Oliver Smiddy

The group's ability to source and execute deals - as demonstrated by its acquisition of a Swedbank portfolio this week - persuaded LPs to support a significant increase in AXA's latest secondaries fund.

Direct secondaries specialist Vision Capital has parted company with the head of its US operation, Matthew Constantino.

Paris-headquartered AXA Private Equity has finally capped its fifth secondaries fund at $7.1bn with an additional sidecar of $900m, making it the biggest pool of capital for buying up limited partner stakes yet raised.

Apax Partners realised €2 billion last year, and deployed the second-highest amount in its history, according to its annual report which will be released next week.

Andrew Bellis, a senior CLO manager at Credit Suisse, has joined 3i Debt Management as a partner in a further sign of the group’s ambitious growth plans.

LDC, one of the few remaining in-house private equity arms at an investment bank, has continued its breathless dealmaking pace, agreeing its 11th deal so far this year.

Brian Magnus, head of Morgan Stanley's European private equity group, has resigned from the bank.

EQT fought off stiff competition from its heavyweight European peers to acquire wound-dressing company BSN Medical from Montagu Private Equity, which booked a 3x return on the sale.

Private equity and venture capital-focused lender Silicon Valley Bank has opened a full-service commercial banking operation in London, the first US bank to do so in more than five years.

The buyout firm formerly known as Cognetas is poised to successfully refinance the petrol pump manufacturer after it was forced to pull an auction process late last year.