Private equity firm Graphite Capital has acquired New World Trading Company (NWTC), a pub and restaurant business headquartered in Knutsford, Cheshire, from private equity firm LDC in a GBP50 million transaction. LDC originally invested GBP2.7m for a minority stake in NWTC in 2013 through the Hill Capital Food & Beverage Fund, which was set up to back early stage food and drink concepts. The sale has generated a 6.1x money multiple and IRR of 80 per cent for LDC. NWTC opened its first pub in 2011 and now operates 14 pubs/restaurants nationally under five sub brands: The Botanist, The Oast

Ardian portfolio company Italmatch Chemicals, a global specialty chemicals group, has acquired 100 per cent from US private equity firm One Rock Capital Partners. The acquisition sees Italmatch Group consolidate its presence in the American market, with an important manufacturing site which will continue to produce Compass’ Mayoquest brand of products. It will also be expanding its water treatment product range, thus strengthening the leading global role of the DequestR brand in a highly strategic business segment. This is the third acquisition in the water treatment industry by Italmatch since Ardian became the major shareholder in June 2014, and falls

Wasserstein Partners has acquired Northstar Travel Group, a provider of business-to-business information, content, events, data, research, custom content and software dedicated to the global travel and meeting industries, from the Wicks Group of Companies.  Investing alongside Wasserstein Partners IV were its co-investors, Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund Board, John Hancock, and Storebrand Insurance. Northstar is the owner of well-known brands including Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, Business Travel News, Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions, Travel Weekly China, Incentive, M&C China and Web in Travel. The company produces more than 50 face-to-face events in thirteen countries in retail travel, corporate travel, travel technology

Tikehau IM and Ares announced have arranged a major unitranche financing to support Apax Partners in the acquisition of Marlink, Airbus Group’s Commercial Satellite Communication business.  Marlink's maritime and land commercial satcom business is present in 14 countries across Europe, Asia, Middle-East and Americas, and has a distribution network of approximately 400 re-sellers worldwide. The company serves all maritime sectors globally and thousands of users operating in challenging environments in the mining, energy and humanitarian sectors that need highly reliable satcom mobile and fixed connectivity services.  The government satcom business is not part of this transaction and remains part of

Ogier, working with Burness Paull, has advised Brown-Forman Corporation on matters of Jersey law in respect of its GBP281 million acquisition of the GlenDronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh Single Malt Scotch Whisky brands.  Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American based manufacturers of wines and spirits and this acquisition enhances its growing portfolio of world famous brands which already includes Jack Daniels, Finlandia and Chambord. The Ogier team was led by partner Steve Meiklejohn and included Katherine Neal and Ashley Quenault.