Toby Lewis

Simon Walker, the BVCA chief executive, said the industry body’s research counteracts common perceptions that private equity pursues “quick flips” and does not invest in companies.

Terra Firma’s turnaround of the music company has run into further difficulties in the same month US bank Citi reportedly failed to sell on £2.4bn of EMI loans.

Vermeer Capital, the turnaround firm, set up by seasoned veterans of French business and restructuring, has raised €75m for its first fund.

The sector continues to be a strong area of investment for private equity firms, driving 25 percent of deal volume in April this year - despite a contraction of investment in most other industries.

The global private equity energy specialist has combined two solar energy companies from Spain and Italy.

The Boston-based firm has raised €1bn for growth capital investments in Europe and $825m for a global subordinated debt fund.

Deal volume in Europe’s first quarter was down even in sectors which don’t depend on leverage, as the number of private equity deals fell to its lowest quarterly total since 2004, according to Candover.

The US bank and the global buyout firm have held talks about the possibility of strengthening co-investment ties, after Merrill Lynch sounded out TPG last year on the possibility of receiving a capital injection from the buyout firm.

The Central and Eastern European buyout firm is looking to reap the benefits of the growth prospects for the new member states of the European Union.

The Nordic specialist energy private equity firm has bought a start-up oil and gas exploration and development company sealing another investment in the frenetic sector.