Yorkville Advisors, the US-based alternative investment manager, has entered into a GBP5 million Standby Equity Distribution Agreement (SEDA) on behalf of one of its funds with Ariana Resources Plc (AIM:AAU), an AIM-listed and PLUS-traded gold exploration and development company focused on Turkey. The deal was advised out of London. Ariana

Better Capital’s BECAP Fund has advanced funds to allow one of its portfolio investments, Gardner Group Limited (Gardner), to make a strategic, bolt-on acquisition. Gardner is the UK’s largest independently owned supplier of metallic aerospace details and sub-assemblies. Customers include Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GKN, BAE Systems and other major international companies

Guardian Capital Partners (GCP) has acquired a controlling interest in PPI-Time Zero, Inc (PPI). Headquartered in Paterson, New Jersey, PPI is a leading electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company which provides contract manufacturing of highly reliable components to the aerospace, defence, medical and industrial electronics industries. With 40 years of service

Private equity is expected to continue to seek investment opportunities in the struggling US banking industry in 2011, particularly with respect to the over 7,000 community banks with assets of up to USD1 billion, according to this report by Gregory J Lyons (pictured) and Gregory V Gooding, partners in Debevoise

Private equity merchant banking firm Crescent Financial Partners has purchased a 30 per cent stake in online retailer BeautyTicket.com. Recently named InStyle’s “Best of the Web 2010,” and Women’s Wear Daily’s “Top Beauty e-Tailer,” BeautyTicket.com offers premium beauty brands at up to 85 per cent off recommended prices. Fuelled by

Matrix, a specialist in investing in the clean energy sector, has launched two clean energy VCTs – Matrix Clean Energy VCT 1 plc and Matrix Clean Energy VCT 2 plc in a Linked Offer – with the aim of raising GBP12.5 million per VCT. The VCTs have already received reservations

General Atlantic (GA) has become the second largest shareholder in Kaspersky Lab, a developer of secure content and threat management solutions.   The agreement with GA marks the next stage of Kaspersky Lab’s global growth strategy. The company will benefit from GA’s strategic support for management’s vision to continue its

Private equity firm NewSpring Capital has made an investment to support Raritan’s growing power management business that helps companies improve energy efficiency and operations in their data centres. Funds were provided through NewSpring’s growth equity fund — NewSpring Growth Capital II, LP. Raritan plans to use the investment proceeds to