Private equity investors Warburg Pincus and GS Capital Partners are to acquire a majority stake in Endurance International Group, a provider of hosting and online services to small- and medium-sized businesses, from Accel-KKR. Endurance’s current management team and Accel-KKR will continue to maintain an interest in the Company. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Since its founding in 1997, Endurance has grown to become one of the world’s leading providers of hosting and related online services for small- and medium-sized businesses – providing web hosting accounts to over 1.9 million unique customers, managing more than 7.7 million domains

Economic uncertainty is having an increasingly negative impact on the success of transactions and squeezing access to acquisition finance. Those are the key findings of the quarterly survey in October 2011 of the M&A panel polled by commercial law firm CMS Hasche Sigle and Finance magazine, comprising some 70 investment bankers and corporate M&A professionals. While corporates consider that the uncertain macroeconomic climate is having only a moderate impact on acquisitions, acquisition finance and company sales, the effects seen by investment banks have been dramatic. Companies have observed a marked increase in the number of buyers withdrawing from purchases, and

Oragroup, the Togo-based regional commercial banking holding company with operations spanning six countries in West and Central Africa, has attracted a USD20 million growth equity investment from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) BIO (USD7million) and PROPARCO (USD13 million). This investment marks  a major step in an ongoing focus on fundraising and growth expansion at Oragroup, led by pan-African private equity specialists Emerging Capital Partners (ECP). By the end of 2011 Oragroup will have raised in excess of USD85 million through a combination of debt and equity financing from a diversified investor base which includes local, regional and international investors, adding both retail

Middle market investment bank Harris Williams & Co has advised GSO Capital Partners pin the sale of its portfolio company Stolle Machinery, LLC to strategic buyer Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd. (Toyo Seikan; TSE:5901), for USD775 million.  The transaction closed on 3 November, 2011 and was led by Mike Hogan, Chris Williams, John Arendale, Jershon Jones and Karl Kirkeby from the firm’s Richmond office.  Harris Williams & Co. acted as the advisor to Stolle, and was also the advisor to Stolle in 2008 in its sale to GSO.   “Stolle is the market and technology leader in the can-making equipment industry

A consortium comprised of funds advised by Apax Partners, together with controlled affiliates of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPSP Investments), has completed its acquisition of Kinetic Concepts, Inc (NYSE: KCI) for USD68.50 per common share in cash. KCI shareholders approved the transaction at a special meeting held on 28 October. KCI is a US-based medical device company focused on the design, manufacture, marketing and service of therapies and products for the wound care, tissue regeneration and therapeutic support system markets. The transaction is valued at approximately USD6.1 billion, including KCI’s outstanding debt. The consortium plans to work actively in

Effective 17 October, 2011 GSC Group Limited has joined the Black Diamond family of companies and will now operate under the name Black Diamond Capital Management Limited. Black Diamond’s European office will be headed by Nick Petrusic, who, along with the other London based team members, will oversee its European Mezzanine and European CLO businesses.   "We are excited to have an experienced team with a long track record based in London, and look forward to continuing to grow those businesses as new opportunities present themselves in the European markets", says Steve Deckoff, Managing Principal at Black Diamond.   "We

Mid-market private equity firm LDC has exited its investment in Volvox Group, a leading supplier of auto electrical products and industrial consumables – through a sale to Elysian Capital. Volvox, which is headquartered in Leeds, designs, sources and distributes a wide range of innovative products for the private and commercial vehicle markets, including lighting, camera systems, car accessories, air compressor, portable power products and industrial consumables. Its customers include vehicle manufacturers as well as the UK and European after-market, where it suppliers major retailers and distributors.   LDC originally backed the GBP12million management buyout of Volvox in 2005 with a

Gogobot has completed a USD15 million round of funding led by Redpoint Ventures, with participation from Battery Ventures and Michael Arrington’s CrunchFund. Gogobot will use this new financing to expand its global footprint through marketing, partnerships, and outreach.  Gogobot allows users to harness the power of their social networks to exchange trusted travel advice and share trip plans and rich visual travel memories.  Since launching last November users have shared more than 2 million places with their friends on Gogobot. The user base has grown 10 fold over the last year, making it the largest social travel site on the internet. This funding comes on the

The signing of Jersey’s Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with India is a welcome development in the island’s progress in establishing closer commercial ties with the country, according to Jersey Finance chief executive, Geoff Cook. “For the last five years or so Jersey Finance has been building its links with India by hosting visits in which we showcase our services and highlight the quality of our regulatory regime, says Cook. “Senior politicians and regulators have joined us on some of our trips to meet formally with Government officials and regulators in India. Earlier this year, Jersey Finance cemented its presence