Toby Lewis

The lower mid-market remains active, with ISIS acquiring digital PR and specialist broadcaster TVC.

The UK-focussed buyout group has made its first investment, buying up handbag and accessories group TLG from the Lunan Brothers.

The firm has also promoted four staff, including rewarding Noman Mushtaq for setting up its first US office and promoting Nils Johannessen to take over the legal business.

The European firm has raised its first early stage clean tech fund nearly two years since its first close. The firm quintupled the size of its last capital raising in 2001 in an effort to avoid dilution by larger investors in later funding rounds of successful companies.

Halliburton is mulling a counterbid as Expro’s share price jumped well above Candover’s £1.75bn agreed offer.

The European buyout firm has partnered with Goldman Sachs and a rival vodka producer to buy Russian Alcohol Group, which has reached $500m of sales in just four years.

The South African buyout firm is considering raising the largest ever solely African buyout fund less than two years since raising a $750m fund.

The emerging markets growth equity firm’s investment will fund Societe d'Articles Hygieniques’ expansion plans in Libya and East Algeria.

The emerging markets fund of funds has made its second large commitment to Actis' funds this year, investing in the firm’s global private equity fundraising attempts. In January it invested nearly $1bn in the firm’s latest infrastructure fund.

The Italian private equity firm has secured a backer as it embarks on fundraising following a succession of exits ahead of the launch. The Italian bank has an option to acquire BS.