The number of mergers and acquisitions transactions fell during quarter one but the total value of them increased, according to data from Experian. By comparison, the total number and value of deals decreased in Europe as a whole.   The UK saw an 18.1 per cent decrease in the number

OFI Private Equity Capital has acquired a 21.61 per cent stake in Dessange International, an operator of hair care and beauty salons. Both the parties involved in the transaction are based in France. The acquisition was financed by the current shareholders of Dessange along with Groupe Banques Populaires and Credit

Offshore law firm Appleby acted as Cayman counsel for Fook Woo Group in relation to its listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 31 March 2010. The proceeds from the global offering amounted to HKD1.426bn. The Hong Kong public offering was 422 times over-subscribed.  Appleby

Microfinance, infrastructure finance and service providers to financial services firms are among the favourite sectors of Indian private equity and venture capital investors within the banking, financial services and insurance industry, a survey by research firm Venture Intelligence reveals. Private equity and venture capital investors are viewing investments in BFSI

Private equity-backed companies weathered the recession significantly better than comparable businesses, according to a study released by the Private Equity Council. The study found that the annualised default rate for the more than 3,200 private equity-backed companies acquired between 2000 and 2009 and held through 2008-2009 was 2.8 per cent

Villani Advisors has signed an agreement to advise and originate special private placements and private equity investments with several alternative investment groups. Combined the group represents over USD6bn and has completed more than 250 transactions in over 45 countries. Villani Advisors’ investment partners usually fund between USD2m and USD100m per

Private equity firm Hudson Ferry Capital has made an investment in Contrax Furnishings, a provider of classroom, technology and administrative furniture for educational and institutional markets. Contrax provides design, consulting, project management, and installation services to public and private schools, colleges and universities. William I. Latham III, chief executive, and

MuleSoft, a provider of software and support for open source application infrastructure products, has closed its third round of financing with USD12m in venture capital. The financing was led by SAP Ventures with Bay Partners also participating as a new investor. Existing investors Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Morgenthaler Ventures and

Glacier Bay, a California-based developer of system-integrated DC power and thermal management technologies, has raised USD15m in series C funding. Venture capital firm City Light Capital led the tranche, and was joined by return backers The Westley Group and New Enterprise Associates. The company previously raised over USD40m from Westley,

StepStone ASA has signed a binding agreement to sell its StepStone Solutions talent management software division to European sector focused private equity investor HgCapital for a purchase price of EUR110m. The transaction is expected to close by the end of April 2010, subject to usual closing conditions. In 2009 StepStone