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Risk Capital Partners, the private equity investment firm chaired by Luke Johnson, has completed two major acquisitions in the leisure industry – including the firm’s first move into the online travel market.
Risk Capital Partners has bought a majority stake in Cruise.co (Holdings) Ltd, the owner of the UK’s largest online cruise holiday websites Cruise.co.uk and Cruises.co.uk. This follows the announcement that it has taken a majority holding in Red Hot World Buffet, a UK restaurant groups with an annual turnover of GBP22m.
Cruise.co handles 65,000 cruise passengers every year, which generated an income of GBP64m last year alone.
French private equity firm Salvepar’s net asset value (NAV) increased by 2.5 per cent in the first half of 2013 to EUR85m, or EUR54.3 per share based on the number of shares as of 30 June 2013.
During the first half of the year, Salvepar, which is 52.4 per cent by the Tikehau group, sold its stake in GL Events, Polygone, Socotec (including the redemption of convertible bonds), STEF, Touax, Lacroix, RG Safety as well as a block of its stake in Heurtey Petrochem for a total value of EUR58.5m.
Salvepar has invested and is committed to investing
CableNet Communications, a portfolio company of private equity firm Resilience Capital Partners, has acquired CableNet Services Unlimited, a provider of cable fulfilment services in the Freedom Region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
CableNet Communications is Resilience Capital Partners’ first add-on acquisition by its Aero Communications investment platform, which it acquired in October 2012. Aero Communications is a provider of customer-focused technology solutions to broadband and wireless providers, businesses, public venues, government facilities and residential subscribers.
Steven Rosen, co-chief executive of Resilience Capital Partners, says: "I suspect CableNet is the first of many great companies Aero Communications will
Sub-investment grade corporate credit specialist Alcentra, part of BNY Mellon, has invested in CorpAcq plc, a South Manchester-based company committed to the acquisition and investment in strong asset backed, profitable and cash generative owner-managed enterprises.
Headquartered in Altrincham and founded in 2006, CorpAcq has grown its business to manage eight portfolio companies representing more than GBP70m in revenues in the year ending December 2012.
The warranted loan investment transaction was underwritten by Alcentra and co-arranged with private-debt fund Prefequity. Graeme Delaney-Smith (pictured) and Frédéric Méreau of the European direct lending and mezzanine investments team will represent Alcentra on
Private equity investor Risk Capital Partners has completed its acquisition of a majority holding in Red Hot World Buffet to provide development capital for the restaurant group’s further expansion.
Red Hot World Buffet was founded in 2004 by husband and wife Parmjit and Helen Dhaliwal. It now has seven large restaurants across the UK, employing 600 people with a turnover of GBP22m.
The transaction value has not been disclosed.
The buffet restaurant group, which serves English, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Tex-Mex and Japanese dishes, amongst others, has grown from one small site to having seven restaurants in Northampton,
Private investment firm Bregal Partners has made an investment in OmniForce in partnership with OmniForce’s management team and founder.
Los Angeles-based OmniForce is an athletic event production company. Its services include participant marketing and event publicity, participant training and fundraising support, sponsorship sales, and event planning and logistics.
In 2013, nearly 50,000 people will participate in OmniForce’s events. Such events include two-day bike rides and walks, 10 km runs, and obstacle course challenges.
"We are very pleased to partner with a proven and highly successful management team in expanding OmniForce’s collection of events around the world," says Robert Bergmann,
Private equity fund Estancia Capital Partners has acquired a minority non-controlling interest in Stamford, Connecticut-based Sustainable Growth Advisers (SGA).
SGA is a boutique traditional equity manager focused on providing high value-added active US and global growth equity mandates for sophisticated clients. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Michael Mendez (pictured), partner at Estancia, says: “We were attracted to the ‘institutional quality’ of SGA’s investment team and process. The firm’s distinct culture and history of delivering top peer group relative performance are exceptional. We will continue to support a shared vision of creating an investment firm focused on
Buyout firm OpenGate Capital has appointed Matthias Gundlach as principal.
Andrew Nikou, OpenGate Capital’s managing partner and chief executive, says: “I am really pleased that Matthias has joined the firm. He is another great addition, and I am confident that Matthias will bring fresh perspectives and new strategies to our deal execution team in Los Angeles.”
Gundlach (pictured) will lead transactions for the firm’s North American acquisitions and will manage a team of professionals assisting with the negotiation, due diligence, financial modelling, and operational analysis processes.
Prior to OpenGate Capital, Gundlach was a vice president at Sun
Pension fund alternative assets allocations now account for nearly 20 per cent of all pension fund assets across the globe, according to a study by Towers Watson.
The 2012 Global Alternative Survey notes the number as a five per cent increase from 15 years ago.
The research, which was conducted by Towers Watson, and which included the diverse ranges of figures and asset calculation, showed that pensions fund representing 36 per cent of the top 100 manager assets figured into the “alternative” category.
Also noted is the wealth managers holding 19 per cent, insurance companies holding nine
A consortium comprised of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the CapMan Russia II fund has completed an investment in MAYKOR, a Russian IT outsourcing and service provider.
The three partners will invest up to USD100m in MAYKOR that will allow the group to grow its market share. The RDIF will invest USD50m, with the EBRD and the CapMan Russia II fund contributing the remaining part.
The new funds will support MAYKOR’s growth strategy to increase the scale of its operations and its service portfolio diversification inside Russia.
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