Managers
VCT provider Octopus has announced a successful exit for investors in its GBP300 million Octopus Titan VCT (Titan VCT) as Twitter acquired portfolio company Magic Pony Technology, a technology company which has pioneered new machine learning techniques for visual processing.
Stuart Lewis, VCT Business Line Manager at Octopus, says: “There’s been a real shift in the way VCTs are now viewed by financial advisers and investors. Further restrictions on the amount investors can put into their pensions are propelling VCTs into the mainstream as a tax efficient investment option to consider when planning for retirement. There is a real need
The UCL Technology Fund (UCLTF) is making an investment of up to GBP1 million in biopharmaceutical company, Freeline Therapeutics (Freeline).
Freeline is developing and commercialising gene therapies for bleeding and other life threatening or debilitating disorders. The therapies, which are from one single treatment, have the potential to provide long-term benefits to patients by carrying a therapeutic gene to a target cell in the body.
Freeline was founded in December 2015 by Syncona LLP (‘Syncona’) and UCL Business, the wholly-owned technology transfer company of UCL.
This is UCLTF’s third investment since inception and has been made alongside Syncona’s GBP25 million
Foreign investment rules should be relaxed to encourage a new wave of offshore funding and quarterly R&D tax credits introduced to help innovative, cash-poor firms as part of a bold blueprint to develop a high-tech Australian economy.
On the eve of the 2016 federal election, AVCAL, Australia’s peak body for private equity and venture capital has called for a fast-tracked ‘limited partnership’ vehicle to encourage foreign investment into high-growth businesses.
“Foreign investment has always played an important role in fuelling the Australian economy. Our current framework does not have the right balance between welcoming overseas capital, and ensuring Australia’s
transcosmos is to make an additional investment in UNQ (Shanghai) Co, a China-based e-commerce distributor.
transcosmos is the second largest shareholder in the company after Wang Yong, President & Founder of UNQ. With this additional investment, transcosmos’s ownership ratio in the company increases from 26.3 per cent to 39.9 per cent.
As an e-commerce distributor mainly for Japanese brands such as SHISEIDO, KOSE, SUNSTAR, unicharm and Calbee, UNQ operates wholesales and sales promotional activities for Chinese major online retailers including JUMEI, The Store and JD.com, with official sales representative rights. The company also operates business-to-consumer sales through opening UNQ brand
Quilvest Private Equity sold its cornerstone shareholding in Acrotec Group to funds advised by Castik Capital alongside the Management team.
The acquisition, with an enterprise value of circa CHF280 million (EUR255 million), is the culmination of a common intiative by Management and Quilvest Private Equity to find a suitable long-term partner for the Group. The deal secures the Group’s independence and builds the foundations for further strong growth.
Acrotec has become one of the largest independent suppliers of critical components for the Swiss luxury watch market, producing precision parts such as shock absorbers, oscillating weights and spring barrels.
eQ Asset Management held a record final closing of 160 million euros for the Northern Europe focused eQ PE VIII North Fund. In a very fast fund raising cycle, the fund held first closing in February 2016.
eQ PE VIII North is a private equity fund of funds investing equity capital in Northern European small and midcap unlisted companies. The portfolio will consist of approximately ten funds, including primary and secondary transactions, with 100-150 underlying companies diversified into various geographical areas, industries and development stages. All underlying companies are mature businesses with typically positive cash flow and profit.
“We
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has made an investment in Geropharm, a Russian pharmaceutical company, specialising in restoring brain function and the treatment of diabetes.
This investment utilises the mechanism designed to promote the development of companies with significant export potential.
The proceeds will be used by Geropharm for the construction of a high-tech full-cycle production complex in St. Petersburg as well as to the development of new drugs and exports. The new facility will enable the company to significantly increase production volumes.
Geropharm is included in the list of the most promising domestic pharmaceutical companies. In
Beacon Rail Leasing, a Pan-European rolling stock lessor, has closed on the acquisition of Ascendos Rail Leasing, a European locomotive and rolling stock leasing company, having received clearance from the German competition authorities.
The combined Beacon and Ascendos portfolio includes 225 locomotives and over 1,000 freight wagons on lease in the UK, Scandinavia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Germany, 55 passenger train units on lease in the UK and Germany, 67 double decker coaches on lease in Denmark, and 13 sets of Mark 5 coaches which will be operated by TransPennine Express in the UK.
Commenting on the closing, Ted
The European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) held it’s Annual General Meeting in Malta on 16 and 17 June, with regulatory and market activity taking centre stage.
Hosted by the Maltese Funds Industry Association (MFIA), the AGM provided an opportunity for EFAMA members to discuss the investment and regulatory landscape and to exchange views with representatives from the European Commission and the Maltese Financial Services Authority.
The AGM marked the end of a first year under the mandate of EFAMA President Alexander Schindler, Member of the Executive Board of Union Asset Management Holding AG. During this time, the
Revlon is to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Elizabeth Arden for USD14.00 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value for Elizabeth Arden of approximately USD870 million.
By bringing together two highly complementary, iconic brand portfolios, Revlon says it will benefit from greater scale, an expanded global footprint, and a significant presence across all major beauty channels and categories, including the addition of Elizabeth Arden’s growing prestige skin care, color cosmetics and fragrances. The combination will leverage Revlon’s scale across major vendors and manufacturing partners, improving distribution and procurement. Cost synergies of approximately USD140 million are expected to
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12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
