UK & Ireland
Thoma Bravo scoops up cybersecurity company Darktrace
The take-private values the company at £4.3bn
Goodwin hires Travers Smith duo
Partners Ian Keefe and George Weavil join the UK private equity practice
Synova backs Synectics Solutions
The GP typically invests £15-150m into companies valued between £20m and £250m
BGF backs UK-based human risk management platform with £3.25m
Yorkshire and Northeast investor Rob Johnson, who led on the deal, will join the portco's board
British Patient Capital commits $50.8m to Evolution Technology Fund III
Evolution Equity Partners has raised $1.1bn for its latest vehicle
Mayfair Equity promotes two to partner
Managing directors Nick Keegan and Yusuf Hoballah have been inducted into partnership
Exclusive: Apiary Capital closes oversubscribed fund
Managing partner Mark Salter reveals the factors that helped the firm win LP commitments and his advice on fundraising
Raymond James bolsters private capital advisory business
Senior bankers Callie Kourniotis, Guy Hume, Michael Henningsen and Ash Rajah have joined the team in New York and London
Palatine exits UK specialist vehicle provider to Astatine Investment Partners
Palatine originally acquired a majority stake in NRG Group in October 2020
Ardian partially exits Audiotonix to PAI
The sound engineering company was acquired by Ardian in March 2020
IK Partners invests in A-Safe
The Yorkshire-based company produces polymer-based products for factories and warehouses
Staying competitive
MUFG’s David Rochford explains why Ireland is taking a greater role as an operational centre in the alternatives industry
Alternative asset classes set to see biggest increase in fundraising in 2024
Some 71% of wealth managers and institutional investors surveyed by Carne Group expect to increase their allocation to private equity by 10% or more this year
Epiris appoints Mike Ebeling as partner
He joins Epiris having spent 15 years at Goldman Sachs Private Equity
Mutares acquires Greenview Group from Cordovan Capital and CEO
The platform investment is Mutares' fourth acquisition in 2024
RSM UK announces head of private equity
Stuart Clowser succeeds Charlie Jolly who now joins the consulting leadership team
Unigestion strengthens secondaries practice
The asset manager has appointed Jordan Dimmock
Apax-backed Palex Medical forms European medtech platform with new add-on
Apax first invested in Palex in July 2023
Magnesium Capital raises €135m for energy-transition investments
The maiden vehicle kicked off fundraising last year
Cairngorm Capital sells industrial specialist distributor
During the GP's holding period the business completed one acquisition
Lincoln International bolsters business services practice
The investment bank has appointed Lewis Gray as managing director
Apax acquires Zellis Group from Bain Capital
The payroll provider counts Harrods, Iceland and Jaguar among its clients
BGF pumps £6.25m into energy utility consultant Skewb
The funding will support expansion of the company’s suite of products and services
Venture Views: Two Magnolias on a mission to embrace diversity every step of the way
Real Deals' Shivani Khandekar catches up with co-founders Jessica Rasmussen and Marie Korde to understand the importance of diversity in venture capital and what makes their firm stand out
Bowmark Capital sells UK-based digital specialist
Bowmark acquired a stake in Focus Group in 2020
Ufenau expands to the UK
The Swiss sponsor has appointed Peter Eckersley to head its London office
ICG backs travel insurance specialist Staysure
The UK-based company operates a portfolio of insurance brands and products including Avanti Travel Insurance and Rock
STG Partners takes London fintech private
The Californian sponsor has delisted London-based fintech Gresham Technologies
Mutares powers up Polish high-voltage services business
The carve-out is the third transaction by Mutares in 2024
Fund in Focus: Manulife Strategic Secondaries Fund closes on more than €550m
The fund focuses on GP-led secondaries and has already commenced its deployment phase, global head of co-secondaries Jeff Hammer tells Real Deals
French VC Quantonation raises €70m
The fund is dedicated to investing in quantum technologies
EQT sells data manager Rimes to Five Arrows
EQT initially invested in the data management business in 2020
Verdane backs Corlytics
