Brad Meikle

The prospect of mass defections by experienced in-house teams who are lured by more attractive remuneration packages in the third-party fund management sectors, is a nagging worry for dedicated pension fund managers that have built up substantial private equity interests. Not so for AT&T Investment Management Corporation. Although its private equity management team has moved […]

Kardan Technologies is seeking $75 million (ecu 67 million) for its Kardan Technology Ventures fund, which will invest in Israeli telecommunications and data communications companies. AT&T Investment Management has committed $15 million to the vehicle, its first direct investment in an Israeli private equity fund. KTV hit a $40 million first close in September and […]

In 1994, Advent raised a $105 million family of funds for Central Europe, consisting of a regional fund and three country funds. The regional fund will soon be fully invested, and a second fund is about to have its first closing. How do typical investments in Central Europe differ from the standard Western European model? […]

The end of the century is witnessing a radical redrawing of the corporate map. Mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, divestment, restructuring, outsourcing, virtual businesses and electronic businesses are the engines driving this transformation. Because of the sums of money involved, acquisitions and mergers have come under close scrutiny. Many commentators put a negative spin on their […]

The CHFr 1.25 billion (ecu 782 million) acquisition of Vsgele Group, announced in late November, is the largest deal ever completed by Schroder Ventures. The family-owned Swiss clothing retailer has 360 shops in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, with annual sales of CHFr 950 million. A household name in Switzerland, Vsgele has sold non-fashion, value-for-money family […]

Legal & General Ventures (LGV) is backing the management team of BTR’s Polymer Products Group in a GBP515 million (ecu 764 million) MBO. A total GBP620 million funding package of has been raised for the deal, LGV’s largest lead to date by a substantial margin. Unipoly SA, a Luxembourg-based holding company, is acquiring the BTR […]

BC Partners in November led an investor syndicate which provided a FFr 570 million (ecu 86 million) capital increase for Bercy Management, France’s Number One concession and contract catering group. BC Partners funds acquired a 20% holding in Bercy Management; Union d’Etudes et d’Investissement, an existing investor in Bercy Management, took its stake to 16%; […]

The December sale of Richard Branson’s Virgin Radio to DJ and television presenter Chris Evans must surely rank as one of the highest-profile UK private equity transactions of the year. The deal, led by Apax Partners & Co and valued at GBP85 million (ecu 126 million) debt free, succeeded in the face of a higher […]