Europe
China's Baidu backs Finland-based indoor mapping start-up
Chinese internet giant Baidu has agreed to invest $10 million in IndoorAtlas, a VC-backed Finnish software developer that specializes in indoor mapping.
Real assets not overpriced, if you know where to look - AVCJ Forum
There is no shortage of high-quality real assets available to private markets investors despite rising prices in certain areas, industry participants told the AVCJ Real Assets Forum. The onus is on investors to look beyond the obvious.
Partners Group’s Sino-European play
The manufacturers of guide rails used in elevators are an oligopoly serving an oligopoly. Three companies control 80% of the market and eight of their clients are responsible for 90% of the world’s elevators. This concentration of supply may in part...
China-Israel fund invests $42m in Swiss tool maker
Catalyst CEL Fund, a joint venture between China Everbright and Israel-based Catalyst Equity Management, will invest approximately $42 million in Lamina Technologies, a Switzerland-based tool manufacturer.
Partners Group buys China-focused elevator components maker
Partners Group has agreed to buy a controlling stake in Suzhou Savera Elevator Riding System, a Spanish elevator components manufacturer that now draws most of its business from China, for an enterprise valuation of more than $450 million.
Fosun, Ardian withdraw Club Med bid
Chinese conglomerate Fosun International and Ardian Private Equity have withdrawn their takeover bid for French-based vacation resorts operator Club Méditerranée (Club Med).
Natixis Global forms private equity division
Natixis Global Asset Management (NGAM) - a unit of the French investment bank Natixis - has established a private equity division to offer its investors a single point of access to six of its affiliate GPs.
Hony’s pizza takeaway
Immediately after TDR Capital and Capricorn privatized Pizza Express in 2003, the UK-based restaurant chain’s international franchise operations were shifted into separate entity as part of the “non-core group.”
China Exim Bank fund commits $78m to Polish renewables player
The China-CEE Fund, a $500 million vehicle backed by China Exim Bank that invests in Central and Eastern Europe, has committed PLN240 million ($78 million) to renewable energy developer Polish Energy Partners (PEP).
Fosun acquires 20% interest in Spain's Osborne
Fosun International has acquired a 20% stake in Osborne Group, a Spanish premium ham and wine producer.
Cathay Capital reaches $629m first close on Sino-French fund
Cathay Capital has reached a EUR460 million ($629 million) first close on its latest Sino-French fund which has a final target of EUR500 million.
Mandarin Capital exits Italian chemical maker to Ardian
Mandarin Capital Partners has fully exited its stake in Italmatch Chemicals, an Italian chemical maker, to European private equity firm Ardian.
Mandarin plans China expansion for Italian footwear textiles maker
Mandarin Capital Partners and Private Equity Partners have acquired control of Milan-based Industrie Chimiche Forestali SpA (ICF), which develops adhesives and special textiles for the footwear industry.
Permira holds $7.2b final close global Fund V
Permira has reached a final close on its fifth global buyout fund, Permira V, at the hard cap of EUR5.3 billion ($7.2 billion), less than the EUR9.6 billion raised by its predecessor.
Rival bidder emerges for Fosun, Ardian target Club Med
Investindustrial - a fund led by Italian businessman Andrea Bonomi - has made a takeover bid for for Club Méditerranée (Club Med), which is already being courted by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International and PE firm Ardian.
3i exits auto parts firm to Chinese buyer, nets 2x return
3i has sold Hilite International, a German suppler of auto engine and transmission parts, to China's AVIC Electromechanical Systems for EUR473 million ($643.8 million), generating a 2.1x return.
VCs back iYogi's Spanish strategy
Bearing in mind Spanish has the second- largest number of native speakers in the world - 410 million - after Mandarin, it is little wonder that many businesses see the value in learning the language. India-based technology support services provider iYogi...
RRJ, Temasek back ING insurance unit
RRJ Capital and Temasek Holdings have agreed to invest EUR1.28 billion ($1.8 billion) in NN Group (NNG), the insurance unit of Dutch lender ING Group.
Cathay forges Sino-French ties
It is 50 years since France became one of the first European countries to officially recognize the People’s Republic of China. The anniversary of that event was marked in Paris last month by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Francois...
L Capital Asia invests in Italian footwear maker
L Capital Asia has acquired a minority stake in Italian high-end footwear manufacturer Vicini, working in partnership with L Capital Management, another PE firm supported by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH.
Singaporean investor Temasek opens London office
Temasek Holdings has established an office in London to support its investment interests in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. A New York base is expected to become operational later this year.
A Capital targets $1.38b for Sino-European tech fund
Sino-European PE firm A Capital has launched a EUR1 billion ($1.38 billion) technology fund to invest in European innovative firms. It will help them expand into emerging markets, in particular China.
Cathay Capital launches $687m Sino-French Fund
Cathay Capital, a Sino-French private equity firm, has launched a EUR500 million ($687 million) fund to promote the international expansion of French and Chinese companies in the mid-cap segment.
IDG joins $6m round for Finnish mobile game developer
Next Games, a Finnish mobile gaming developer, has raised $6 million Series A round co-led by IDG Ventures and existing investor Jari Ovaskainen, followed by China’s IDG Capital Partners and US VC firm Lowercase Capital.