Latest News
Returning cash to shareholders or changing managers is likely to look less appealing in the current climate, while underwater shareholders may regret lowball bids from strategic acquirers or private equity sponsors, according to a new report by Activist Insight.
The report, titled Covid-19: The impact on shareholder activism, explores some of the changes that have occurred in the last two months and potential future impact of the coronavirus pandemic on activist investing.
One of its findings is that preserving value, more than creating it, will likely be the priority for this year. “I think there’s going to be far less activism
Asterion Industrial Partners, an independent investment management firm focused on European infrastructure in the mid-market, has acquired 100 per cent of Telefónica’s microwave radiolink portfolio in Spain through a carve-out process. The transaction was signed and closed on 31 March.The assets consist of a unique portfolio of antennae and radio electronic equipment for c10,800 microwave links (~13,000 circuits), connecting Telefónica’s mobile towers and other enterprise clients’ sites to their terrestrial fibre networks, mainly in low-density areas. Telefónica’s radiolink network is one of the largest in Spain and has best-in-class interconnection with Spain’s deepest fibre network. The portfolio provides a differentiated
Inverness Graham, a private investment firm targeting software, service and tech-enabled manufacturing companies, has sold Kalkomey Enterprises (Kalkomey). Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Kalkomey is a provider of online recreational safety education, certifications and cloud-based agency management solutions to government agencies and outdoor enthusiasts. Inverness Graham acquired Kalkomey in December 2015 and supported management in a strategic platform build effort acquiring three related businesses during the four-year hold. The Kalkomey platform was the result of a proactive search by Inverness Graham in the e-learning market.
“We are thrilled with what the team at Kalkomey has been able to accomplish during our hold,”
Social impact investor Nesta Impact Investments (NII), part of Nesta, and London-based investment manager, Downing, have led a GBP2 million growth funding round in Empiribox, a science education provider which supplies resources for primary school teachers to teach practical science lessons. Empiribox subscribers are sent science equipment, lesson and assessment resources and professional development plans for teachers. As teachers are forced to adapt quickly to teaching remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak, the investment will help Empiribox to launch its new online platform to engage students with exciting and practical science lessons from afar.
The new digital ‘Empiribox@Home’ service will provide interactive
Prowrap, a specialist rewinder and one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of cling film, aluminium foil and baking papers, has secured a significant investment from Longacre Group with the support of the corporate finance team at FRP.The deal will see Longacre Group back both brands within the Prowrap portfolio – Procare and Wrapex – and importantly maintains the long-term future of the business in Bristol.
Longacre Group, a private investment firm that backs small and medium sized companies across the UK and Europe, has backed Prowrap’s existing management team led by CEO Nick Scoon. They will now work closely
Polyplus-transfection (Polyplus), a developer of cost-effective technology used in gene and cell therapy, has closed on a major investment from Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm focused on growth investing. Warburg Pincus’ investment alongside the existing majority shareholder, European private equity healthcare specialist ArchiMed, will advance the development and sale of Polyplus’ breakthrough solutions for the delivery of nucleic acids (transfection) for research and the biologics-based production of therapeutic drugs and vaccines.
“Backed by their significant experience in healthcare and extensive network of resources, we are confident that Warburg Pincus, alongside ArchiMed, will further accelerate our market leadership by
Global professional and financial services group SMP is to acquire RBC Corporate Services Hong Kong, a division of RBC Investor & Treasury Services. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, forms a key part of the firm’s global buy and build strategy, marking the third acquisition made by SMP since completing a management buyout backed by Palatine Private Equity in 2019.
SMP Group has grown into a leading international provider of fund administration and corporate and trust services. In total, the company now employs over 250 people across seven global offices, including the Isle of Man, Jersey, Switzerland, Malta,
Stirling Square Capital Partners (Stirling Square), a pan-European mid-market private equity firm, has added Manuel Gari and Andreas Theilgaard to its investment team. Prior to joining Stirling Square, Gari worked at Goldman Sachs and focused on the TMT, Consumer & Retail and Healthcare sectors. Gari holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a BSc in Business Administration and Management from ESADE Business School. He is a Spanish national and speaks Spanish, French and English.
Theilgaard joins Stirling Square from The Carlyle Group where he worked within their International Energy Partners strategy. Prior to that, he was at Gunvor Group and at Rothschild
The British Business Bank has allocated an additional GBP23.7m to Maven Capital Partners (Maven) from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.Maven was first awarded the Northern Powerhouse Investment mandate for Equity investments in the North West of the UK in 2017 and since then has invested GBP33m into 49 small and medium SME’s, creating 382 roles within the North West Region.
Investments to date include a GBP500,000 investment into Summize Limited who based in Greater Manchester, GBP1 million into Merseyside Based YR Free Labs, an investment of GBP1.6 million into Lancaster Based Relative insight and GBP300,000 into Cheshire based intilery.
The Fund
FTV Capital, a sector-focused growth equity investment firm, has made a growth equity investment in Docupace, a cloud-based digital operations software provider for wealth management firms.
Docupace provides solutions that include client and advisor onboarding, document management, standardized workflows, robust approval processes, and compliant storage as an integrated platform that eliminates the need for multiple vendors.
The capital injection enables Docupace to expand its product and service offerings to its broker-dealer, registered investment adviser and insurance firm customers, as well as with financial advisors.
Docupace also appoints David Knoch, former president of 1st Global, to the role of chief executive
Special Reports
Featured
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
