Thomas H Lee Partners has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Sword Insurance, a provider of software and services to the property and casualty insurance industry, from Sword Group. The transaction is expected to close next month, subject to regulatory approvals. Additional terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Bayside Capital’s portfolio company, DIAM International (DIAM), the leading global designer and manufacturer of high quality point-of-purchase (POP) displays for cosmetics, has acquired GDP and GDP Tunisia Tech. Based in France and Tunisia, respectively, GDP and GDP Tech Tunisia are subsidiaries of Xeris SA and are specialists in the design

Golub Capital as sole lead arranger, aloe bookrunner and administrative agent has provided a USD67.5 million GOLD financing to support the recapitalization of Chuy’s Holdings, Inc.by Goode Partners LLC. GOLD financings are Golub Capital’s One-Loan Debt facilities. Based in Austin, Texas, Chuy’s operates 26 company owned restaurants located in Texas

The recession and credit crunch took its toll on private equity investment companies, however, owing to recent strong performance, the private equity sector has bounced back. With the popularity of private equity investment companies seemingly on a steady rise, the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has canvassed the opinions of

Open Ocean Capital, the early-stage venture capital firm led by investors who closed the USD1 billion sale of MySQL to Sun Microsystems (now Oracle) in 2008, has just closed its Fund Three with approximately USD60m (EUR40m) in capital in the first closing. The fund kicks off the first widespread outreach

Morgan Stanley Private Equity has acquired EmployBridge Holding Co, a provider of outsourced human resource and specialty-branded temporary staffing services in the United States. Morgan Stanley Private Equity partnered with the current management team who will remain in place and hold a significant minority stake in the Company. EmployBridge operates

Global private equity firm The Riverside Company has agreed to acquire Reima Oy, a leading children’s wear brand in Northern Europe, known for high-quality outdoor clothing, and selling under the brands Reima, Lassie, Tutta and Progress.   This acquisition will be the seventh platform for Riverside Europe Fund IV (REF

Virtus Real Estate Capital, a real estate private equity firm, has launched Virtus Student Housing, LP, its newest fund. Virtus is slated to acquire more than USD300 million in student housing interests in 2011 and 2012. The new fund seeks to leverage and capitalise on demographic trends, increased student enrolment