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Private equity firm NorthEdge Capital has invested in Stoke-based composite door manufacturer Solidor.
Founded in 2004 and led by Gareth Mobley, Solidor is a leading manufacturer of hardwood core composite doors. With over 130 employees, the business has seen sales grow more than 10-fold in the last five years.
NorthEdge Capital, which has offices in Manchester and Leeds, is focused on investing in businesses in the North of England and the investment will allow Solidor to accelerate its growth plans by expanding its senior management team. The business will also continue to invest in operations, capacity and IT, whilst also
The Angel CoFund, a Government-backed fund supporting high-growth businesses across the UK, has made its first investment into Northern Ireland, with a GBP1.1m round in Sophia’s advertising platform Ambiance.
Ambiance uses Artificial Intelligence to tackle the online issue of banner advertisement blindness. Spun out from the University of Ulster and the St. Petersburg State University in Russia, Sophia received seed funding from Halo, the Northern Ireland Business Angel Network in 2010 and further funding from Atlantic Bridge in 2012. Today’s funding announcement brings the company’s total funding to date to £5.75m. The company is already making its mark on the
Private equity, infrastructure and real estate fund and corporate services provider Alter Domus has appointed Davinia Smith as country executive UK.
As Alter Domus enters its 11th year, the expansion of its London office and appointment of Smith is in line with the firm’s strategy to develop the UK as one of its key strategic locations in growing its business and developing its international client base.
Smith, who has 20 years of experience in financial services, will be responsible for driving the performance and growth of the UK business together with expanding new and existing client relationships in the
Middle market private equity firm Kelso has selected the iLEVEL Private Capital Data Platform to automate its quarterly review process and track its investment performance in greater detail.
“We realised that we had developed the need for a portfolio monitoring platform that could help us track and monitor our performance more efficiently, but wanted to make sure the technology could do everything we needed,” says Howard Matlin, chief financial officer of Kelso. “iLEVEL has emerged as the clear leader in this space and we believe its implementation will be transformational for our business.”
The majority of private equity firms
Global law firm Ropes & Gray has promoted 20 lawyers to partner status, including one lawyer in the firm’s private investment funds practice and one lawyer in the firm’s investment management practice.
The promotions of Debra Lussier and Adam Schlichtmann will further strengthen the capabilities of the asset management practice.
“These attorneys represent the very best of Ropes & Gray, and we are pleased to have them join our partnership,” says Brad Malt, chairman of the firm. “They are incredibly dedicated to providing the highest level of service to our clients around the world.”
Lussier, who advises
Columbia Pacific Management – one of the largest healthcare providers in Asia – is bringing its international expertise to the China hospital market.
The Seattle-based firm’s new China hospital arm, Columbia China, will start construction next year on two 250-bed multi-specialty hospitals, in Wuxi and Changzhou, and is actively pursuing other hospital opportunities through acquisitions and greenfield projects.
Columbia Pacific has been operating in Asia for 20 years and will be one of the first foreign companies to build hospitals in China. The company is planning a significant expansion in China, similar to the network of hospitals the
Jöttnar, the first new British technical outdoor brand to be launched in more than two decades, has secured a six-figure investment from a business angel to develop its range and drive growth.
The new investor, a co-founder and financial director of a FTSE 250 company, has backed the brand.
Founded in 2011 by Steve Howarth and Tommy Kelly – former British Marine Commandos – Cardiff-based Jöttnar manufactures premium technical clothing for skiers, climbers and mountaineers.
After strong sales and rapid growth in its first year, this latest round of funding will see Jöttnar broaden its product range while
Alternative finance has already become a significant contributor to the funding mix for European corporates – having risen to rival bank lending in the past five years, research published by Allen & Overy shows.
The survey of over 200 senior finance executives at medium and large, non-financial corporates across Europe by YouGov revealed that while bank lending remains the single largest source of funding for European corporates, accounting for, on average, 43 per cent of all funding – alternative finance has risen to 41 per cent on average. Use of capital markets has declined slightly to 16 per cent.
Private equity firm Actis is making a USD65million investment in Tekkie Town, a South African independent sports and lifestyle shoe retailer.
Taking a significant minority stake in the company, Actis is backing Tekkie Town’s existing management, led by founder Braam van Huyssteen.
Founded in 2001 by van Huyssteen, the company currently has over 260 stores across South Africa. Van Huyssteen will continue to be the majority shareholder and will remain as executive chairman. David Cooke, director at Actis, will join the Tekkie Town board.
Andreas von Paleske, head of consumer at Actis, says: “Braam and his team have
Law firm Howard Kennedy has advised on the sale of make-up retailer Models Own to retail conglomerate Fawaz Alhokair & Co.
The sale, the terms of which have not been disclosed, will allow for the international and domestic expansion of Models Own, creating an additional 1,000 jobs.
Models Own offers a range of nail varnishes and lipsticks popular with celebrities and musicians sold through store concessions and its own Bottleshop outlets. Fawaz Alhokair & Co is one of the largest retail conglomerates in the world, with over 2,000 stores in 18 countries across the Middle East and Central Asia.
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