Matilda Battersby

A study released today has found private equity-controlled firms are 2% more productive and have 72% more effective management than their government, family or privately owned equivalents. Harvard Business School professor Josh Lerner also said that private equity-backed firms ‘come out on top’ during recessions.

The head of Gresham’s London office has left the UK mid-market firm after almost a decade.

UK mid-market private equity firm Isis Equity Partners will eliminate three positions.

Shackleton Ventures has deviated from its typical direct secondaries strategy, making a follow-on investment into medical technology company Nanosight. It purchased the stake from UK government-backed NESTA, which hopes the deal will set a precedent for early stage secondaries investments.

The Chicago-based private equity firm originally invested $150m in Ovation Pharmaceuticals seven years ago.

The Nordic investment firms will buy beleaguered Swedish investment bank Carnegie and its insurance broker affiliate Max Matthiessen, both of which were seized by the Swedish government last year.

The Pennsylvania-based private equity firm has exceeded its $200m target, having garnered commitments from returning investors as well as new institutional limited partners.

The venture capital arm of German technology firm Siemens has raised almost half of its $200m target.

The private equity firm, which manages fashion brands Bench and Hooch, is re-distributing its consumer and leisure investment team. HgCapital is also to close its Amsterdam office.

European buyout and growth capital firm Gimv has appointed Peter Maenhout to head its XL Fund, which is targeting €750m.