Europe
Headlines
Augusta raises additional $115m for litigation and dispute funding
Investment in response to growing demand from lawyers Augusta, the UK’s largest litigation and disputes funder by case volume announces it has raised a further US $115m from a multi-billion-dollar US-based investment manager. In 2018, Augusta secured £150m from a global investment fund, to finance business growth and investment in funding cases....
An affiliate of Sun European Partners announces that it has completed the sale of Famosa
Sun European Partners, LLP (“Sun European Partners” or “Sun”) today announces that one of its affiliates has completed the sale of Fábricas Agrupadas de Muñecas de Onil, S.A. (“Famosa” or “the Company”), a leading designer, developer, manufacturer and distributer of toys in Spain and throughout the world, to Giochi Preziosi S.p.A.. Famosa,...
Huge Tax Changes for Self-Employed Following Publication of New Legislation
On 11 July 2019, the Government published draft legislation outlining the IR35 changes coming to the private sector, which are expected to affect 250,000 businesses. The reform will impact users and suppliers of personal service company contractors in the private sector. Companies have only nine months to plan for the new off-payroll changes, as they...
Young people pick their banking partners for the future
Battle of the brands Generation Z calls the brands it will bank on in 2030 Britain Banks most trusted for handling payments and safe storage of dataTech brands first choice for creating smart, real-time servicesAs a sector, financial services scores poorly for ethics and positive social impact More than two in five young people (43%) believe that...
Alcentra Closes Significant Capital Raise for its European Direct Lending Strategy
Record €5.5 billion raise reflects strong investor demand, Alcentra’s track record of deployment and returns Alcentra, one of Europe’s largest and longest tenured managers of private debt and part of BNY Mellon Investment Management, has announced the close of its latest European direct lending capital raise. The firm has raised €5.5...
Finance
Despite a truce, US-EU trade relations are still tense
AS RECENTLY AS a week ago, a big transatlantic bust-up seemed inevitable, with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland the most likely boxing ring. America had taken offence at France’s digital-services tax, which hits the likes of Amazon, Facebook and Google, on the ground that it discriminates against American companies....
Competition, sanctions and the new geopolitics of Russian gas
IN JANUARY 2009 Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy giant, cut off gas supplies through Ukraine, one of several disputes in which Russia wielded its energy might. Eleven years later, it seems poised to become even more dominant. Europe’s gas production is declining. Russia has both rising supply and new ways to export it. On January 8th President...
Airbus will help airlines hedge volatile ticket prices
THERE IS NOTHING that maddens online shoppers more than seeing air fares rocket just as they are about to click “buy”. Yet price turbulence may be an even bigger headache for airlines. Whereas carriers have some control over fares, these can be buffeted by surges in supply or demand, caused, say, by economic slumps or political rows. Over the past...
Transatlantic trade relations are still tense
AS RECENTLY AS a week ago, a big transatlantic bust-up seemed inevitable, with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland the most likely boxing ring. America had taken offence at France’s digital-services tax, which hits the likes of Amazon, Facebook and Google, on the ground that it discriminates against American companies....
Why are rhodium prices on a roll?
WHEN ANNA SCOTT left her Honda Jazz in a commuters’ car park outside Oxford on January 10th, she had little reason to think that criminals would take an interest in the 12-year-old car. Yet the next afternoon a group of shifty characters were spotted sawing off its catalytic converter. Such incidents have become more frequent across Britain as prices...
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
Augusta Oversees Sale Of Finland’s Largest Wind Energy Project For Ilmatar
Specialist financial advisor manages sale of unsubsidised 211MW Piiparinmäki onshore wind farm by Ilmatar Energy to Glennmont Partners, negotiates 10-year Google PPA Augusta & Co. (Augusta), a specialist financial adviser to the renewable energy industry, has successfully overseen the sale of the 211.4MW Piiparinmäki onshore wind farm project in...
Equistone-backed CH&CO acquires Gather & Gather from Mitie
CH&CO, a portfolio company of Equistone Partners Europe, has today announced the acquisition of Mitie Catering, comprising Gather & Gather and Creativevents, the workplace catering and events businesses of Mitie. This is the first bolt- on CH&CO has made since Equistone’s initial investment in May 2019 and marks a continuation of the company’s...
Crime-chasing chatbot start-up raises £2.4m
The ‘Futr.’ is bright for AI start-up after raising £2.4m in seed funding Futr. deploys conversational AI capabilities across central & local government, the police and the private sector. Partnering with the likes of Microsoft and Amazon, Futr. is disrupting the way organisations engage and support their staff, consumers and citizens. Machine...
Keensight Capital has entered into an exclusive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Smile, European digital champion, alongside the management and Eurazeo PME
Keensight Capital, one of the leading European Growth Buyout1 firms, has entered into an exclusive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Smile, the European leader in digital and open source. Subject to the completion of the information and consultation process of the employees representative bodies of the Smile group and the approval of the transaction...
Keensight Capital acquires 3P Biopharmaceuticals to accelerate its global growth strategy
Keensight Capital, one of the leading private equity managers dedicated to pan-European Growth Buyout[1] investments, announces the acquisition of Infarco’s majority stake in 3P Biopharmaceuticals, a leading Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) specialized in the process development and GMP manufacturing of biologics. Founded...
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...