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Arma Partners has expanded its Internet and Digital Media advisory capabilities with the appointment of Simon Carmichael as a Partner.
Carmichael will work alongside Eric Lawson-Smith and the team, who have successfully built Arma’s presence in this sector over the past seven years. He will be based in Arma’s London office and begins his role immediately.
Carmichael has nearly 20 years of investment banking experience, with a strong focus on advising high-growth consumer Internet businesses on both M&A and capital raisings. Prior to joining Arma Partners, Simon was a Managing Director at Torch Partners, where for over seven years he advised
AgFunder, the leading agriculture-focused online investment platform, has reported a record USD4.6 billion of investment into the agriculture technologies sector for 2015, almost double the USD2.36 billion invested in 2014, and outpacing growth in the broader venture capital market.
Over the past five years, global investment in the agtech sector has markedly accelerated from barely USD500 million in 2012 to approaching USD5 billion as entrepreneurs and investors look to tackle production and sustainability issues facing the farming sector.
“Mid-year we projected the agtech sector would end with USD4.1 billion; the extra half billion surpassed expectations,” says Rob Leclerc (pictured),
Michele J Alexander has joined the New York office of Bracewell as a partner in the firm’s tax practice. Alexander counsels clients in mergers and acquisitions, securities and capital markets, funds and joint ventures, bankruptcy, real estate, and compensation matters.
“Michele’s experience will strengthen our already-fruitful tax practice,” says Bracewell Managing Partner Mark C Evans. “Her expertise in diverse transactional matters will bring new insights to the firm, as well as invaluable advice to our clients.”
“We are excited to have Michele join us in the New York office,” says Elizabeth L McGinley, leader of Bracewell’s tax practice. “Her
Operational improvement has become the main source of value creation in private equity, increasing its share from 18 per cent in the 1980s to 48 per cent in 2012, according to a new report by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
When PE professionals were asked their most frequently used approach to operational improvements in portfolio companies, more than 90 per cent answered that they conduct buy-and-build deals.
The Power of Buy and Build: How Private Equity Firms Fuel Next-Level Value Creation, which was produced by BCG in conjunction with HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, reveals that buy-and-build activity
Private equity managers are finding that increased demands for transparency from their LPs are requiring them to change their mindset, especially when it comes to sharing information on how assets are valued.
LPs are doing more due diligence, asking PE managers to explain why they value a target company at, say, 8X EBITDA, and a comparable non-target company at 10X EBITDA. In effect, LPs want to get more involved in the valuation process. This is the new normal that all alternative fund managers are waking up to, and in part, it is being driven by the onset of regulation.
As PE managers become more open with LPs, this is helping
The Riverside Company and the company’s founders have sold French pharmaceutical company HRA Pharma (HRA). Based in Paris, HRA is a specialty pharmaceuticals leader in niche areas of women’s health and endocrinology.
Riverside invested in HRA in 2011, attracted by the company’s strong foundation and skilled management team.
HRA leveraged Riverside’s healthcare industry specialization and global team to access new markets, expand its R&D efforts, and launch new products. Since Riverside’s investment, the company has nearly doubled revenues, grown its direct commercial presence in Europe from five to eleven countries, launched four new products, and broadened its global footprint
British Business Bank Investments, the commercial arm of the British Business Bank, has agreed to provide a GBP25 million facility to UK independent leasing company Haydock Finance.
The three-year funding commitment is structured as a block discounting facility and is part of the Bank’s Investment Programme, which has now committed a total of GBP110 million to asset finance companies. The programme forms a key part of the Bank’s efforts to increase the diversity and supply of finance for small businesses.
The facility will help Blackburn-based Haydock grow its asset finance division, providing hire-purchase, leasing and refinance for business assets
Private equity firm Wynnchurch Capital has acquired Texas Hydraulics, a manufacturer of highly engineered, custom-designed hydraulic cylinders, swivels and related components for mobile equipment applications, from Dover Corporation.
Founded in 1968, and headquartered in Temple, TX, Texas Hydraulics provides front-end design solutions for the most challenging applications in a diverse range of end-markets, including infrastructure, utilities, natural resources and transportation.
"We are excited to partner with Wynnchurch to grow our business and continue our nearly 50 year history of delivering innovation, quality and exceptional service to our customers. Wynnchurch has extensive experience helping manufacturing companies reach their full potential
Orion Labs has secured USD9 million in new financing from Avalon Ventures and Motorola Solutions Venture Capital.
Orion creates group voice communication accessories that bring people together across any distance. Its accessories incorporate the best features of two-way radios and group messaging, bringing simplicity and style to anyone who needs to be readily connected to a group without the distraction of a screen. Using Orion, groups of people can easily talk to each other throughout the day, anywhere in the world, while being physically engaged in the moment.
"Consumer wearable devices have the potential to transform the way people
HIG Capital has appointed Stuart Aronson, former Head of GE Capital’s Sponsor Finance Group (GSF), as head of the US Direct Klending team at HIG WhiteHorse.
Aronson served as the President and CEO of GSF and was an Officer of the General Electric Company. From 2010 to 2015, GSF was the leading provider of debt financing to U.S. sponsor middle market companies.
HIG WhiteHorse is a provider of customised financing solutions to performing small and middle market companies including senior secured loans, unitranche loans, second lien loans and structured equity. Also joining HIG WhiteHorse are several senior originators from
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