David Snow

Leeds Equity, the New York education and training private equity firm, is speaking with investors about a new fund that, if it hits its target, would be the largest raised specifically for for-profit education companies.

In a recent filing, IPO-bound Blackstone has disclosed that it plans to name the former prime minister of Canada, the former CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Lord Rothschild to its board.

Twin Bridge Capital Partners, a Chicago middle-market buyout fund of funds with a focus on co-investment, has hired two PPM America executives.

In its biggest deal to date, the upstart private equity firm has agreed to invest $325 million for a one-quarter stake in Palm, the publicly traded maker of the Palm Pilot, as well as to tap the developer of the iPod as an executive chairman.

The Boston middle-market Bain spin-out has closed its third private equity fund on $1 billion.

The members of the Offit family are breaking away from Offit Hall Capital Management to create a new alternative assets advisory firm in New York, while the San Francisco arm of the firm will rename. The split ends a five-year merger of two firms.

The value of private equity-backed privatisations in the US now represent nearly one-fourth of the total M&A market, according to new statistics.

The New York firm, led by former Forstmann Little pro Steven Klinsky, has set a target of $3 billion for its next private equity fund as LPs clamour for allocations.

The mutual fund giant is now pursuing growth buyouts alongside its affiliated venture programme. Boston and London offices are led by former Riverside and HgCapital professionals, respectively.

Emerging Capital Partners, the Washington DC-based offshoot of AIG Africa Infrastructure, has rounded up $523 million for a new fund targeting the continent. Already the firm is prepping a 3x exit from the new fund.