Firms and Funds

Aequitas Capital Management has acquired Windswept Capital, a Seattle I-banking boutique focused on M&A and recapitalizations for middle-market companies located in the Pacific Northwest. No financial terms were disclosed.

Amanda Capital of Finland has held a €77 million first close on its fourth Western European fund of funds. The firm had closed its third fund of funds earlier this year with €110 million.

American Capital Strategies announced that it is opening an office in Framingham, Mass. It will focus on technology investments, and will be led by existing principal Miles Arone. He will be joined by new hire Patrick Gallagher, who previously was a vice president with Morgan Stanley Venture Partners.

Aureos Capital has held a $50 million first closing for its Central Asia Fund, with a $100 million final close expected by next June. The fund will invest between $2 million and $10 million in companies located in such countries as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Georgia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Baigo Capital, a Frankfurt-based private equity firm focused on the European healthcare market, has held a €100 million first close on its debut fund. It plans to hold a final close on €300 million.

Calera Capital, the San Francisco-based mid-market buyout firm formerly known as Fremont Partners, is raising just over $1 billion for itts fourth fund, according to published reports.

Imperial Capital has agreed to acquire USBX Inc. and UBSX Advisory Services, a boutique I-bank focused on M&A. No financial terms were disclosed.

Lehman Brothers, which wrote off more than $1 billion of leveraged-buyout loans in its fiscal third quarter, has reduced its loan commitments by about $17 billion since the end of the quarter in August, co-chief administrative officer Ian Lowitt said at a Merrill Lynch conference. Lehman ended the third quarter with $27 billion of leveraged-loan commitments, but has since reduced that to about $10 billion.

Lion Capital, a UK buyout firm focused on the consumer products sector, is nearing a £2 billion final close for its second fund, according to Private Equity Insider. The UK-based firm was formed in 2005, when it spun off from Dallas, Texas-based Hicks Muse Tate & Furst.

Carl Marks & Co. has acquired a minority ownership interest in Capital Counsel LLC, a New York-based investment advisory that manages more than $1 billion in concentrated portfolios for individuals, families, foundations and endowments. No financial terms were disclosed.

The State of Michigan has retained JPMorgan to provide portfolio administration and performance reporting for the alternative asset division of its various state retirement systems.

Wind Point Partners will begin raising its seventh mid-market buyout fund in January with a $1 billion target, according to LBO Wire. It will have a $1.25 billion hard cap, and follows a $700 million sixth fund that closed in 2005.