Oliver Smiddy

3i chief Simon Borrows hopes measures including office closures and 160 redundancies will revive the business' share price and pave the way for a return to third party fundraising.

Jacana Partners, a private equity group co-founded by ECI non-executive chairman Stephen Dawson, will join a growing number of firms looking to raise capital for Africa next year.

Nordic private equity firm Procuritas has closed its fifth buyout fund at its hard cap of €200 million, a return to form after its previous vehicle came in under target.

The chief executive of Argos Soditic France, Louis Godron, has been appointed as chairman of the French private equity trade body, AFIC, following its annual general meeting last week.

The Hugh Langmuir-helmed firm has made a double acquisition using capital from its latest buyout fund, which has now raised €3.5bn en route to its €5bn target.

A significant proportion of LPs plan to increase allocations to private equity, according to the latest Coller Capital Barometer, which also found LPs are increasingly concerned about the proliferation of special accounts.

Yahya Jalil, a managing director and head of private equity at Middle Eastern investment management and advisory group The National Investor, has left the firm to pursue other opportunities.

Doughty Hanson has booked a 2.5x return following the sale of activated carbon manufacturer Norit to Cabot Corporation for $1.1bn.

Combining the differing skillsets of operational and dealmaking executives is the key challenge facing private equity firms in today’s marketplace, argued panellists at the PEI Operating Partners’ Forum.

EVCA’s newly-elected chairman Vincenzo Morelli stressed to delegates at PEI’s Operating Partners’ Forum the need to focus on top-line growth and working in partnership with management.