Espirito Santo Financiere SA, Luxembourg (ESFIL), a fully owned subsidiary of Espirito Santo Group SA (ESFG) and ADEPA Asset Management SA (ADEPA) have signed an agreement that gives ESFIL a 40% stake in ADEPA though a capital increase. The partnership will enable ADEPA to build on its successes and capitalise

Rhodia has acquired an interest in Aster II, Aster Capital’s venture capital fund targeting innovative technology start-ups. This fund, specifically focused on energy, advanced materials and environment sectors, should eventually raise EUR120 to EUR150. Joining forces in this novel multi-corporate venture capital fund, the three sponsors – Alstom, Rhodia and

NBGI Private Equity (NBGIPE) has backed the GBP9m management buyout of Facilities Services Group (FSG) from Spice Ltd. FSG is a UK market leader in the provision of hard facilities management (HFM) services to large, multi-site operators in the retail and leisure sectors. NBGIPE is backing the existing FSG management

DN Capital portfolio company Digital Chocolate Inc, a developer of social games on facebook and other platforms, has closed USD12 million in Series D financing. This round was led by Intel Capital and includes participation from prior investors DN Capital, Sutter Hill Ventures and Bridgescale Partners. The new funding comes

Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has agreed to acquire Gerflor, the international flooring specialist, from AXA Private Equity, with the support of Gerflor’s existing management team, headed by its CEO Bertrand Chammas.   Other minority shareholders (including Barclays Private Equity and NiXEN Partners) will also sell their stake in the company.

Private equity firm GTCR has signed a definitive agreement with Silverfleet Capital and PPM America Capital Partners to acquire Sterigenics International, Inc, a leading provider of contract sterilisation and ionisation services for medical devices, food products, and advanced applications. The transaction will drive the continued expansion of Sterigenics’ service offering

Cleary Gottlieb represented TPG in the sale of its majority shareholding in Mey İçki Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ, Turkey’s leading spirits manufacturer, to the drinks group Diageo.   Diageo has agreed to acquire Mey İçki from TPG and Actera, a private equity group focussed on investments in Turkey, for approximately

As 5 April approaches, some UK higher-rate taxpayers will be considering the benefits of investing in VCTs. With this in mind, the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has surveyed VCT managers to hear their views on the prospects for the sector in 2011, covering fundraising, the role of VCTs, tax

UK mid-market private equity firm Phoenix Equity Partners has invested GBO18 million to fund the management buyout of the engineering consulting business of ERA Technology (ERA) from Cobham plc (Cobham). ERA is a specialist engineering consulting business focused on industrial markets, with a unique set of technical skills and expertise,