Latest News
Octopus Investments has launched a GBP20 million fundraising by the Octopus Apollo Venture Capital Trust (Apollo VCT).
This is the third VCT fundraise launched by Octopus in two months. On 1 September, Octopus launched a GBP20 million joint fundraise for its AIM VCTs and later that month opened a GBP50 million joint fundraise for the Titan VCTs, which focus on investment in early stage companies.
The latest fundraise has been launched in order to help Octopus continue to meet some of the different appetites of VCT investors. While all VCTs focus on investment in smaller companies, unlike some other
Evercore’s Private Funds Group has made two new hires in its Hong Kong office, expanding the team’s current activities in the Asia Pacific region.
Ian Bell joins the firm as a managing director from Credit Suisse and will lead the group’s distribution and origination efforts across the Asia Pacific region. Bell will be supported in Hong Kong by Manda Chan, who joins from MVision Private Equity Advisers.
Richard Anthony, CEO of the Private Funds Group, says: “We are delighted to welcome Ian and Manda to the team. As fundraising for and from the region continues to strengthen, we believe
International law firm Maples and Calder has appointed Michael Gagie to the role of managing partner of the firm's Singapore office and has promoted associate Jess Stock to of counsel.
Gagie will relocate to Singapore when all necessary regulatory approvals are obtained.
Gagie joined Maples and Calder in 2010. He has developed an in-depth understanding of the Asian market and business culture during the eight years in which he has worked in Hong Kong, which included a period as managing partner of the Hong Kong office of another international law firm.
Gagie practises both BVI and Cayman Islands
Meeschaert Asset Management has implemented Linedata Front Office Platform to manage its complete front-to-back asset management workflow across its business.
Having an integrated solution for both front and middle office controls, including compliance, reconciliation, risk management and valuation enables middle office teams and risk managers to monitor these risks in real-time, as well as manage any discrepancy on a timely basis and reduce any subsequent impact.
Building an innovative technology infrastructure was vital to Meeschaert and a key driver in choosing to partner with Linedata.
“We expect our assets under management to grow significantly, in particular in the
Evercore Partners has completed the acquisition of the ISI International Strategy & Investment and the remainder of its legacy institutional equities business.
The business, Evercore ISI, will initially provide macro research, as well as fundamental research coverage of more than 600 companies across 12 industries, or approximately 60 per cent of the combined market cap of the S&P 500.
Evercore ISI will serve more than 1,500 institutional investors globally, including the largest asset managers and fund complexes in the world.
“We are excited to announce the closing of the ISI transaction, moving us one step closer to our
Private equity firm SL Capital Partners is bolstering its distribution team with two senior hires, Robert Kellermann and Alan Coffey, who will be responsible for investor solutions across the UK and continental Europe.
In his new role, Kellermann will lead SL Capital’s efforts in the German, Austrian and Swiss regions as head of DACH.
Kellermann has an extensive knowledge and network in the region having joined SL Capital from Feri Trust Germany, where he was head of institutional clients, and prior to this with Pioneer Investments KAG Munich, where he was head of consultant relations for Germany and Switzerland.
Pentagon Chemical Holdings, the UK chemical manufacturer, has been acquired by US-group Vertellus in a deal advised by mid-market advisory firm Clearwater International.
Pentagon has been operating since 1939 on its Widnes-based site and since 1975 on its Workington site, producing fine chemicals and intermediates for the crop chemicals, oilfield, paper and pharmaceutical industries. With a turnover of GBP50m and 180 employees, Pentagon is one of the largest independent manufacturers of specialty chemicals in the UK.
Vertellus Specialties is a US manufacturer of speciality chemicals for the agriculture, coatings, medical, nutrition, personal care, pharmaceuticals and plastic industries. The Indiana-based
Israeli venture capital fund Peregrine Ventures has sold around 30 per cent of its holdings in medical devices company Neovasc Inc to the investment firm Fidelity Select Portfolios: Medical Equipment & Systems Portfolio, for USD12 million.
Peregrine sold two million of the 6.7 million Neovasc shares it held at USD6.00 per share. Approximately 4.7 million Neovasc shares, which comprise around 70 per cent of Peregrine’s original stake in Neovasc, are still held by Peregrine. These holdings are currently worth around USD27.5 million. Neovasc’s current market cap is around USD315 million.
Neovasc Inc is traded on NASDAQ under the ticker
Baird has advised MidCon Holdings, a portfolio company of private equity firm Arbor Investments, on its sale to Green Bay Packaging.
Terms of the transaction, which closed on 31 October, have not been disclosed.
Justin Albert, managing director, head of Baird’s packaging investment banking team and lead banker on the transaction, says: “This transaction is the most recent example of accelerating consolidation in the corrugated packaging space. An increasingly competitive environment among corrugated packaging suppliers is driving consolidation as companies seek to build market share, diversify product offerings and expand footprints to increase scale and maintain operational efficiency. That’s
Larsen MacColl Partners has sold its portfolio company, A&S Services Group and affiliates, to Celadon Group.
The purchase price of USD55 million sees LMP realise a 24x multiple of its invested capital from the sale.
LMP managing partner, Jeff Larsen, says: “Thanks to Ken Buck and his team, A&S grew tenfold during our partnership. We wish everyone at the combined company continued success. We’d also like to thank both BB&T, as our exclusive financial advisor, and Miller and Martin who acted as legal counsel to the sellers.”
A&S president and chief executive, Ken Buck, says: "We achieved growth
Special Reports
Featured
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
