Robert Venes

The London-based private equity firm has withdrawn from the bidding process for the British mining company.

Investment manager Andrew Deakin has been promoted to partner at UK private equity firm Phoenix Equity Partners.

Corsair Capital, a financial services private equity specialist, is to be spun out of JP Morgan and is planning on opening a London office.

Marco Fumagalli has been promoted to managing director of 3i’s Italian operations, replacing Sergio Sambonet.

Merlin Bioscience’s chief executive, Sir Christopher Evans, has been interviewed by the Serious Fraud Office as part of an investigation into allegations of fraud.

The Northern European buyout firm has divested the last portfolio company in its EQT Finland fund.

The private equity firm’s London office has sourced its first deal in the Netherlands, acquiring a majority stake in CBI from existing shareholders including ABN AMRO Capital.

This week’s takeover of UK fashion group Peacock by US hedge funds may be seen as either an indication of further competition for opportunities that only private equity firms normally compete for, or simply a one-off opportunist acquisition welcomed by an incumbent management wishing to retain a large stake in their company. By Robert Venes.

The Oslo-based mid-market investor has made more than 3x its original investment on the sale of a Norwegian oil services company.

The London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt-based mid-market buyout investor has agreed its third deal in Germany in 2005.