Fresh funds to support organic growth, M&A activity and investments in “intelligent offering”
Freshstream’s Bella Figura Music secures consortium funding
The business plans to continue expanding its portfolio, adding to hits written for the likes of Adele, Robbie Williams and the Human League
Ares and Farallon back Cairngorm Capital’s builders’ merchant group
Cairngorm Capital initially acquired the portco in 2018
Stanley Capital Partners hires principal
During the past year the firm has seen its team double in size
Expect fundraising to slow following ‘record’ quarter: PitchBook
European funds have already amassed more than half the capital raised in 2023, according to PitchBook’s Q1 2024 Global Private Equity First Look report
CBPE merges BKL with Wilson Wright
The combined business will have a turnover of £46m
Deal in Focus: Literacy Capital picks up minority stake in Live Business Group
Literacy CEO Richard Pindar tells Real Deals that the opportunity came through its advisory network
SEP exits Intelligent Reach
The Scottish firm acquired the business in 2014
Roycian backs McAndrew Martin £7m MBO
A deal-by-deal investor, Roycian has about 35 LPs involved in this transaction
Inflexion-backed CNX Therapeutics acquires two medicines
The portfolio company was originally formed in August 2021 when Inflexion acquired Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Europe
Preservation Capital Partners closes PCP Fund II
The close represents a 30% increase from its predecessor fund
ECI-backed Moneypenny expands to the US
The telecoms business has acquired Sunshine Communications
PX3 acquires Com Laude Group
Vespa Capital has exited after a seven-year holding period
Gaining territory
Ireland’s ILPA set out to enhance the country’s appeal as a fund jurisdiction in 2020 but progress has been sluggish due to investors’ preference for Luxembourg. However, the Emerald Isle is now upping its game, as Shivani Khandekar discovers
ThinCats launches regional fund
The fund targets midsized SMEs across the UK
Omni boosts team with two partners
Following a recent rebrand, the GP has appointed ex-Civica leaders
Whiterock raises first equity fund
The vehicle will make investments in Northern Ireland
Literacy Capital picks up minority stake in Live Business Group
It is the investor’s 23rd platform deal since 2017
N4 Partners ups stake in Opulus Financial
The Glasgow-based investment firm has become the majority shareholder
Continuation funds shine as sponsors crave liquidity – Houlihan Lokey
The trend comes as sponsors deploy creative strategies to optimise portfolios and create liquidity
Ascension raises £17m
The new fund will target "impact dragons"
Schroders appoints global head of business development and product
Ingo Heinen joins the firm from Intermediate Capital Group
Deal in Focus: Omni notches strong return with Vivup sale
The GP had not planned to exit so soon but an unsolicited bid from Great Hill Partners prompted it to consider the deal, partner Elissa von Broembsen-Kluever tells Real Deals
Pantheon announces leadership succession plan
Kathryn Leaf to become CEO in 2025
Hg backs CUBE
The portco’s founder and CEO Ben Richmond has also invested
IVP banks $1.6bn for 18th VC fund
The vehicle is 12% smaller than its predecessor
Palatine-backed BK Plus expands into the Southwest
The accountancy firm was acquired by Palatine’s Buyout Fund IV in September 2023
Montagu carves out Johnson Matthey’s MDC
Johnson Matthey is a multinational speciality chemicals company listed on the FTSE250
Exponent backs Ethos Engineering
It is the PE firm’s seventh platform investment in Ireland
Endless exits Findel investment to Manutan
The seller originally acquired Findel in 2021 from Studio Retail Group
Kester Capital III closes on £200m hard-cap
The fund is more than double the size of its predecessor
The Private Equity Value Report 2024
Charting the fastest-growing private equity-backed companies in the UK, in association with BDO
Alcuin backs Mainprize Offshore
This deal is the sixth investment from Alcuin’s fifth fund
Main Capital-backed PeakAvenue bolts on Isograph
The GP backed the software company in 2022
GP Profile: Palatine tops £1bn for total funds raised
Founder Gary Tipper talks to Real Deals after the GP achieved the landmark and gives his forecast for the remainder of the year
Pricoa picks up minority stake in TeacherActive
