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Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance has provided an GBP8 million asset based lending facility to Antler, as the luggage manufacturer looks to invest in its online platform.
Antler has been trusted by travellers since 1914, with a reputation for innovative, lightweight and durable suitcases and bags. Designing all of its products in the UK, Antler is one of the well-known luggage brands in the local market as well as Australia, and is sold through its own stores, online at Antler.co.uk and through various wholesale partners.
Private Equity investor Endless LLP acquired Antler from LDC in July 2017 and has
Funds advised by specialist debt investor Permira Debt managers (PDM) are acting as sole senior secured lender to GHO in the acquisition of Sterling Pharma Solutions (Sterling).
Sterling is a provider of small molecule API development and manufacturing services to the global pharmaceutical industry, including some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms.
The deal will see GHO capital take a majority stake alongside the existing management. The Permira Credit Solutions Funds’ financing will support the transaction and include provisions for future growth strategies including organic and inorganic expansion.
The deal continues PDM’s strategy of building strong relationships with
Lawyers from Carey Olsen’s investment funds team in Jersey have advised long-standing client Kreos Capital (Kreos) on the launch of its largest ever growth debt fund.
The fund, Kreos Capital VI (Expert Fund), has secured EUR700 million of committed capital and will continue the strategy of previous Kreos funds and provide growth-debt financing to high-growth companies across Europe and Israel. Kreos has already started to deploy capital from the fund and expects to commit some EUR250-300 million per annum over the coming years.
Working alongside onshore counsel Goodwin Procter, Carey Olsen advised on the fund’s establishment as a Jersey
Pangea Blockchain Fund has held the close of its seed round and debuted its inaugural International fund focussed on transformative blockchain solutions.
The firm secured USD22 million and expects fundraising to be capped at USD200 million. Pangea Blockchain Fund’s Swiss-based investment adviser, Blockchain Investment Advisory Sagl, is led by a team of established asset management and blockchain industry veterans including founders James Duplessie and William Duplessie. The US-based sub-adviser, Blockchain Investment Advisory LLC, is managed by Jason Bonayer, Stephen Duplessie, Philip Plough and Jeffrey Engel. Together, the teams will position Pangea Blockchain Fund at the forefront of tech discoveries
Reed Smith has advised private equity fund ASC Investment on the 100 per cent acquisition of Canon Business Services Deutschland and Canon Deutschland University Services GmbH from Canon Deutschland.
ASC Investment is a financial investor with offices in Luxembourg and Munich, which specialises in the acquisition of medium-sized companies.
Canon Business Services Deutschland and Canon Deutschland University Services employ over 300 people at nearly 40 locations. The business focus is on professional document management and archiving services, document outsourcing services and document logistics solutions.
The new companies will continue to operate under the names CBS GmbH/CBS Universität GmbH.
Gradiente has held the final closing of its second private equity fund, Gradiente II at its hard cap of EUR135 million, with commitments from a diverse group of Italian, European and US investors and surpassed its target of EUR120 million.
Gradiente’s previous fund, Gradiente I, had its final closing in September 2012 with EUR76 million of total commitments.
Gradiente, based in Padua, Italy, was established in 2009 by Pietro Busnardo with the backing of Italian banking foundations to make investments in the Italian lower mid-market segment. Today, Gradiente has a team of ten professionals, including three Partners: Pietro Busnardo,
Global investment bank and asset management firm Alantra has held the second close of the Alantra Debt Fund II at EUR150 million.
After reaching a EUR110 million first close in August 2018, the Fund has increased its target size up to EUR175 million – with a EUR200 million hard cap – encouraged by its quick deployment rate as well as by strong investor appetite.
The firm has closed the first deal from Alantra’s Debt Fund II after providing long-term financing for the leveraged buyout (LBO) of an undisclosed Spanish company.
“Our pipeline shows the growing popularity of private
Anacapa Partners, a private equity firm focussed on acquisitions in the lower middle market, has held the closing of Anacapa Partners III (Fund III) with USD79 million in commitments.
Anacapa Partners focuses exclusively on search fund investments, providing a vehicle for aspiring entrepreneurs to find, acquire, manage and grow businesses. Long-established and highly experienced in employing the search fund model, Anacapa seeks to create superior returns for all constituencies through revenue growth, operational efficiencies, scale, modest use of financial leverage, and improved management techniques. Anacapa works closely with the entrepreneurs, typically recent graduates of top-tier MBA programs as well as
Aptean, a provider of industry-specific enterprise software solutions, has secured a joint investment from TA Associates (TA) and Vista Equity Partners (Vista).
Together with Aptean’s executive management team, TA and Vista plan to accelerate Aptean’s growth as the company aims to continue providing best-in-class manufacturing ERP, supply chain and compliance solutions to its customers globally.
TA and Vista will be equal partners, each investing new equity to acquire Aptean from the separate Vista fund that initially invested in the company in 2012. Moving forward, the partnership between TA and Vista will provide Aptean with the benefits of two experienced
There will have to be a stronger, sharper and more sustained correction in global equity markets to put the brakes on further capital allocations in to private markets this year. That was the overall consensus on a fundraising panel at the recent International Private Equity Markets (IPEM) event in Cannes.
One could conceivably argue that the brakes have already been applied. Last year, the total amount raised fell 25 per cent from USD566 billion in 2017 to USD426 billion according to Preqin. But equally, one can’t expect record fund raising volumes year after year. 2018’s figure was still
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