Latest News
Nursery and childrenswear retailer Mamas & Papas, which is backed by Bluegem Capital Partners, has reported a 30 per cent increase in sales over the eight weeks to 26 December compared to the previous year and a 35 per cent increase on 2019, buoyed by new store openings, new product launches and an enhanced online presence.
The company, which designs and makes travel systems, nursery furniture and children’s clothing, said some of its strongest selling categories had been furniture and travel systems, where it made significant market share gains.
Thanks to positive Black Friday and Christmas trading, current year sales
Sophie Catala has joined the Buyout team at BlackFin Capital Partners as Debt Director. Catala will be based in BlackFin’s Paris office and will lead the debt and capital structure strategy for new investments and portfolio companies throughout Europe.
Catala has substantial experience in capital markets, acquired in banking and investment management. She previously spent seven years at Muzinich, a privately owned investment firm specialising in public and private corporate credit, where she was part of the Private Debt team. At Muzinich, she served in a key role, launching their first French fund and subsequently participated in the financing of
Venture capital dealmaking, exit and fundraising values all broke records in 2021 by ‘stunning amounts’, according to the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, a quarterly report produced by PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association with support from Insperity.
Private equity firm GTCR has named Andrew Johnson as Principal and Chief of Marketing and Communications, a newly created position.
In this role, Johnson will lead the strategic development and execution of all marketing and communications activities for GTCR. He will also collaborate with others at the firm and at portfolio companies on broader initiatives including ESG-DEI, community engagement, digital/social media and hiring and recruiting the best talent.
Chess.com, the world’s largest chess platform, has secured a significant growth investment from General Atlantic.
Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Launched in 2007, Chess.com is the world’s leading online destination for playing, learning and watching chess, with over 75 million registered users and more than 10 million games played every day.
Houlihan Lokey advised on the deal. Legal services were provided by Latham & Watkins; Paul, Weiss; Herzog Fox & Neeman; Shartsis Friese; and Poultan & Yordan.
Vienna-based GoStudent, which provides one-to-one video-based online tutoring, has raised EUR300m in a Series D funding round led by new investor Prosus.
Additional participation in the round came from Deutsche Telekom, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Tencent, Dragoneer, Left Lane Capital and Coatue.
The funding comes just seven months after GoStudent became Europe’s first EdTech unicorn, raising a Series C round of EUR205 million in June 2021. Since the company was founded in 2016, it has raised a total of +EUR590 million, and this new round strengthens its position as the highest valued K12 EdTech company in Europe with a EUR3
Funds managed by middle-market private equity firm Lee Equity Partners (Lee Equity) have invested in Therapy Partner Solutions (TPS), a physical therapy platform in the Southeastern US.
TPS employs a diversified operating model delivering physical therapy services across three divisions: Clinic Partnership, Management Services and Performance Solutions.
Steve Chenoweth, co-founder and CEO, will continue to lead the Company, while the entire senior management team, along with existing investor Walnut Grove Capital Partners, have retained a meaningful equity investment in the business.
Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Livingstone served as exclusive financial advisor to TPS and Arnall
Online valuation and data provider VesselsValue has acquired Norwegian shipping research and advisory company, ViaMar.
ViaMar provides market research and advisory services in shipping, energy and financial markets and has particularly strong relationships with major banks, investment funds, operators and traders, predominantly focused in Northern Europe and the Nordics.
The company produces fundamental quarterly forecasts to highlight key turning points for the bulker, tanker, container and LPG sectors, as well as incorporating freight earnings and vessel valuations into their reports.
PetHonesty, a specialist in pet health products and a portfolio company of Vestar Capital Partners, has named consumer products executive Richard P Greenberg as CEO effective 14 February.
PetHonesty founder and CEO Ben Arneberg will continue to serve as a Director on the Company’s Board, and he and his family will retain their significant ongoing investment in the Company.
Greenberg most recently served as Chief Commercial Officer of Sovos Brands, which launched its IPO in the fall of 2021.
European specialist growth equity investor Verdane has held a final close of Verdane Idun I (Idun), an impact focused fund investing in technology-enabled businesses based out of Europe.
The Fund is classified as “Article 9” under the European Union’s Finance Disclosure Regulation and closed at its hard cap of EUR300 million, over its target fund size of EUR225 million.
The fund has already made three investments: Auntie, a digital provider of workplace wellbeing services; Spond, a digital enabler of grassroot sports and physical health; and a third business which will be announced at a later time.
The Fund
Special Reports
Featured
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
