Managers
Specialist investment advisory firm Gravis Advisory Limited is to launch the VT Gravis Clean Energy Income Fund on Friday 1 December.
Gravis anticipates the Fund will provide investors with an attractive and regular income stream expected to deliver a yield of 4.5 per cent per annum from launch, paid quarterly and net of charges which are capped at 0.8 per cent. The Fund will also seek to preserve and grow capital over time by investing in a diversified portfolio of listed securities whose operations are linked to the theme of clean energy generation.
The core holdings of the Fund
Gide has advised Erytech Pharma, a company listed on Euronext Paris, on its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, through a reserved capital increase to American and European specialist investors for a total aggregate amount of USD144 million, after full exercise of the over-allotment option.
Erytech is a French clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies by encapsulating therapeutic drug substances inside red blood cells. The funds raised will in particular enable the company to conduct its Phase 3 studies for the treatment of second-line pancreatic cancer and the treatment of first-line acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
This transaction
Arcaplanet Group, a portfolio company of the Permira Funds, is to acquire Mondial Pet Distribution, a company owned by the Pautassi family and by Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, which controls Fortesan, a specialised retail chain operating in the same sector.
Arcaplanet Group, founded in 1995 by CEO Michele Foppiani, manages 210 stores with over 10,000 SKUs, ranging from pet food and accessories to healthcare products. The Group has also developed its portfolio of owned brands, such as Start, Expecial, Next, HiFish and, more recently, Virtus. Since 2014, Arcaplanet has also been operating through its own e-commerce site. In 2016,
Middle market investment bank Harris Williams & Co has advised Bridgepoint on its agreement with Burger King Europe GmbH (BKE), an affiliate of Restaurant Brands International Inc (RBI), to become the UK master franchisee of Burger King, with exclusive rights to the brand in the UK.
Harris Williams & Co also advised on Bridgepoint’s simultaneous acquisition of Caspian UK Group Limited (Caspian), one of the UK’s largest Burger King franchisees with 74 restaurants. The transactions were led by Edward Arkus, Will Bain and Faye Maughan of Harris Williams & Co’s Consumer Group.
“Burger King is one of the largest
Metal reprocessing, tubular supply and decommissioning company John Lawrie Group has been acquired by its management in partnership with Rubicon Partners and Grovepoint as it gears up for an expansion of its business in the UK and USA.
The Group, which was founded in 1930 by metal merchant John Lawrie in Aberdeen, and still has its headquarters in the city, is one of Scotland’s leading privately-owned businesses with bases in Montrose and Evanton near Invergordon, Scotland, and Houston, New Jersey and Philadelphia, USA.
Four members of the Group’s management team, and existing shareholders, – Vic Sinclair, CEO; Charlie Parker,
Stanhope Capital is to launch a new EUR100 million investment platform – the Stanhope Entrepreneurs Fund (SEF).
The fund aims at filling two major gaps. Firstly, the SEF will seek to add true operational expertise to portfolio companies by relying on successful entrepreneurs who will act as “Anchor Investors” to the Fund and when required, active non-executive members of the boards of the portfolio companies. Secondly, the SEF will act as a forum enabling investors to have a say in the selection of portfolio companies and incentivise them to bring attractive deals to the Fund. Overall, the aim is to
Encore Consumer Capital, a private equity firm that invests exclusively in leading consumer products companies, has completed the sale of Atlantic Aqua Farms (AAF) and its affiliated entities to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers’).
AAF is the largest grower and processor of the renowned Prince Edward Island blue mussel, and also offers a wide selection of branded oysters, clams, and live Maine and Canadian lobster. AAF will continue to be led by Terry Ennis, CEO, and his leadership team. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Kevin Murphy, managing director of Encore Consumer Capital, says: “We have thoroughly enjoyed our
Legal & General has provided close to GBP300 million of long-term acquisition debt in support of Danish pension funds, PKA and PFA consortium’s approx GBP2 billion purchase of 50 per cent of Walney Extension from Ørsted (the former Dong Energy).
Walney Extension, which is currently under construction, will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm with a capacity of 660 megawatt (MW), providing enough power for over 590,000 homes.
LGIM Real Assets was an anchor investor, structuring and providing both commercial debt and Export Credit Agency (ECA) wrapped debt on this transaction. The acquisition represents Legal & General’s first
Private equity investor Equistone Partners Europe Limited (Equistone) has acquired BFT Mastclimbing (BFT), a specialist for the specification, rental, and installation of Mast Climbing Work Platforms (MCWPs).
Equistone has acquired a majority stake in the company, investing alongside current CEO and founder Robin Head. Financial terms of the deal have not been dislcosed.
Founded in Leighton Buzzard in 1997, BFT Mastclimbing today maintains a fleet of over 650 motorised MCWPs to provide a cheaper, safer, and more flexible alternative to traditional scaffolding on construction, renovation, and maintenance projects nationwide. Operating out of the company’s central UK depot in Bedfordshire,
D’Ieteren and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) are in exclusive discussions under which CD&R-managed funds would acquire a 40 per cent ownership interest in the Belron group, a specialist in the vehicle glass repair and replacement (VGRR) market.
Under the proposed agreement, D’Ieteren and management would retain the remaining 60 per cent ownership interest in the company. The proposed transaction would value Belron at EUR 3 billion (enterprise value) which, after deduction of debt-like items (including a dividend payment of EUR 453 million), translates into an equity value of about EUR1,550 million. The proposed transaction is subject to an information
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
