Europe
Rocket, Kinnevik to form emerging market fashion e-commerce giant
German start-up incubator Rocket Internet and Investment AB Kinnevik, Rocket's biggest backer, are to consolidate five emerging market fashion e-commerce brands into a single global company with a combined valuation of EUR2.7 billion ($3.5 billion).
China Exim Bank fund agrees $406m Poland wind farm JV
The China-CEE Fund, a $500 million vehicle backed by China Exim Bank that invests in Central and Eastern Europe, will partner Israel’s Enlight Renewable Energy to buy a controlling interest in two Polish wind projects for up to PLN1.3 billion ($406...
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.
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.
NAB offloads $1b UK loan portfolio to Cerberus
The National Australia Bank (NAB) has agreed to sell a GBP625 million ($1 billion) portfolio of mostly distressed UK property loans to New York private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.
Baring Asia buys stake in TA-owned Cath Kidston
Baring Private Equity Asia has acquired a substantial stake in UK lifestyle retailer Cath Kidston from existing majority shareholders TA Associates and company management.
VC firm launches $13.6m Anglo-Japanese agri fund
Japanese venture capital firm Tsukuba Technology Seed (TTS) has teamed up with the UK's Adapt Low Carbon Group to launch an Anglo-Japanese VC fund focusing on agricultural innovation.
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.
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.
INCJ exits 5% stake in UK's Seajacks to Marubeni
State-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has sold a 5% stake in UK offshore energy services provider Seajacks to its Japanese co-owner Marubeni Corporation.
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.
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.