The portco has been supported by Tosca Debt Capital since 2018
Bain Capital acquires and combines two software platforms
The investor made the investments through its Tech Opportunities vintage
Ardian acquires green data centre platform Verne
The deal was signed in November last year when Ardian agreed to acquire the company for $575m
GP Profile: Lightrock
CEO Pål Erik Sjåtil sits down with Real Deals to discuss the firm’s new strategy and why he remains committed to private investments
GCP-backed Bridewell acquires Arculus
The deal allows the firm to expand into the public sector
Coniston Capital invests in Equity Networks
The deal will enable Equity Networks to build on its acquisitive growth strategy
Inspirit Capital-backed Vysus Group carves out ModuSpec
The company has been bought by specialist offshore rig inspection company MR Group
Interpath Advisory bolsters team
The firm has welcomed Jayshree Shah and Robbie McFaul from FTI and PwC, respectively
LDC-backed Onecom acquires Excalibur Communications
The bolt-on represents the 11th acquisition since the GP first invested in 2019
Hyperion-backed Ranger Fire & Security bolts on Syncro Group
The GP plans to complete five other acquisitions by the end of 2024
Palatine hires new partner
Alistair Armstrong will be responsible for sourcing new opportunities for Impact Fund I
In conversation: Kerry Baldwin, IQ Capital
The VC co-founder shares useful tips for women thinking of entering the venture capital industry
Schroders Capital launches UK LTAF
The fund eyes tech and science opportunities within the UK VC arena
Private equity’s exit logjam hits $3.2trn
GPs are sitting on a record 28,000 unsold companies, According to Bain & Co’s annual global PE report
Cranemere appoints Bernardo Hees as operating partner
Hees has previously served as CEO of Kraft Heinz and managing director of Burger King
Exclusive: Tresmares to close third PE fund in March
The Spanish firm also plans to open new offices and launch additional funds, partner Ignacio Calderón tells Real Deals
Deal in Focus: Synova invests in Mecsia
Alex Bowden, partner, tells Real Deals that the GP acquired the target because of the firm’s consolidation potential and strong growth
Foresight sells Specac
The business’s revenues grew five-fold during the holding period
YFM closes VCTs fund on £90m
The announcement follows the close of YFM’s Buyout Fund III on £95.5m last year
BGF-backed Troy acquires Scott Direct
The deal marks Troy’s second acquisition since BGF invested last year
Inflexion raises £1.75bn for Partnership Capital Fund III
The fund’s predecessor banked £1bn in 2018
Estancia acquires stake in Flagstone
Estancia partners Takashi Moriuchi and Keegan Mitchell will join the Flagstone board of directors
Equistone-backed Buko bolts on Road Traffic Solutions
The GP will support the firm’s expansion in the UK and neighbouring countries
Pollen Street takes Mattioli Woods private
The wealth manager said Pollen Street brings “significant” resources to accelerate the delivery of Mattioli Woods' M&A and organic growth plans
Cibus Capital harvests over $600m for food and agriculture investments
The GP believes agrifood technology has the potential for "unprecedented positive change"
Limerston closes second fund
The vehicle has completed three investments to date
In conversation: Future Business Partnership’s founders discuss achieving B Corp status
Real Deals sits down with founders Tracey Huggett and Vish Srivastava to understand the motivation for the certification and how it will impact its talent and investment strategy
Deal in Focus: NorthEdge backs Contollo
NorthEdge director Liam May tells Real Deals that the deal origination was relationship-driven
SEP exits Vital Energi to Corran Capital
The seller said the portfolio company has “grown exponentially” during its time as an investor
Cinven invests in Alter Domus
GP to acquire half of the founders’ and Permira’s stakes in the fund admin; aims to grow company in key markets and customer verticals
Exclusive: Quilvest acquires Acuiti Labs
Thomas Vatier, partner and co-head of buyout, tells Real Deals that the investor plans on leveraging its transatlantic expertise to grow the business
Keensight Capital acquires SoftCo
The GP will target geographical expansion with a focus on North America
YFM appoints IR partner
Dan Perkins joins from Great Point Media where he has been since 2013