Investcorp’s Gulf Opportunity Fund is to acquire a 20 per cent stake in Gulf Cryo, the Al Huneidi family-owned company that manufactures industrial, medical and specialty gases in the Middle East. Gulf Cryo was founded in Kuwait in 1953 by the Al Huneidi family and has expanded over two generations to become one of the most successful family businesses in the Gulf.  Under the leadership of its current chairman and chief executive Amer Salim Al Huneidi, Gulf Cryo has expanded its presence from Kuwait into the UAE, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Pakistan. Gulf Cryo produces and transports

Windsor-based Cogenta Systems has opened a data management centre in Newcastle following a GBP800,000 investment, including GBP350,000 by venture capital firm NorthStar Equity Investors. The investment by NSEI came from its Co-Investment Fund, while an additional GBP450,000 was raised by Hotspur Capital Partners. Cogenta Systems, which sits in the price comparison sector, has developed technology which gathers product price and availability information. The investment will be used to fund the opening of the North Eastern division of the Cogenta Systems and allows the company to provide customers with the best deals online at Sccope.com or to their mobiles with the

A study by Preqin has found that 89 per cent of private equity investors in Central and Eastern European focused funds intend to maintain or increase their exposure to the region over the longer-term. Over the past decade, the private equity market in Central and Eastern Europe has drawn a growing amount of interest from investors, culminating in a significant leap in fundraising in 2007, when 36 private equity funds with an exclusive focus on the region reached a final close, securing an aggregate EUR8.1bn. However, fundraising in 2008 was less successful and saw a return to the aggregate commitment

HarbourVest Global Private Equity, a closed-end investment company listed on Euronext Amsterdam, has reported an estimated net asset value of is USD656.4m, or USD7.91 per share, as at 31 October 2009. This represents a 0.1 per cent increase from the 30 September 2009 estimated NAV per share of USD7.90. The increase resulted primarily from valuation increases for privately-held companies in HarbourVest direct funds (approximately USD0.04 per share) as part of the portfolio was revalued to reflect 30 September 2009 results, as well as foreign currency movement related to non-US dollar-denominated holdings (USD0.02 per share). These gains were partially offset by

Online real estate broker Redfin has completed a USD10m series D financing led by Greylock Partners. Existing Redfin investors Madrona Venture Group, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Vulcan Capital and The Hillman Company also participated in the round. This new investment brings the total capital raised by Redfin to USD30.8m. James Slavet (pictured), a partner with Greylock and former operating executive at Yahoo, joins Redfin’s board of directors. Greylock, which recently announced its 13th fund, has supported hundreds of successful technology startups, 150 of which have gone on to public offerings. Among Greylock’s current consumer investments are digg, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pandora and

Eurazeo’s net asset value stood at EUR57.2 per share at 30 September 2009, compared to EUR47.8 per share at 30 June 2009. Eurazeo is the majority or leading shareholder in Accor, ANF, APCOA, B&B Hotels, Elis, Europcar and Rexel. Eurazeo is also the main shareholder of Danone. Consolidated revenues for the third quarter were EUR1,062.6m, compared with EUR981.3m in the second quarter and EUR1,131m in the third quarter of 2009. Excluding Europcar, consolidated revenues of the private equity business increased two per cent on a comparable basis. Total private equity revenues were EUR1,052.4m, a decrease of 4.4 per cent on

The Blackstone Group and Lion Capital have closed on the sale of the Orangina Schweppes Group to Suntory Holdings. The closing follows receipt of a binding offer from Suntory to purchase Orangina and the completion of all the social, regulatory and legal requirements necessary for a sale. Lion Capital and Blackstone have been majority investment partners in Orangina Schweppes since 2006. Under their ownership and led by a largely new management team recruited by Blackstone and Lion Capital, Orangina Schweppes has achieved growth, both organically in its core countries and by expansion into new markets, as well as through strategic

Liberty Global has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the share capital of Unitymedia, Europe’s third largest broadband cable operator, from its sole shareholder Unitymedia S.C.A, Luxembourg. The terms of the agreement imply a total equity value for Unitymedia of EUR2.0bn and an enterprise value of EUR3.5bn. Closing is expected to take place in the first half of 2010, subject to the requisite regulatory approvals. Parm Sandhu, chief executive officer of Unitymedia, says: “This transaction marks an exciting new phase in Unitymedia’s development and brings significant benefits to our customers, employees and other stakeholders. Unitymedia

A nanotechnology company based in the North East of the UK has entered into a joint venture with a Japanese company which could bring new investment and jobs to the region. OJ-Bio is a joint venture between Newcastle based Orla Protein Technologies and Japanese electronics company Japan Radio.   The new venture will see a collaboration of biotechnology and electronic manufacturing expertise, aiming to develop and market breakthrough technologies in hand-held diagnostic equipment.   Orla’s development has been supported by a series of investments from NEL Capital, the venture capital division of regional fund management firm NEL Fund Managers, the