LATEST NEWS

Private Advisors makes appointment treble

Private Advisors has appointed Matthew Baker, Jennifer Buckley and Rickard Fischerstrom as managing directors in its London office.

Tuesday, 22nd April 2008
Matrix pockets 81 per cent IRR

Matrix Private Equity Partners has refinanced upmarket construction group Holloway White Allom in a deal that will lock in an 81 per cent IRR and fivefold cash multiple.

Tuesday, 22nd April 2008
Aquiline Capital takes 5.1 per cent of BinckBank shares

New York-based Aquiline Capital has acquired 5.1 per cent of BinckBank, an online bank for investors based in the Netherlands.

Tuesday, 22nd April 2008
Epi-V backs Guardian Global with £5m

Oil and gas fund Epi-V has invested £5m (€6.25m) in Guardian Global Technology Group, taking a 44 per cent stake in the company.

Tuesday, 22nd April 2008
Halliburton to mount rival Expro bid

US oilfield contractor Halliburton is understood to be preparing an offer of at least £15 a share for London-listed oil services company Expro, valuing the business at £1.8bn (€2.25bn).

Monday, 21st April 2008
BBC courts private equity as it considers Virgin TV

The BBC’s commercial arm is courting a private equity tie-up to make a bid for Virgin Media Television, the owner of digital channels such as UKTV Drama, UKTV Gold and Bravo.

Monday, 21st April 2008
Shackleton makes third foray into 3i portfolio

Shackleton Ventures, the portfolio secondaries investor set up by former Strathdon Investments executives, has made its third bulk acquisition of 3i portfolio companies inside a year.

Monday, 21st April 2008
Primary Capital buys toiletry maker for £20m

Buyout firm Primary Capital has acquired Bedford-based toiletry maker Pacific Direct in a £20m (€25m) deal.

Monday, 21st April 2008
Doughty Hanson’s Avanza acquires Alosa

Doughty Hanson portfolio company Alosa is to acquire Aragonese bus operator Alosa for an undisclosed sum.

Monday, 21st April 2008
Aurora acquires Russian retail bank platform

Aurora Russia, an AIM-listed investment group focused on small and mid-sized Russian businesses, has acquired Volzhski Universalny Bank, a small retail bank based in Samara, Russia.

Monday, 21st April 2008

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

I think what's happened is that the concept of risk-adjusted rate of return has been replaced by what I would call risk-ignored rate of return, and people are substituting yield for credit judgement.

Wilbur Ross

Private equity companies have targeted car parks as a cash cow, taking over £1 billion out of the industry in the last few years

Rob Kelsall, GMB, responsible for car park workers
Queen fails to save Northern Rock 18, 18 Oct 2007 May the Esprit be with you 18, 18 Oct 2007 Flat tax haven 18, 18 Oct 2007 The deer-hunter 18, 18 Oct 2007
Q&A with Simon Walker

The new chief executive of the BVCA has big ambitions for the UK’s venture capital and private equity industry in 2008.


James Caan

As the latest member of the panel on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, serial entrepreneur James Caan is gaining a new perspective on backing businesses.


Mark Fox

As head of communications at the BVCA, Mark Fox has witnessed a period of huge growth in the coverage of private equity – and a summer of unprecedented media attention. 


Wol Kolade

The BVCA has launched a review of its practices amid deep member discontent over the body’s handling of the widespread criticism of the...


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LATEST ISSUE

Leader

A new name, a fresh approach 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 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 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 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 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.


Real Deals 1.5.08

SECTOR REPORTS & SUPPLEMENTS