March 2002 Issue

PEMI 2002-03-01 Staff Writer FundAberdeen Murray Johnstone Private Equity FundFirmAberdeen Murray JohnstoneSector

Nanotechnology has begun to make an impact on the markets, but it still has a long way to go. Europe's strong science base and lack of dominant incumbents in certain sub-segments promise good investment opportunities, argues Guido Schmidt-Traub.

There are a number of sophisticated systems being offered to private equity firms to help manage their business operations and these have relevance to not only all in-house personnel but to limited partners too, reports David Hawkins.

Private equity is often described as a long-term game and many investors read this as code for the asset class' inherent illiquidity. But now securitisation has come to private equity with the potential of dramatically changing the landscape. Private Equity International looks at recent developments.

Whilst LPs and their advisors are predicting a tempest as private equity firms deal with succession issues, some GPs are saying this is much ado about nothing. Is the writing on the wall?, asks Robert Dunn.

Deals like Yell turned Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst into a major force in buyouts. Co-founder John Muse talks to Philip Borel about why the firm is back at doing what it does best.

Private equity investment in China is on the rise again, but unlike in the early 1990s, foreign private equity investors have so far shown a lukewarm reaction to the opportunities. Arcane regulations and difficult exit conditions stand in the way of foreign capital flowing into the country, writes Kathleen Ng in Hong Kong.

Money and power tend to go hand in hand. So why do the members of ILPA seem to have so much of one and not very much of the other? David Snow reports.

Leveraged recapitalisation is the technique buyout firms are using to realise a return from well-performing portfolio companies that won't float or sell in the current market.

A group of industry practitioners have set up an initiative to promote greater transparency in private equity performance measurement. A focus on technology is at the core of the group's ambition.

News: Deals 2002-03-01 Staff Writer Coller Capital makes first exit from Lucent portfolioPequot Capital Management and New Venture Partners, the New Jersey-based venture capital operation controlled by UK private equity secondaries specialist Coller Capital, have partially dive

News: Buyside 2002-03-01 Staff Writer Connecticut rocks the boatThe stakes continue to be raised by Connecticut's state pension plan in its ongoing battle with US buyout firm Forstmann Little & Co as it attempts to recover over $100m it had invested with the firm. In the la

News: Funds 2002-03-01 Staff Writer Danske FoF has first close at €349mDanske Private Equity Partners has held a first closing at €349m for its Danske PEP II fund of funds as it aims to raise €600m for US and European investments.The fund of funds, which

Wave of innovation 2002-03-01 Staff Writer Times are tough for private equity. But despite the harsh conditions, most practitioners seem in a relatively good mood. Dealflow may be slow, but transactions do get done. Fundraising is not the no-brainer it used to be, but funds still close. There is pain in port