Seed Fund and several private investors.

DFJ Esprit has appointed Mikko Suonenlahti as a senior adviser. Suonenlahti will focus on investments in business-to-business and business-to-consumer software, as well as medtech, bio-IT and energy efficiency.

Lenders to Almatis, the alumina business owned by Dubai International Capital, have agreed a deal to take control of the company.

NBGI Private Equity has announced the promotion of four members of its team.

Creandum, the venture and growth capital firm focusing on the Nordic region, has appointed former Balderton man Johan Brenner.

Elio Leoni-Sceti, the chief executive of EMI, has left the Terra Firma-owned recording business after just 18 months in charge. Leoni-Sceti was brought in by Terra Firma to lead a rescue plan for the indebted group.

Blackstone-owned theme park operator Merlin Entertainments, which last month put plans for a flotation on hold, is still considering the option.