Latest News
Alternative fund administrators have reported an increase in assets under administration (AUA) to USD7.64 trillion, up 14.15 per cent from the prior year, according to eVestment’s 2017 Alternative Fund Administration survey.
Highlighting the continued growth in third party administration of private equity funds, survey respondents, who cover hedge funds, private equity, real assets, funds of funds, and liquid alternatives, see private equity as the strongest area of anticipated business growth, as they did in last year’s survey.
Hedge funds came in second for anticipated growth and real assets came in third.
The survey represents the current state of
Vitol Africa has acquired Shell’s 20 per cent shareholding in Vivo Energy, meaning that the firm, in conjunction with funds advised by Helios Investment Partners, now owns 100 per cent of Vivo Energy.
Vivo Energy, the company behind the Shell brand in Africa, was created by Helios, Vitol and Shell in 2011 when Shell divested its majority share in its downstream operations in 14 African markets.
Since then, its shareholders have made significant investments in people and assets, expanding the retail network from 1,300 to 1,780+ stations, its presence to 16 countries and enhancing its industry-leading operational and safety
Global digital learning platform HowNow, which lets users learn anything from anywhere in the world over live interactive video, has secured GBP1.2 million in investment from a number of private investors and investment fund Fuel.Ventures.
HowNow is a global marketplace that connects experts and learners from around the world over live interactive video classes.
The London-based tech start-up has secured GBP1.2 million in investment to expand its marketplace of online experts and develop products for teachers and learners using its platform. With the investment the startup will also be rolling out the augmented online learning technology they have been
Ralf Schremper is to join as a partner in the private equity team at Oakley Capital with a focus on building out Oakley’s presence in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).
He is anticipated to join Oakley in August 2017.
Schremper will join from ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, a German media and digital group, where he was the chief strategy and investment officer and also served as a member of the executive board. In his role, he was directly responsible for the company’s strategic acquisitions in recent years, significantly contributing to the expansion of ProSiebenSat.1’s digital entertainment and commerce
In the first quarter of 2017, Israeli high-tech companies raised a total of USD1.03 billion in 155 transactions, a 4 per cent decrease from the USD1.07 billion raised in 165 deals in the previous quarter and 8 per cent lower than the USD1.11 billion raised in 174 deals in Q1 2016.
The number of transactions was down 10 per cent in Q1 2017 compared to the quarterly average of 172 deals in the previous three years.
The average financing round reflected a minor increase, with USD6.6 million, compared to the USD6.5 million and USD6.4 million averages of Q4 2016
Global fintech and payment solutions provider Tuxedo Money Solutions has been acquired by Erik Fällström and Andreas H Tuczka, of Aldridge EDC Specialty Finance Partners (AEDC).
The deal completed on 20 April, following the approval of the FCA.
Former co-founder of HOIST Finance, Erik Fällström, and former partner at Lone Star Europe, Andreas Tuczka, will support Tuxedo CEO John Sharman in delivering the company’s growth plans across Europe and beyond.
With extensive experience within financial services, the new investors will help to drive Tuxedo’s diversification and growth on four fronts: customised, white label card and payment programmes; PayTech platform
Funds managed by Cornerstone Partners and Oaktree Capital Management are to acquire IT Kontrakt, a vendor of IT services outsourcing in Poland, from Work Service (WS Group).
The preliminary share purchase agreement was concluded on 31 March 2017.
The transaction requires approvals from relevant third parties, including the consent of the Polish competition authority (UOKiK).
ITKontrakt is a leading player in the IT services outsourcing market in Poland, offering staff augmentation, custom software solutions and managed services for blue-chip multinational clients from various industries including pharmaceuticals, financial services, TMT and automotive.
ITKontrakt has been operating in the
Fund and corporate services provider the Aztec Group has strengthened its real assets team in Luxembourg with the appointment of Stephen Osmont as associate director.
In this new role, Osmont (pictured) will lead the real assets teams in Luxembourg, with overall responsibility for the relationship management activities of those teams.
Osmont will also play an active role in helping to drive the continued growth of the group’s Luxembourg office which has grown from 49 to 152 employees in the last 12 months. He will work closely alongside the business development team to build and enhance relationships with local intermediaries,
Ultimus Fund Solutions, an independent provider of mutual fund, pooled investment and middle office services, has appointed Bill Tomko as an executive vice president, director of fund servicing.
Tomko has nearly 30 years of third party fund administration experience, including time spent servicing mutual funds, hedge funds and private equity funds.
His varied executive experience includes operations, relationship management, strategic planning and sales.
In this new role at Ultimus, Tomko will be responsible for fund accounting, financial administration, transfer agency, new client implementations and relationship management.
Gary Tenkman (pictured), COO and managing director of Ultimus, says: “I
Ivalua, a spend management software company headquartered in Redwood City, California and Paris, has raised USD70 million in growth equity minority funding from KKR.
KKR will become a new shareholder alongside the founders and Ardian, which invested in Ivalua in 2011.
Spend management software is increasingly becoming a strategic tool for businesses as it boosts profitability by streamlining procurement processes, putting an end to rogue spending and managing all vendors and contracts through a centralised platform. The USD24.5 billion spend management market is developing rapidly and emerging as a highly dynamic segment of the broader software-as-a-service (SaaS) market.
Special Reports
Featured
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
