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The team behind alternative investments platform CoInvestor have launched an online service, EISWallet.com, allowing investors and their financial advisers to record and manage all of their Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and unlisted investments digitally.
The service, which is free to use and currently in beta phase, aims to take the hassle out of managing income tax relief as well as any capital gains implications from investing in EIS and other unlisted investments.
Instead of trawling through paperwork as the self-assessment tax return looms, investors can store details of their investments and upload share and EIS certificates to their EIS
Law firm Howard Kennedy has reaffirmed its market leading position in the UK venture capital trust (VCT) market, acting for 14 of the 18 VCTs coming to market in the 2016/17 financial year.
The 14 funds advised by the firm are collectively seeking to raise GBP309 million, with all 18 funds seeking to raise GBP398 million.
Howard Kennedy remains the only English law firm to be able to act as both sponsor and legal adviser to VCTs through its wholly owned FCA authorised subsidiary, Howard Kennedy Corporate Services. The firm has over the past five years acted for 80 per
Private equity and alternative asset investment firm HIG Capital has completed an investment in a real estate portfolio comprising a shopping centre in Piedmont and an office building in the Milan metropolitan area.
Financial terms have not been disclosed.
The shopping centre "Le Isole" of Gravellona Toce (VCO) is dominant in its catchment area and comprises approximately 8,500 sq m of gross leasable area.
The office building is located in Vimodrone (MI) in the Eastern periphery of Milan. It comprises approximately 12,000 sq m and it is fully leased to international tenants.
Riccardo Dallolio, managing director at
Quercus Assets Selection’s Quercus Renewable Energy Fund has completed the sale of its stake in ForVEI, a joint venture comprising Quercus Renewable Energy, VEI Capital, Foresight Solar VCT and Adenium Solar Energy.
ForVEI operates in the private equity, infrastructure and energy sectors in Italy.
Quercus initially invested EUR8 million in ForVEI in 2011, and at the time of its disposal late in December 2016, owned a stake close to 10 per cent in the joint venture. The sale generated an IRR of higher than 9 per cent for Quercus and it represents the first disposal by the Quercus Renewable
From January 2017 two representatives of foreign collective investment schemes – Acolin Fund Services (Zurich) and Hugo Fund Services (Geneva) – will cooperate more closely in advising asset managers on cross-border fund distribution.
While Hugo Fund Services has focused on alternative investment providers since it was founded in 2014, Acolin Fund Services gives particular support to mutual fund providers, in addition to its work in fund registration and representation, including sales support.
Since it is increasingly difficult to access investors in the context of cross-border distribution of investment funds due to increasing regulation (MiFID II and FIDLEG), the two
Real estate debt investment manager Laxfield Group has secured an increased allocation of capital for its Laxfield National programme, expanding its fast, flexible funding to allow individual loans of up to GBP100 million.
Alexandra Lanni, head of transactions for the Laxfield Group, says: “Borrowers are looking to create new relationships with lenders, recognising that debt supply has changed and continues to evolve.
“We saw an opportunity to bring new capital to mid-market lending in 2015. Initially we focussed on deals of GBP1 million to GBP40 million where we saw particular demand. That strategy worked well and we successfully invested
Law firm CMS has expanded its presence in Latin America with Carey & Allende (Chile), GRAU Abogados (Peru) and Rodríguez Azuero Contexto Legal Abogados (Colombia) all now part of the company.
The firm has been active in the region for a number of years, with well-established offices in Brazil and Mexico.
CMS now has 65 offices in 38 countries and more than 880 partners and 6,000 total staff. The new firms will trade as CMS under the names CMS Carey & Allende, CMS Grau and CMS Rodríguez Azuero Contexto Legal Abogados.
As a result of this expansion, CMS
Palamon Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in Happy Socks, an international brand of design socks.
The transaction values Happy Socks at SEK725 million, with SEK40 million of growth capital being injected to support the continued expansion of the business, leading to a SEK 765 million post-money enterprise value.
Founded in 2008 in Sweden by Mikael Söderlindh and Victor Tell, the dompany’s mission is to spread happiness by turning an everyday essential into a colourful design piece with a high standard of quality, craftsmanship and creativity. Happy Socks is a globally recognised brand sold in more than 90 countries
Bought By Many, an insurance technology start-up that uses social media and search data to offer insight-driven insurance to customers, has closed a GBP7.5 million (USD9.5 million) Series A funding round.
The round was led by Octopus Ventures, with Munich Re/HSB Ventures participating, as well as existing Bought By Many investors.
The funding announcement comes as the business also reveals it has signed a long-term insurance agreement with Munich Re and with their Digital Partners business unit that will enable the company to launch its own insurance products and expand into new territories.
Bought By Many has developed
Chesney’s, a designer, manufacturer and retailer of luxury fireplaces and wood burning stoves, has secured a growth capital investment from BGF (Business Growth Fund).
The investment will be used to roll-out additional retail showrooms and to fund further expansion in international markets such as the US and China. A new BBQ and outdoor heating range will launch later this year.
London-based Chesney’s has showrooms, warehouses and manufacturing facilities in London, New York, Portugal and China.
Founded in 1985 by CEO Paul Chesney, the business originally operated as an antique fireplace dealership before going on to create and manufacture
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