Europe
Headlines
Maven strengthens senior management team with promotion to partner of two property investment directors
Partnership promotions reflect the expertise of Maven’s specialist property investment team and its ongoing expansion Maven Capital Partners (“Maven”), one of the UK’s most active private equity houses, has promoted Colin Anderson and Andrew Whiteley from Maven’s specialist property investment team to partnership positions. The strengthening...
Private equity dealmaking influence in Europe up for 4th consecutive year - Mergermarket data
Key Data Points [Overview]: Europe recorded 1482 buyouts valued at EUR 170.1bn in FY18, up 16% by value compared to 1474 buyouts worth EUR 147bn in FY17. Exits are down 10% in volume to 935 from 1036 deals in FY17 and down 19% in value to EUR 134.7bn from EUR 166.8bn in the previous year. The region recorded 53 buyout deals valued over EUR 1bn...
Bradbury Group invests in a new multi-million-pound production facility
The UK’s leading manufacturer of steel doors project strength in new factory unveiling. Leading UK manufacturer of steel doors and physical security solutions, Bradbury Group, are announcing their move into their new headquarters located on Foxhills Industrial Estate in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, totalling an investment of around £8...
New professional network launched to promote the vital role women play in driving RegTech success
On 27th February, over 70 brilliant women got together at law firm Addleshaw Goddard, for the launch of a new network called RegTech Women, aimed at connecting women who work in the financial services regulatory technology industry (RegTech). Partner at Addleshaw Goddard, Mandie Hulme said “We are proud to be supporting this initiative - RegTech is...
Jon Abraham joins Laureusas new Head of Commerical
Ahead of the 2019 Laureus World Sports Awards, leading sports industry professional Jon Abraham has been announced as the new Head of Commercial at Laureus.Jon joins Laureus from his role as Commercial Director at B2B sports media and events company SportsPro where he was responsible for all commercial strategy across multiple platforms. In an eight-year...
Finance
Indians may be falling out of love with gold
P.N. GADGIL & SONS, a jewellery shop in Thane, a suburb of Mumbai, is gearing up for the wedding season—a busy time for gold sales, even if demand is brisker still during Hindu festivals, when jewellers stay open almost round the clock. Free samosas and Pepsi are offered to those queuing outside; inside, the noise and bustle are non-stop. Indians...
Wells Fargo takes a pasting, from Congress and a regulator
“YOU HAVE not been able to keep Wells Fargo out of trouble,” Maxine Waters told Tim Sloan, the chief executive of America’s fourth-biggest bank, on March 12th. Ms Waters, the Democrat who since January has chaired the House of Representatives’ Financial Services Committee, is not alone in her ire. Patrick McHenry, the committee’s senior Republican,...
How to be a rock-star bond investor
ONE NIGHT in 1965, Keith Richards woke up with a riff going around inside his head. He reached for his guitar, played the bare bones of a song into a cassette recorder and promptly fell asleep. Mick Jagger was soon scribbling lyrics by the swimming pool. Four days later, the Rolling Stones recorded “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”. Hit records...
Euro-zone fiscal policy is easing for the first time in a decade
IT IS HARD to defend yourself with one hand tied behind your back. Yet the euro area’s economy has been repeatedly asked to do just that. Whenever it is taking a beating, it has had to fight back with monetary policy alone. The European Central Bank (ECB) has cut rates to zero and below, bought bonds by the bucketload and lent super-cheaply to banks....
China’s current-account surplus has vanished
IN A CONTROL room at the headquarters of Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency, dozens of fluorescent lines flash every second across a big digital map of the world. Each line represents an international flight sold on Ctrip’s platform. The top destinations on the morning of March 11th, when your correspondent visited, were Seoul, Bangkok...
Legal
67% of law firms say skills shortages threaten growth
Despite the ongoing environment of geopolitical uncertainty, UK law firms remain optimistic about their growth prospects. That’s according to new research from specialist recruiter, Clayton Legal , which reveals that 66% of firms are looking to increase headcount over the next twelve months to contend with increased demand for their services. The...
Seedrs launches programme for financial intermediaries following record breaking Q3
The programme introduces wealthy individuals to early stage equity deals on Seedrs via their accountants, brokers and financial consultantsOver £3.6bn was invested into equity deals in the UK last year showing an increased appetite for startup investing45% of angels interviewed by the UKBAA about their early stage equity investments reported...
