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Daily Review is our daily roundup of M&A news. Announcements, rumors, insights, and data before your morning coffee. Subscribe and never miss a beat with MergerLinks.
8 September 2022

EIG to acquire a 25% stake in Repsol Upstream for $4.8bn.

Daily Review

Top Highlights
 
ISS recommends Zendesk stockholders vote for a proposed $10.2bn deal with Hellman & Friedman and Permira. (Financial Sponsors)
 
EQT to acquire the upstream assets of Tug Hill and the gathering and processing assets of XcL Midstream for $5.2bn. (FS)
 
EIG to acquire a 25% stake in Repsol Upstream for $4.8bn. (FS)
 
Borromin Capital to acquire Aerotec Europe from AURELIUS. (FS)
 
China state firms takeover Evergrande's $1.1 bn holding in Shengjing Bank.
 
Deal Round up
 
AMERICAS
 
Musk's lawyer urges judge to delay the Twitter trial.

The EU blocks Illumina's $8bn deal to acquire Grail. 
 
Kelso & Co completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Emtec. (FS)

Francisco Partners completed the investment in Drawbridge. (FS)

Cogent to acquire the wireline business of T-Mobile.
 
Gamut Capital to acquire Extreme Reach.​ (FS)
 
Misfits Market to acquire Imperfect Foods.

Arlington Capital-backed SPA completed the acquisition of ORCA business of Metron. (FS)

Harvest Partners and Cressey & Company-backed VetCor completed the acquisition of People Pets & Vets. (FS)

SK Capital to invest in VanDeMark Chemical. (FS)

Susquehanna Growth Equity led a $180m Series A funding round in Muck Rack. (FS)

Namely completed the merger with Vensure Employer Services and PrismHR.
 
Helios Technologies to acquire Daman Products.
 
Mercer Advisors to acquire Jordan Financial Strategies.

Magna5 to acquire Interphase Systems.

Lamb Weston to invest $240m in the manufacturing facility in Mar del Plata.

PCX Aerosystems to acquire Pacific Contours.

Oakley Capital to invest in vLex. (FS)
 
SoftBank nears $2bn sale of Fortress to Mubadala. (FS)

Ben & Jerry's will amend lawsuit against Unilever over Israel ice cream sale. 

Kim Kardashian to launch private equity firm with former Carlyle partner. (FS)
 
AIG revives life unit corebridge’s $1.9bn US IPO.
 
Advent International appoints new CFO. (FS, People)
 
EMEA

Chinachem Group to acquire Farringdon East from Helical for £159m. (RE)

Ringier to invest £50m in the gaming and media business of LiveScore Group. 

Brown‑Forman to acquire Gin Mare from Vantguard and MG Destilerías.
 
Tencent completed the acquisition of a 49.9% stake in Guillemot Brothers for $299m.
 
GTCR confirms a potential offer for GB Group. (FS)
 

Aquila Capital unveils €2bn renewable investment in Spain, Portugal. (FS)

 

ABB shareholders approve Accelleron spinoff.

 

Russia's Novatek not interested in Fortum's Russia assets, CEO says.

 

Richemont shareholders reject proposals from activist investor Bluebell. (FS)

 

UniCredit CEO sees "shallow" recession ahead.

 

Greece considers listing 30% stake in Athens airport.

 

APAC
 
SDIC led a $129m Series B funding round in JLC Group. (FS)
 
MegaChips Corporation led a $140m Series B funding round in Morse Micro. (FS)
 
GDS explores Singapore listing after Hong Kong, US.

SoftBank-backed Chinese fitness app Keep renews plans for Hong Kong IPO. 
 
Richard Li-owned FWD eyeing Hong Kong IPO in 2023.

Baring PE Asia raises $11bn for eighth flagship fund. (FS)

CREDAI, Venture Catalysts partner to set up $100m proptech fund. (FS)

BNP Paribas Asset Management names Mike Nikou as APAC CEO. (People)
 

COMPANIES

ABB
AIG
Brown‑Forman
Clean Energy
EQT
Evergrande
Extreme Reach
FWD
GB Group
GDS
Grail
Helical
Helios Technologies
Illumina
Imperfect Foods
Lamb Weston
MegaChips
Mercer Advisors
Misfits Market
Morse Micro
Novatek
PCX Aerosystems
Repsol
Richemont
Ringier
SoftBank
SPA
Tencent
T-Mobile
TotalEnergies
Tug Hill
Ubisoft
UniCredit
Unilever
VanDeMark
Venture Catalysts
Xiamen C&D 
Zendesk
 
INVESTORS
ADIA
Advent International
Aquila Capital
Arlington Capital
AURELIUS
Blackbird
BNP Paribas AM
Borromin Capital
BPEA
Comvest
Cressey & Company
Eastern Bell Capital
EIG
Fortress
Francisco Partners
Gamut Capital
GIC
GTCR
Harvest Partners
Hellman & Friedman
Kelso & Co
Long Ridge
Main Sequence
Mubadala
Oakley Capital
Permira
Quantum Energy
SDIC
SGE
SK Capital
Skip Capital
 
