Toby Lewis

The Central and Eastern European mezzanine firm has tapped investor demand to invest in the hybrid form of debt as the credit crunch has pushed it centre stage.

Sir Christopher Evans has rebranded his firm Merlin Biosciences as Excalibur as he focuses more broadly across the medical sector with a number of planned funds.

The French fund of funds’ fundraising success comes as its core European mid-market remains buoyant despite difficulties in the worldwide credit markets.

The appointment by the French bank, which oversaw the development of independent buyout firms like Banexi and PAI Partners, signals a renewed emphasis on the asset class.

GMT’s sale of Finland’s largest credit information company to Investcorp provides the first exit for the communications specialist’s €350 million fund raised last year.

The buyout fund could set a European record, as a parallel fundraising from employees nears completion. Rival CVC Capital Partners is also hard on the heels of record holder Permira.

The mid-market buyout firm and fund of funds has recruited Dana Haimoff from JPMorgan as a partner, as Graphite’s listed investment trust trades at a discount on the public markets despite 14.3 percent net asset value gains in 2007.

The energy-focussed private equity unit of Middle Eastern financial services firm Swicorp has made its second renewables investment in a month.

The private equity captive arm of the French insurance giant has bought a division of Canada-listed Atrium Innovations, with only one senior and one mezzanine provider financing the deal.

TPG's $800m pure equity stake in the country's biggest pharmaceutical distributor should allow the global buyout firm to tap into the fast-growing Russian market.