Robert Venes

KKR Private Equity Investor, the New York-based buyout firm’s listed vehicle due to IPO on Amsterdam’s Euronext this week, has raised more than three times its target, according to a report.

A £280m offer for UK bookstore chain Waterstone’s has collapsed, following the withdrawal of a consortium including Lazard Private Equity.

The London and New York-based private equity firm has acquired Clariant’s pharmaceuticals fine chemicals business for €70m.

The San Franciso investor has reportedly made 10x its original investment in the Utah-based IT infrastructure developer.

Robert Grady, a managing partner of Carlyle Venture Partners and former deputy assistant to George H. W. Bush, has been appointed NVCA chairman for 2006-2007.

Paris-based investor Sigefi Private Equity has raised €124m for a new fund focused predominantly on the French SME market.

French mezzanine investor Euromezzanine Conseil has held a final closing of its fifth vehicle on €660m.

French listed investment house Wendel Investissement has made its first primary acquisition outside of France with the $1.04bn purchase of US-based connectors business, Deutsch Group.

The Silicon Valley venture capital firm has raised $255m for its third fund, almost half the capital committed to its predecessor vehicle.

The Scottish investor has raised £120m for its third venture capital fund, although no final target size has yet been decided.