Carbon reduction managing agent Climate Energy has entered into an agreement to acquire Creative Environmental Networks for an undisclosed sum. Creative Environmental Networks delivers a range of services to engage householders, businesses and communities in environmental and social improvement. Andrew Holmes, Climate Energy’s managing director, will fill the position of group managing director and Julie McKeown, Climate Energy’s finance director, will be the new group finance director, replacing Dr Dominic Gooding and Kevin Herriot, the former directors and owners of Creative Environmental Networks. Holmes says: “This combination of CEN and Climate Energy will allow us to increase the breadth of

The Royal Bank of Scotland has recommended JP Morgan Private Equity in its weekly research publication covering alternative investment funds. JP Morgan Private Equity announced its first quarter results this week, which showed its net asset value increased 4.7 per cent over the three months to 31 March. Greg Getschow, JP Morgan Private Equity’s co-portfolio manager, says: “While M&A activity is increasing in the US and Europe, activity is more pronounced in Asia, which fits well with JPEL’s core strategy to seek out assets that have the potential for exits, or cash flow events, within an 18 to 24 month

Private equity firm The Carlyle Group has agreed to purchase the management contracts on USD5.1bn in collateralised loan obligations and other credit assets from Stanfield Capital Partners, a fixed income asset manager based in New York. The transaction, part of a broader strategy to expand the scope and depth of Carlyle’s global credit alternatives business, would increase credit AUM to USD18.1bn from its current USD13bn. Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to investor consent and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2010.   Mitch Petrick, Carlyle managing director and head of the global credit

Grant Thornton has produced a white paper offering a number of suggestions for healthcare organisations to assist them in restoring rigor and discipline throughout their businesses. With the uncertainty surrounding healthcare reform, the effects of a slow-to-recover economy, and the constraints of tight credit markets, the healthcare industry is facing challenging times. These factors, combined with rising costs, lower reimbursement rates, and higher levels of charitable care and bad debt, have limited financing options that were readily available to the industry for years, putting a growing strain on healthcare systems around the country. “Prior to the financial sector meltdown, those

J.P. Morgan Worldwide Securities Services has signed an agreement to acquire the private equity administration services business of Schroders, subject to regulatory approval. Based in Guernsey and Bermuda, the private equity administration services business currently has USD6.2bn in committed capital under administration. "This acquisition emphasises our commitment to continuing to build out our industry-leading private equity administration offering," says Conrad Kozak (pictured), chief executive of J.P. Morgan Worldwide Securities Services. "It allows us to expand the global footprint of our private equity administration business, while at the same time allowing us to further deepen our relationship with Schroders." Schroders’ private

Maranon Capital has provided senior and mezzanine debt as well, as an equity co-investment in partnership with Gridiron Capital and management, to support an investment in TharpeRobbins. The transaction is Maranon’s seventh investment overall and its second one-stop financing. TharpeRobbins was formed in 2007 through the merger of The Tharpe Company, founded in 1981, and The Robbins Company, founded in 1892. It specialises in managed reward and recognition programmes.   “Our selection of a financing partner placed a premium on simplicity and flexibility,” says Tom Burger, Gridiron Capital’s managing partner. “The investment in TharpeRobbins will provide additional capital to continue

Ludgate Environmental Fund has invested GBP730,000 into 10,000,000 ordinary shares of Hightex Group, equivalent to 5.3 per cent of its issued share capital. Hightex is one of only two companies operating internationally to design and install large area membrane roofs and façades. It uses environmentally friendly materials and innovative coatings which help reduce energy costs.   Ludgate Environmental Fund will work with Hightex to help realise the potential of SolarNext, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hightex. SolarNext has developed a solar cooling system in kit form, able to be retro-fitted to many kinds of structures, managed by a controller which

Deutsche Börse’s IPO indicator for quarter two 2010 shows that sentiment concerning initial public offerings on the German equities market is increasingly positive. Falling volatility on equity markets combined with increasing share prices indicates heightened issuing activity. Parallel to this, market participants’ expectations concerning IPOs have continued to improve. Market participant’s perception that the difference between the issuing price and first listing price, the underpricing, recently decreased, is having a dampening effect. All in all, the environment for IPOs appears to be steadily improving. The IPO indicator, which is published each quarter, is a barometer for companies seeking capital that