Deals
The Royal London Group (RLG) has entered into an agreement with funds advised by independent private equity firm Vitruvian Partners to support a management-led buyout of Royal London 360° (RL360°).
RLG is confident that the transfer of ownership will enable RL360° to achieve its strategic vision through a further acceleration of the growth that RL360° has experienced in recent years.
The RL360° executive management team, led by chief executive David Kneeshaw, will remain unchanged. Following completion, the company will be re-branded.
RL360° will be further strengthened through support from the global reinsurance group Munich Re, as well as
Private equity firm 21 Partners has agreed to acquire Synerlab from Ardian.
The transaction will be executed alongside Synerlab’s management team, led by its president Pierre Banzet.
Ardian will subsequently reinvest in the company in order to support Synerlab with its pan-European development, together with 21 Partners.
Synerlab is a pharmaceutical contract manufacturing firm and a European leader in the production of sterile liquid solutions which do not use preserving agents. The company has expertise in small- to large-size industrial production.
The group has a particular focus on R&D, enabling it to support its clients through the
La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and BMO Capital Partners have invested in Corporation de développement Nautilus Plus, which owns the largest corporate network of fitness centres in Québec.
The investment, made equally by la Caisse and BMO Capital Partners, will enable them to acquire a block of shares of the company and Nautilus Plus to continue expanding its network.
"This financing enables us to support a well-established Québec company that has become a leader in its industry," says Normand Provost, executive vice-president, private equity, of la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. "With its expansion
Kabbee, the price comparison service for London’s minicabs, has completed a GBP3.8m Series A funding round with a view to accelerating its growth in London and beyond.
Octopus Investments, whose past investments include Zoopla.com, Graze.com, SwiftKey and Secret Escapes, led the round, with Simon Nixon, the founder of MoneySupermarket.com, making a significant contribution.
Kabbee will aim to consolidate its position as London’s most popular minicab app by using the investment to develop its market leading technology and to build its brand. The expertise of Octopus and Nixon comes alongside existing shareholders such as Samos (Betfair, Ocado, Goal.com), Pentland (Speedo,
Gear4Music.com, an online retailer of musical instruments and equipment, is set for 50 per cent growth this year, with an increase in turnover from GBP12m to a forecasted GBP18m at the end of the financial year.
The Yorkshire-based company, which employs 100 staff, was founded in 2003 and has continued to grow at a rapid pace since receiving a GBP3.4m investment by Key Capital Partners (KCP) in 2012.
As well as a growth in sales, the company has moved into larger 135,000 sq ft premises on the outskirts of York to further expand its logistics capabilities in the UK
Ardian and Italian private equity firm Consilium SGR have sold Rollon Group to Chequers Capital and IGI SGR.
Based in Vimercate (Milan), Rollon is an Italian manufacturer of linear rails and actuators.
The group generates 80 per cent of its revenues abroad, thanks to its German, French and US subsidiaries. Sales in 2012 reached EUR54m.
The deal was structured as a management buy-out led by the current group chief executive Eraldo Bianchessi. Chequers Capital, a French investment company and IGI SGR, an Italian private equity firm, will hold a majority stake in the group.
In 2010, Ardian
Oppenheimer Europe, the London-based arm of Oppenheimer & Co, is acting as joint adviser to Unit4 NV on the recommended cash offer by Advent International.
The offer values Unit4 at approximately EUR1.3bn.
Unit4 is a cloud-focused business software company aimed at helping public sector and commercial services organisations to embrace change simply, quickly and cost effectively in a market sector it calls Businesses Living IN Change (BLINC).
Unit4 incorporates a number of software brands including Agresso, the flagship ERP suite for mid-sized services intensive organisations; Coda, the financial management software; and FinancialForce.com, the cloud applications company formed with
Burton’s Biscuit Company has signed a sale agreement with Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP). The sale process attracted interest from multiple high quality bidders, including from a number of private equity houses and trade companies.
The agreement with OTPP, a leading investor and Canadian pension fund, is testament to the strong financial performance of Burton’s and its clear strategy to deliver long-term sustainable growth in the UK and internationally.
Since 2009, Burton’s has been transformed into the UK’s leading premium biscuit manufacturer through best-in-class innovation and a growing international presence across its strong portfolio of Power Brands. It has benefited
Law firm Eversheds has advised workforce payment solutions provider FleetCor Technologies on the acquisition of Epyx, a technology solutions provider to the fleet sector, from HgCapital.
Epyx provides an internet based system and vehicle repair network to fleet operators in the UK. The company services approximately 9000 garages and automates vehicle maintenance and repair needs.
The acquisition strengthens FleetCor’s product offering in the fleet sector, enabling the company to expand its services from fleet fuelling to fleet maintenance.
The Eversheds team was led by partner and head of diversified industrials Robin Johnson, and supported by partners Stephen Rose
Funds managed by The Carlyle Group are to acquire a controlling equity stake in Edgewood Partners Insurance Center (EPIC), a retail insurance broker headquartered in California.
Carlyle's investment will enable EPIC to continue to execute its organic growth strategy and support strategic acquisitions of complementary insurance distribution platforms throughout the US.
Founded in July 2007 by John Hahn and Dan Francis, in partnership with funds managed by Stone Point Capital, EPIC has approximately USD80m in annual revenues. The company has developed a broad suite of capabilities for commercial lines and employee benefits placements as well as specialised placement capabilities
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
