Deals
Cross-border M&A remains high on the agenda for companies around the world according to a survey of 350 senior executives across high-growth and developed markets.
Nearly half of those surveyed, including more than 275 M&A strategists based in high growth or emerging markets, expect their company’s appetite for cross-border M&A to increase over the next two years. Companies from developing markets are also becoming increasingly adventurous in their M&A strategies.
The report, Opportunities Across High-Growth Markets: Trends in Cross-Border M&A, is based on a survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on behalf of Baker & McKenzie.
Aquiline Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm investing in financial services, has completed the acquisition of Equity Insurance Group, a motor insurer based in the UK.
It was purchased from Insurance Australia Group (IAG). Equity Insurance Group includes motor insurer Equity Red Star and Equity Syndicate Management Ltd (ESML), with its associated Syndicate 218 at Lloyd’s, as well as the broking business Equity Direct Broking.
The largest motor insurance syndicate at Lloyd’s, Equity Insurance Group is one of the ten largest motor insurers in the UK and has been insuring commercial and individual customers for more
Bowmark Capital, the mid-market private equity firm, is backing the GBP30m management buy-out and expansion financing of Drake & Morgan, a London-based bar-restaurant group.
Drake & Morgan was founded in 2008 by the Imbiba Partnership, the specialist bar and restaurant investment partnership, and managing director Jillian MacLean, a leisure entrepreneur who has over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry.
The vision was to create an innovative new chain of bar-restaurants in London that combined a stylish, accessible and “female-friendly” environment with a unique all-day food and drink offering.
Since opening its first site, The Refinery, in
Leeds-based Help-Link, the only central heating specialist apart from British Gas to work throughout the whole of the UK, has completed a deal with NorthEdge Capital, a private equity firm.
The business, which started 15 years ago as four men in vans, has built its growth on making it simpler and more affordable for households on a budget to acquire a new boiler. Over the past year the firm has fitted 25,000 new boilers and this will rise to 40,000 over the next 12 months using 300 teams of engineers.
The deal will enable the firm to increase
JTC Group, a provider of private wealth, corporate, employee benefit and fund administration services, has acquired Ardel Fund Services Limited (AFSL), a Guernsey-based third party fund administration provider.
The move significantly boosts JTC’s numbers in this jurisdiction adding specialist fund expertise both locally and for the group.
AFSL, formerly Bachmann Fund Administration, was established in Guernsey in 1993. The team administers investment funds across a variety of asset classes, using a wide range of fund structures: both open and closed-ended companies, unit trusts and limited partnerships, including entities listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market and Alternative Investment
The Carlyle Group has made a significant investment in Addison Lee, a well-known brand in the transportation and private hire services in London and the South East of England.
Capital for this investment will come from Carlyle Europe Partners III, a EUR5.4bn fund that makes mid and large cap investments. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Founded in 1975 with one car, Addison Lee has grown to a fleet of over 4,500 vehicles. Today, Addison Lee has a significant, established footprint in private hire services across London carrying over 10 million passengers and couriering one million deliveries
Gruner + Jahr, advised by CMS Hasche Sigle, has sold its stakes in various Polish companies that handle G+J’s magazine business in Poland to Burda International.
Bertelsmann and Constanze (Jahr Group) were also included on the vendor side.
The Polish G+J companies publish well-known titles such as Gala, Glamour and National Geographic.
The transaction is currently awaiting approval from the merger control authorities.
A team led by corporate partner Dr Henrik Drinkuth advised Gruner + Jahr on the cross-border transaction.
Lyceum Capital-backed Access Group, a developer of business management software, has acquired SaaS-based staff planner and team management solution TeamSeer, increasing the number of subscribers to its cloud-based platform aCloud.
The transaction represents Access’ ninth add-on since Lyceum Capital invested in the company in March 2011.
Access is one of the top five fastest growing UK software developers in The Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 2012 and featured in last year’s Profit Track 100. It has over 300 customers across well-known brands including Saatchi & Saatchi, McCann Erickson, Siemens and the New York Stock Exchange.
The TeamSeer
European Capital and its affiliates have received proceeds of EUR7.2m from exiting their investments in Scaff’holding.
European Capital realised a circa 1.8x money multiple on its initial investment, representing a circa 13 per cent IRR.
In April 2007, European Capital invested EUR7.5m in the mezzanine facility, along with Capzanine, to support the secondary buyout of Scaff’holding by Equistone, formerly Barclays Private Equity. In October 2011, the company partially repaid the mezzanine facility and European Capital received EUR3.1m.
Scaff’holding, based in Paris, France, specialises in the rental and sale of scaffolding and shoring systems. Through its network of local
Fits.me has secured total series A investment of close to GBP5m led by existing investor SmartCap, with new participation from Conor Venture Partners, Fostergate Holdings and The Entrepreneur’s Fund.
Previously, in May 2009 and August 2010, the company received total seed and early-stage investment of just under GBP1.75m from Smartcap and angel investors, and GBP0.5m in grants.
Fits.me develops, markets and operates virtual fitting room solutions on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis for online clothing retailers, helping them to overcome the problems of low online conversion rates and high garment returns rates caused by doubt over fit and poor fit
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
