US private equity firm KSL Capital Partner buys De Vere’s Village resorts for £485m November 26, 2014 British hotels and leisure firm De Vere Group yesterday agreed the £485m sale of its Village Urban Resorts hotels chain to US private equity firm KSL Capital Partner. KSL – a Denver-headquartered firm focused on the travel and leisure businesses – acquires the Village’s 25 existing hotels along with three new properties under development in [...]
Private equity firms circle as P&G puts Braun in the window November 23, 2014 A number of Europe’s largest private equity firms are drawing up bids for Braun, amid speculation that parent company Procter & Gamble is looking to sell the German consumer goods brand. Procter & Gamble, the US consumer goods giant, is rumoured to be putting Braun up for the sale in a few months, with a [...]
Gimme 3: Startups crowdfunding this month November 17, 2014 Oak and Iron Target: £55,000 for 30 per cent equity The furniture company uses environmentally friendly processes and locally sourced materials. Owner Terry Facey has made furniture for Harrods. Raised: £44,700 www.fundingtree.co.uk Grub Club Target: £250,000 for 15.6 per cent equity A team on a mission to change how we dine by creating pop [...]
Taylor St Brewing a £3m crowdfunding November 12, 2014 TAYLOR St Baristas, a trailblazer in the City’s speciality coffee scene, plans to raise up to £3m through the launch of the UK’s first crowdfunded Coffee Bond. The bond is live on Crowdcube and Taylor St plans to double the size of its business over the next two years, with funds gained being used to [...]
Caterham F1 raises £1.2m in crowdfunding project as possible buyers begin to surface November 11, 2014 Potential buyers have emerged for Caterham F1, with the cash-strapped Formula One team having raised over £1m in crowdfunding in just 48 hours. The team is looking to raise £2.35m to allow it to race in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 23 November. Finbarr O’Connell, a partner from Caterham’s administrator Smith & Williamson, launched the [...]
Prezzo gobbled up for £304m by American private equity firm TPG November 6, 2014 Prezzo yesterday agreed to a £303.7m cash bid by American private equity firm TPG, valuing the high street Italian restaurant chain at almost 10 times its operating profit. TPG, which saw off competition from buyout firm Advent to seal the deal, launched the offer via Papa Bidco, a newly incorporated company indirectly owned by the [...]
Peer-to-peer platforms need to mature – or risk innovation-stifling regulation November 6, 2014 IT’S NOT surprising that peer-to-peer lending is becoming so popular. After years of low interest rates and scandals, there is a feeling that financial services should get back to basics. And after all the upheaval in banking, there is a desire to look at new ways of lending – preferably ones that pay a decent [...]
GHO Capital Partners’ finance boss to open Private Equity Combat Sports class for Krav Maga fans October 23, 2014 The first rule of fight club, is you do not talk about fight club. But what about the first rule of private equity fight club? We’re not talking about punch-ups over the last croissant outside The Savoy Grill, the PE industry is to get its own combat class – organised by an industry insider. Duncan [...]
Quorn Foods owner Exponent Private Equity eyes another buyout exit October 19, 2014 Vegetarian favourite Quorn Foods has emerged as the latest candidate to be put on the auction block after its private equity backers started mulling plans to harvest its stake in the group. Exponent Private Equity is thought to be looking at options for the meat-free foods manufacturer, which it bought in 2011 for £205m. Groups [...]
Gimme 5: Startups crowdfunding this month September 22, 2014 Rollasole Target: £150,000 for 7.5 per cent equity If you’ve seen a pair of bendy pumps someone’s shoved in their handbag, you’ll know how useful Rollasole shoes are. Raised: £130,210 via Crowdcube 42 days left Line-Up Target: £200,000 for 9.09 per cent equity Line-Up’s technology collects and collates “what’s on” information from newspapers, radio [...]