Deals
Foresight Group’s Foresght VCT (F1) has completed the successful sale of Simulity Labs Limited (Simulity) to ARM, a specialist semiconductor IP company.
F1 received circa GBP11.4m at completion and will receive up to GBP 0.3 million of deferred consideration after 12 months subject to certain conditions, implying a cash on cash return of circa 3x on the GBP4 million invested in October 2016, or an IRR of circa 400 per cent. NAV per ordinary share for F1 has consequentially increased 3.2p from March 2017, all other things being equal.
Simulity provides embedded operating system software and related server systems
With the successful closing of the acquisitions of the global Darex Packaging Technologies business and the Sonderhoff Group, Henkel has strengthened its Adhesive Technologies business and technology portfolio with the successful closing of the acquisitions of Darex Packaging Technologies and the Sonderhoff Group.
Darex is based in Cambridge, MA, USA and supplies high-performance sealants and coatings for the metal packaging industry around the world. It serves various global customers producing beverage, food or aerosol cans. The acquisition was announced at the beginning of March. The purchase price amounted to 1,050 million US dollars (around 919 million euros) on a cash
Leading mid-market private equity firm LDC has exited its investment in The Creative Engagement Group (TCEG) in a strategic trade sale to Huntsworth plc, an international healthcare and public relations communications group. The deal is at an enterprise value of GBP25 million.
TCEG is a group of three creative agencies – WRG, The Moment and Just Communicate – that provide experiential marketing, including events, digital marketing, virtual and augmented reality. The group serves an international client base of blue chip companies and has significant expertise in the healthcare sector, along with professional services, banking, leisure and tourism.
LDC originally
Ogier has advised Emperor International Holdings Limited (Emperor) in Luxembourg on the acquisition of Soho’s Ampersand Building.
Emperor, a Hong-Kong based investment holding company, which is principally engaged in property investments, property development and self-run hotel, purchased the building for GBP260 million.
Partners Fabien Debroise and Bertrand Geradin led the Ogier teams in Luxembourg, working alongside Mayer Brown LLP, English and lead counsel to Emperor, on the transaction.
LDC-backed contact centre technology and services group Connect Managed Services (Connect) has today completed the acquisition of PC-1 for an undisclosed sum.
Connect provides round-the-clock availability and pain-free transformation of business-critical contact centre and UC (unified communications) environments for global clients from financial services firms such as Barclays to household names including Tesco.
Mid-market private equity investor LDC previously backed the multi-million pound management buyout of Connect in April 2014. The acquisition of PC-1 forms part of Connect’s strategy to broaden its practice areas of expertise with market leading technologies, expand its reach and build scale in its chosen
The Greater Manchester Loan Fund (GMLF) has invested GBP440,000 in School Lettings Solutions (SLS), an outsourced lettings management service that hires out school and college facilities to local community clubs and organisations.
The funding package will support SLS’s continued expansion into new schools across the UK, enable the business to meet the demand of its sales pipeline and develop a proprietary facilities booking system. The investment will safeguard around 55 jobs with an anticipated additional 10-20 roles to be created over the next two years.
Founded in 2012 by directors Scott Warrington and Paul Andrews, SLS manages the process
Mid-market private equity firm Bowmark Capital is backing the merger of Aston Scott with Lark Group to create one of the UK’s top 20 independent commercial insurance brokers and employee benefits practices.
The transaction is subject to approval by the Financial Conduct Authority.
On a combined basis, the merged group will have around 600 staff placing more than GBP250 million worth of gross written premium from 18 offices across the UK.
Bowmark originally backed the management buy-out of Aston Scott in May 2015, supporting the company in pursuing a buy-and-build strategy to take advantage of the highly fragmented
KKR is to acquire a majority stake in Australian hospitality and leisure group Dixon Hospitality Limited.
Dixon Hospitality is one of the largest and fastest-growing food and beverage-focused operators in the Australian hospitality industry. The Company has a strategy of acquiring well-run venues and function spaces with a focus on providing patrons with an exceptional experience and unique atmosphere. Today, Dixon Hospitality operates a portfolio of more than 40 high-quality venues located across Australia. The majority of venues operate as a standalone pub, bar or restaurant with their own defined brand, service proposition and target clientele. Across the Dixon Hospitality
Leading mid-market private equity firm LDC has exited its investment in The Creative Engagement Group (TCEG) in a strategic trade sale to Huntsworth, an international healthcare and public relations communications group. The deal is at an enterprise value of GBP25 million.
TCEG is a group of three creative agencies – WRG, The Moment and Just Communicate – that provide experiential marketing, including events, digital marketing, virtual and augmented reality. The group serves an international client base of blue chip companies and has significant expertise in the healthcare sector, along with professional services, banking, leisure and tourism.
LDC originally invested
The Russia-China Investment Fund (RCIF) – established by the Russian Direct Investment Fund and China Investment Corporation – has made an investment in Zhaogang, the largest e-commerce steel distribution platform in China.
Founded in 2012, Zhaogang is a digital B2B platform that brings together steel producers and consumers in China. It accounts for more than 40 per cent of the online market for steel products trading in China. Zhaogang also offers a wide range of value-add services: from logistics to financial services and legal transactional support.
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of RDIF and co-CEO of RCIF, says: “The Chinese steel
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
