Nicholas Donato

The £200m deal means an exit for venture firms Balderton Capital, DFJ Esprit and Index Ventures.

Having spent 2010 working to launch an Africa-focused fund, the former Doughty Hanson principal will succeed Simon Walker at the BVCA.

Advent has struck a deal for RBS’s stakes in Priory Group, valuing the company at £925m, as the bank continues to rebuild its balance sheet.

CMBOR figures show Europe’s exit markets heating up during last year, boosted by a resurgence in IPOs which reached a total value of €21.6bn.

A number of European heavyweights will seek up to €150 million in their efforts to expand one attractive mid-market business in Italy.

The owner of the world’s largest private equity outfit is introducing greater transparency to its operations.

More favourable market conditions have provided the small buyout specialist with increased deal flow, including most recently the acquisition of printing services company Automated Systems Group.

Nicolas Bichot, Patrice Couturier, Charles-Noël van den Broek and Mathieu Odet have started a recruitment drive for a Paris-based firm dedicated to M&A and tax matters.

The UK mid-market private equity house has recruited Jim Graham as its first-ever operating partner.

Riding the wave of improving economic conditions, the UK mid-market recorded £1.7bn-worth of transactions in 2010.