VNU restructured

3i has pumped in new equity into portfolio company and Dutch media group VNU Media as part of a restructuring deal which sees the business halve its €199m debt.

The package sees the debt levels fall to below €100, with a equity package of €17.2m from 3i and new investors HIG Capital, which was already a lender to VNU.

HIG and 3i now own equal stakes in the business.

3i acquired VNU in December 2006 for €320m, but was written down to zero by the UK private equity firm earlier this year.