Lamont Pridmore warn high earners about HMRC raids
Higher rate taxpayers have been warned by leading Cumbrian accountants Lamont Pridmore to be vigilant over their tax affairs.The warning comes after new data from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) shows that its Affluent Unit took an additional £438 million pounds of high earners.Off the back of this success the Unit, which investigates the tax affairs of...
A Legal Perspective on the Government’s Brexit White Paper
Following pressure from sections of Parliament and the public, Theresa May’s government has published a 77-page white paper document to set out a strategy for leaving the EU. But what does it add to what we already know? Stephen Chater, a solicitor at Postlethwate Solicitors, member firm of the UK200Group, explains.The UK200Group is the UK’s leading...
32% law firms see private equity as a principal source of external funding
With growing competition from niche firms, law practices are actively seeking targeted acquisitions to scale-up in chosen disciplines. 32% see private equity as a principal source of external funding. Niche law firms seen as greatest source of competition. 59% of firms report a rise in competitive pressure. There is a sharp increase...
Deals
G+D Currency Technology Strengthens Focus on Software and Solutions Business by Acquiring Transtrack International
G+D Currency Technology, Munich, and Transtrack International, Amsterdam, entered into a definitive agreement today, under which G+D Currency Technology will acquire all shares of Transtrack International. Transtrack International is a market leader in the development of standard software solutions that address the control, efficiency and management...
Link Asset Services to sell Corporate and Private Client Services business to Apex Group Ltd
Link Asset Services, part of Link Group (ASX: LNK), today announces the sale of the majority* of its Corporate and Private Client Services (CPCS) business to Apex Group Ltd (‘Apex’) The sale of CPCS which provides corporate, regulatory and trust-based services to companies and individuals is subject to regulatory approvals and completion...
KCP celebrates £50m hat-trick of exits at end of 2018
Private equity firm Key Capital Partners (KCP) enjoyed a successful end to 2018 following the exit of three portfolio companies in the last quarter, generating a combined return of three times the initial investment and with a total value of over £50m. In October, the firm sold its interest in glass processor MI Glass, based in Smethwick in the...
Investcorp announces acquisition of Health Plus Management
Investcorp, a leading global provider and manager of alternative investment products, today announced its acquisition of Health Plus Management, LLC (“Health Plus”), a provider of business management and operations services for independent physician practices in the physical medicine and rehabilitation market. The terms of the transaction were...
AnaCap acquires structured investment from leading Italian bank
AnaCap Financial Partners (“AnaCap”), the specialist European financial services private equity firm, today announces a structured investment into a portfolio of SME loans from a leading Italian bank with which AnaCap has a long-standing relationship across a broadrange of transactions. With a face value of €4.0bn, the portfolio comprises...
Acq Lite
How women can secure the investment they deserve
Women don’t ask for the investment that they need for their businesses; here is how to ask for more money and how to get it Earlier this year, the Treasury published its statistics on venture capital funding highlighting that within the UK, only 1p out of every £1 of venture capital goes to women-led start-ups. Comparatively, all-male founding...
Curious quokka licks cyclist's pedals in Western Australia
March 9 (UPI) -- A cyclist taking a break in Western Australia captured video of a curious quokka licking the pedals of her bicycle.Shannon Ducker said she was taking a break from cycling on Rottnest Island when the quokka approached her bicycle and started licking the pedals.Ducker captured video as the apparently hungry animal enjoyed the taste of...
Truck loses, drags two wheels on Oregon road
March 9 (UPI) -- A driver on an Oregon road captured video of a semi truck that somehow lost two wheels on a city road and dragged them for several yards.The video, filmed Monday on a street in Cornelius, shows the semi driving on a slow speed while dragging two wheels that somehow became separated from its trailer.The wheels drag behind the truck until...
Cat credited with rescuing Pennsylvania couple from fire
March 9 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania couple's pet cat is being hailed as a hero after alerting its owners to a late night fire that started inside their home.The McKeesport Fire Department said the couple were in bed about 1:30 a.m. Friday when their cat alerted them to something amiss inside their home."Fortunately, both were in bed at the time, and the...
IHOP announces breakfast-themed PancakeWear clothing line
March 9 (UPI) -- Restaurant chain IHOP announced the debut of its breakfast-themed clothing line, PancakeWear, created to benefit a children's charity.The eatery announced it will soon be offering onesies, loungepants and socks in adult and child sizes featuring breakfast-themed prints."The ultra-comfy PancakeWear by IHOP collection is the perfect accessory...