Stirling Square Capital Partners, a pan-European private equity firm focused on transformational cross-border transactions, has made a EUR40m growth capital investment into Portugal-based Omni Helicopters International. Based in Lisbon, Omni is the helicopter services specialist that was recently de-merged from the broader aviation group Omni Aviação SGPS S.A.; it owns a fleet of medium- and heavy-lift helicopters servicing the oil & gas industry and emergency medical transportation services.  The Company’s helicopter fleet is operated by its Brazilian affiliate Omni Taxi Aéreo, the country’s second largest oil & gas helicopter services operator with 40 aircraft under management.  Brazil has one of

Geneva headquartered investment management firm Index Ventures SA has appointed Jersey-based alternative asset fund administrator EFG Securities Services as Administrator to Index Ventures Growth II (IVGII), a Jersey domiciled Venture Capital Fund which has raised EUR 500m in commitments from investors and will be making late stage investments in technology and life science companies.   The fund, the largest of its type to be raised in the past five years, had its final closing in late summer and has since made two investments, including Dropbox, the innovative online storage provider.   IVGII is a Jersey Expert Fund and is the

Arma Partners acted as exclusive financial adviser to intergenia AG on the sale of a 51% stake in the firm to Oakley Capital Private Equity LP.  Oakley Capital Private Equity LP is an unlisted UK and European mid-market private equity fund with the aim of providing investors with significant long term capital appreciation. As part of the transaction, Oakley Capital Investments Limited (AIM: OCL) will be providing EUR10 million of senior financing, with the Fund providing an additional EUR30 million of equity financing to fund the acquisition. Management and the founders will retain a 49% stake in the business post-acquisition and

Mbeach Software has engaged Wakabayashi Fund, LLC, a Japan and New York consulting firm, to provide investor and public relations services, capital funding services, and to present the company to institutional investors. These services will augment the funding commitment of Southridge Partners II LP to extend the company an equity line of up to USD10 million per the agreement signed in August 2011.  "Wakabayashi Fund, LLC is very pleased to have been retained by Mbeach Software Inc. and share with the company’s experienced management team the full scope of our services in the financial markets," says Tadaharu Wakabayashi, President of

Franco-Chinese private equity investor Cathay Capital has made an equity investment in fine chemicals manufacturer Minafin. Born out of the take-over, in 2005, of SEAC assets in Beuvry-la-Forêt by Frédéric Gauchet, Minafin group has grown rapidly through acquisitions and now boasts four manufacturing sites (Beuvry la Forêt and Dunkerque in France, Leuna in Germany, and Memphis in the USA). With the advanced pharmaceutical ingredients (API) market going through a period of consolidation, the group is looking to pursue a further acquisition strategy to establish itself as a worldwide leader servicing major pharmaceutical companies. Cathay’s involvement will help Minafin achieve its

Aligned Asset Managers, a portfolio company of private equity firm GTCR, has completed its investment in The Townsend Group. Townsend, established in 1983, is the largest global specialty real estate advisory and investment firm, with over USD100 billion of total advised assets. Townsend allocates real estate capital on a discretionary and non-discretionary basis for over 85 leading institutional clients from offices in Cleveland, London, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. Led by Terry Ahern and Kevin Lynch, Townsend has a focused real estate platform of 70 employees. In the Townsend transaction, Aligned purchased a majority equity interest in Townsend. An expanded

Niagara LaSalle Corporation (Niagara LaSalle) has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by strategic buyer Optima Specialty Steel, Inc.  Pursuant to the merger agreement, Optima Specialty Steel will acquire 100% of Niagara LaSalle, a portfolio company of US private equity firm Kohlberg & Company. Harris Williams & Co is acting as the exclusive advisor to Niagara LaSalle.  The transaction is being led by Mike Hogan, Ned Valentine, John Arendale, Dave Kennedy and Doug Kinard from the firm’s Richmond office along with Jeremy Eberlein from the firm’s Cleveland office.   Niagara LaSalle is North America’s largest independent manufacturer of high

A private equity sponsor group led by JH Partners and the Highland Consumer Fund, is acquiring a majority interest in J McLaughlin. The existing management team, which includes co-founders and brothers Jay McLaughlin and Kevin McLaughlin, as well as Steven Siegler, CEO, will continue in its current role and will retain a minority interest in the business moving forward. Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, clothing retailer J McLaughlin, which only sells its own designs, currently has 52 stores in 18 states across the Eastern half of the United States. "We are delighted to make this investment in J McLaughlin. Its

Baird Capital Partners (BCP), the US-based buyout fund of Baird Private Equity, has acquired Digi-Star Holdings, Inc, an international manufacturer of agriculture scales and weighing equipment. Senior financing for the transaction is being provided by The PrivateBank and US Bank National Association with Fifth Street Finance Corp providing the mezzanine. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Digi-Star is headquartered in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, with an additional facility in Panningen, The Netherlands. The company’s customised weighing systems and software are incorporated into mobile farm equipment to provide precise control over input costs, monitor resource utilisation, enhance yield management