Robert Venes

The Edinburgh- and London-based mid-market investor has sold a UK modular building company for £62m.

CVC Capital Partners, Texas Pacific Group and Merrill Lynch Private Equity are reportedly set to make total returns of £1.8bn through the realisation of a 60% stake in the retailer.

European mid-market investor Barclays Private Equity has made an almost 3x multiple on the sale of UK debt business Cabot to Nikko Principal Investments.

EQT has acquired contract caterer Compass Group’s airport and railway concessions business, while Macquarie has bought its UK motorway services arm.

A private equity consortium comprising 21 Centrale Partners, Astorg Partners and Cogepa have sold baking ovens manufacturer Mecatherm to Franco-German investor Alpha Group.

The UK online DVD rental business, backed by Benchmark Capital, Index Ventures, Cazenove Private Equity and European Venture Partners, is to merge with Lovefilm.

Carlyle Group and Providence Equity Partners have agreed to acquire UPC Sweden, following the recent sales of UPC Norway and UPC France to Candover and Cinven respectively.

The Central and Eastern Europe-focused investor has acquired a majority stake in Poland’s Pett&Pett Donako.

Credit Suisse’s private equity division has made three hires, including former Carlton Television CEO Nigel Walmsley and ex-Emap veteran Tim Schoonmaker.

Private equity firms are having trouble spending the record sums being raised, especially when it comes to European public-to-privates. Robert Venes reports.