Where Neymar’s €222m transfer ranks among M&A activity
The €222m Paris St Germain has paid Barcelona for Neymar is the 30th largest all-time acquisition of a Brazilian target by a French acquirer.
Industry stereotype: the private equity lawyer
City law firm partner Jason regularly congratulates himself on having got into private equity and avoided a career in his firm’s “less dynamic” teams, particularly infrastructure, or – God forbid – disputes, where they still have to actually read cases. He likes to think his fellow partners see him as a bold, commercially-focused dealmaker, especially as he gets to work on projects with exciting names like Jaguar or Crimson III, even if they are about a Dutch cardboard supplier or, sometimes,
Rebranding your private equity firm? There’s a word you should probably avoid…
Third Bridge, formerly known as Cognolink, kicked off the new year in bold style with a new name.
Chip off the old block
We all know and love the legend that is Mounir “Moose” Guen, the founder of placement agent MVision.
Christmas spirit
The Vulture’s heart was warmed by the many messages of goodwill that filled his email inbox in the final weeks of December. And the best of these, in his view, were those from the organisations in the industry that recorded their own Christmas videos.
Taking stock
The “generosity” that the Vulture enjoys at the end of the year is always a very reliable benchmark of the health of the industry.
Private equity “sociopaths” don’t like Tamara Mellon either
Tamara Mellon disdain for private equity types is reciprocated.
The 2015 Vulture Awards
The eighth annual celebration of private equity's quirkier moments.
Did I spot Henry Kravis?
Dear Sir,I was surprised to read your interview in the 19th November issue with KKR maven Henry Kravis, where he revealed his gratitude towards the Spanish government’s fund of funds and grand plan to sell portfolio companies to bigger firms, such as Portobello Capital.
Best private equity Christmas party
This old bird was invited to not one, not two, but three lavish festive celebrations in the run-up to the holidays.
From liquid lunches to green juice
The Vulture keeps close tabs on how private equity is changing, including the industry’s social occasions. And he can’t help noticing that the liquid lunches of yore have given way in recent years to considerably more sober affairs.
“We don’t need no debt advisers”
It is no secret that banks and alternative lenders are not the biggest fans of debt advisers, those clever people hired by borrowers to negotiate the best possible prices and terms on loans. It was thus hard not to notice a lender or two engaging in shameless schadenfreude when one of the best debt advisers in the business, Deloitte's Fenton Burgin, was delayed and arrived late for a panel at this year’s UK Mid-Market Debt conference.
Why private equity is a dating winner
The Vulture must admit to a weakness for reality television programmes. And so the industry’s favourite raptor found himself watching re-runs of Dinner Date, a quite delightful TV show where a person goes on three blind dates, each involving a “contestant” cooking up a meal in an effort to win the favour of the said individual.
Financial sleight of hand? Not in private equity
The buyout industry’s favourite raptor was discussing how absurd it was for governments to refer to structural deficit figures, which of course strip out all the financing costs associated with the debt – not immaterial amounts. The Vulture assumed that private equity firms would never indulge in such financial sleight of hand.
Formerly known as EVCA
It is only recently that Invest Europe, the private equity trade association previously known as EVCA, changed its name and the body’s members are still coming to terms with the new moniker.
Welcome to Miami
The Vulture was recently lunching with a general partner facing a dilemma.