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Michaël Malquarti
By Michaël Malquarti (pictured), SYZ Asset Management – Although the phenomenal growth in index management since the 1990s had already begun to shake up the fund management industry, the 2008 crisis triggered a more profound reform process. This change is particularly visible in the alternative investments arena. As well as reinforced standards governing hedge funds, the most spectacular transformation has probably been the emergence and astonishing growth of alternative UCITS in Europe. Several factors underpin this situation. Current macro-economic uncertainty and the associated asset volatility are certainly behind stronger demand for different types of funds, generally perceived as being less risky.
Dermot Butler, Custom House Group
Geneva-based SwissRepCo was established in January 2014 by industry veterans Dermot Butler (pictured), former chairman of Custom House Group, a leading fund administrator, and Lancelot Frick, a fifth generation Swiss private banker and CEO and President of Frick Capital SA. ("Frick"). SwissRepCo arose in response to FINMA's decision to beef up existing fund regulations that had been brought in in 2006. In 2013, those regulations were enforced under the Collective Investment Schemes Act (`CISA') but it wasn't until 1 March 2015 that foreign hedge funds were mandated to appoint a Swiss legal representative and paying agent to continue distributing their
Middle market private equity firm HGGC is to sell Serena Software to UK-based Micro Focus International plc (Micro Focus) an international software product group, at an enterprise value of USD540 million in cash. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Serena is the world’s largest independent provider of IT application development and deployment solution, helping nearly one million users in more than 2,500 global organizations streamline their IT processes to deliver applications faster, improve IT service performance and reduce IT costs. Since HGGC and company founder Doug Troxel acquired the business in 2014, Serena has made significant progress, reducing net debt by
Thoma Bravo is in exclusive negotiations to sell InfoVista, a market leader in service performance assurance solutions for IP-based network and application services, to Apax Partners. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. Thoma Bravo acquired Paris-based InfoVista in April 2012 through a complex take-private acquisition on the Euronext exchange, setting the stage for the company to accelerate its growth as a private company. During its partnership with Thoma Bravo, InfoVista more than doubled its size through organic growth and complementary acquisitions. “We couldn’t be more proud of our partnership with [InfoVista CEO] Philippe Ozanian and his management
SK Capital Partners (SK Capita), a private investment firm focused on the specialty materials, has completed the previously announced sale of IBA Molecular (IBAM) to funds advised by private equity firm CapVest Partners.  IBA Molecular was jointly owned by SK Capital and Ion Beam Applications S.A. prior to the sale. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Since SK Capital acquired 60 per cent of IBA Molecular in April 2012, the Company has successfully executed on a number of operational improvement initiatives and strategic transactions. Jamshid Keynejad, Founding Partner of SK Capital, says: “The Company’s leading position in its core
The Riverside Company has signed an agreement to sell Diatron Group (Diatron) to STRATEC Biomedical AG of Germany.  Budapest-based Diatron develops, manufactures, and markets compact hematology analyzers for the human medical and veterinary markets. The transaction is expected to close near the end of this month. Riverside invested in Diatron in late 2005, and worked extensively to grow the company organically, through new product development, and via international expansion. Riverside also completed the add-on of MetroLab in 2008, delivering new products, capabilities and customers. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done to help Diatron thrive during our ownership,” says Riverside
Trivergance, in partnership with Falcon Investment Advisors and Landon Capital Partners, has acquired Clarus Commerce from global venture capital and growth equity investment firm, Norwest Venture Partners.  The management team at Clarus has built a dynamic company that capitalises on the rapidly growing market opportunity at the intersection of eCommerce and subscription-based loyalty and rewards solutions. Specifically, Clarus has developed and manages a proprietary, flexible and scalable membership and benefit management technology platform. This platform delivers to consumers and its “white-label” partners a suite of valuable benefits that drive enhanced loyalty and customer engagement. Clarus offers its own portfolio of
LakePharma has acquired Blue Sky BioServices, a CRO specialising in protein and antibody production and assay services.  The combined company will be known as LakePharma, and is now the largest dedicated biologics CRO in the United States, providing a broad range of protein and antibody-related development services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets. Blue Sky BioServices is a portfolio company of Ampersand Capital Partners and as part of the transaction, Ampersand made an investment into LakePharma to support growth initiatives. Bringing together LakePharma’s world class expertise in antibody development, protein expression and characterization, molecular biology and process development with Blue
YFM Equity Partners (YFM) and Octopus Investments (Octopus) have sold their stake in Callstream Group (Callstream) for an undisclosed sum to J2 Global, Inc.  Callstream is a leading national provider of cloud-based call management technology to the UK insurance, travel and retail markets. The acquisition by J2 Global provides a full exit for all funds. Callstream was backed by the Octopus Apollo Venture Capital Trust (‘VCT’) plc, advised by Octopus Investments (Octopus) and British Smaller Companies VCT plc and British Smaller Companies VCT2 plc, both advised by YFM Private Equity Limited (YFM). Mick Crosthwaite, CEO of Callstream, says: “Callstream has
Boston-based private equity firm Bunker Hill Capital has sold its portfolio company, The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group (SWRG) to Danu Partners, a private investment firm based in Ireland and a sub-licensee of SWRG which opened a restaurant in London in June, 2015.  David Jacquin, Founder and Managing Director of North Point Advisors, advised Bunker Hill Capital and SWRG on the sale. Mark DeBlois, a Managing Partner of Bunker Hill Capital, says: “It has been our privilege to work with SWRG CEO Mike Feighery and his team in opening two new locations at Atlantic Wharf, Boston and in London with

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12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am

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