Jo Nash

Close Brothers Private Equity, a UK mid-market firm, has sold United Transport International, a freight logistics business, and its stake in V.Ships, a shipping company.

Firas Nasir joins The Carlyle Group’s MENA team as head of the newly opened Dubai office.

European mezzanine and private equity firm Mezzanine Management has held a first close on its second central and eastern European fund, Accession Mezzanine Capital II, at €100m.

UK-based Amadeus Capital Partners has overcome a difficult fundraising climate for European venture firms by closing a $310m fund, slightly above its original target.

3i-backed AviaPartner has bought cargo-handling company Aero Groundservices from Dutch shareholder VCK Holding. The deal is part of 3i’s growth strategy for the company that it bought in 2005.

Swedish pension fund AP3 is looking to increase its allocation to private equity to 6.5 percent of its portfolio. Under the rules of the national pension system, the AP funds are supposed to invest a maximum of 5 percent in the asset class.

ABN AMRO Capital has bought Dutch manufacturer Vetus Den Ouden and a stake in Dutch media company Sdu on the same day. The investments are the firm’s second and third domestic deals of 2007.

Mezzanine Management, Europe’s oldest independent mezzanine investor, has sold XServ, a US provider of maintenance services to chemical and industrial facilities, to Texan trade buyer The Brock Group.

ABN AMRO Capital has bought Dutch manufacturer Vetus Den Ouden and a stake in Dutch media company Sdu on the same day. The investments are the firm’s second and third domestic deals of 2007.

Mezzanine Management, Europe’s oldest independent mezzanine investor, has sold XServ, a US provider of maintenance services to chemical and industrial facilities, to Texan trade buyer The Brock Group.