FINANCIAL ADVISORS
AQ Technology
Canaccord Genuity
Deloitte
Ebner Stolz
Goldman Sachs
Guggenheim Partners
Harris Williams
Houlihan Lokey
Jefferies
JLL Corporate
JP Morgan
KPMG
Lazard
LionTree 
Moelis & Co
Morgan Stanley
Muzinich & Co
PJT Partners
Qatalyst Partners
Raymond James
RBC Capital
Robert W Baird
Rothschild & Co
Solomon Partners
Stephens
Wells Fargo
 
LEGAL ADVISORS
CMS
Cravath Swaine
Davis Polk
Dechert
DLA Piper
EGO HUMRICH
Faegre Drinker
Freshfields
Fried Frank
Gibson Dunn
King & Spalding
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
McDonald Hopkins
Morrison & Foerster
Proskauer Rose
Ropes & Gray
Sheppard Mullin
Simpson Thacher
Sullivan & Cromwell
Taylor Wessing
Venable
Vinson & Elkins
WLRK
WSGR
 
PR ADVISORS
Archetype
BackBay
Chris Tofalli PR
FGS Global
Finsbury
FTI Consulting
Gasthalter & Co
Green Flash Media
Joele Frank
Kei Advisors
Lambert & Co
Profile Advisors
Prosek Partners
Sard Verbinnen
Sloane & Company
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read on...
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AMERICAS
 
Musk's lawyer urges judge to delay the Twitter trial. 

A trial over Elon Musk's bid to end his $44bn deal for Twitter should be delayed by several weeks to allow the billionaire to investigate a whistleblower's claims about security on the social media platform, Musk's lawyer told a judge, Reuters reported.

Last month, whistleblower allegations became public that provided Musk fresh ammunition to bolster what legal experts said was a long-shot attempt to walk away from the deal without paying a $1bn termination fee.

Twitter's former head of security, Peiter Zatko said in a complaint to regulators that the company falsely represented that it had a solid data security plan. Twitter has dismissed Zatko's allegations as a "false narrative," and its lawyer accused the billionaire of seizing on the whistleblower allegations to cover up the fact that he supposedly rushed into buying the company without assessing the risks.
 
ISS recommends Zendesk stockholders vote for a proposed $10.2bn deal with Hellman & Friedman and Permira. (FS)

Zendesk, a customer experience software company, commented on a report issued by Institutional Shareholder Services, an independent proxy advisory firm. In its report, ISS recommends that Zendesk stockholders vote for the proposed $10.2bn acquisition of the company by the consortium led by Hellman & Friedman and Permira with participation from Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and GIC.

"We are pleased that ISS recognizes that the acquisition by the consortium is the best path forward for Zendesk and provides stockholders with the best available outcome. ISS's support further validates our view that the immediate, attractive and certain value of the proposed transaction is superior to the risk of the standalone alternative. We urge Zendesk stockholders to follow ISS's independent recommendation and vote FOR the all-cash acquisition of 100% of the outstanding common shares of Zendesk by the Consortium," ISS.

Zendesk is advised by Goldman Sachs, Qatalyst Partners, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Sard Verbinnen & Co. Financial advisors are advised by Morrison & Foerster and Sullivan & Cromwell. Hellman & Friedman is advised by Morgan Stanley, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, Kirkland & Ellis, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Finsbury Glover Hering. Debt provider are advised by Latham & Watkins. Permira is advised by Sard Verbinnen & Co. GIC is advised by Dechert.

The EU blocks Illumina's $8bn deal to acquire Grail. 

The European Union blocked Illumina's acquisition of Grail, a cancer-test developer, putting an $8bn merger into jeopardy just days after a US administrative law judge allowed it to go forward, WSJ reported.

The fate of the acquisition has emerged as an early test case for regulators in the US and EU, who have vowed to scrutinize mergers more closely after years of allowing many corporate combinations. The outcome could establish new precedents for M&A oversight, especially because Grail's tests are relatively new and have generated little revenue, and none in the EU.

The bloc's antitrust regulator said the purchase would stifle innovation and reduce choice in an emerging market for early cancer-detection blood tests. The decision could prompt Illumina, a maker of gene-sequencing machines, to shed Grail just over a year after scooping it up. The EU's antitrust regulator said Illumina didn't offer sufficient remedies to address its concerns about the deal and that it would issue a separate decision ordering Illumina and Grail to dissolve their transaction.

Grail was advised by Morgan Stanley, Latham & Watkins, McDonald Hopkins, Proskauer Rose, Ropes & Gray and Sard Verbinnen & Co. Illumina was advised by Goldman Sachs, Cravath Swaine & Moore, Davis Polk & Wardwell and Joele Frank. Goldman Sachs was advised by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Debt was provided by Goldman Sachs.
 
EIG to acquire a 25% stake in Repsol Upstream for $4.8bn. (FS)

EIG, an institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors, agreed to acquire a 25% stake in Repsol Upstream, a gas-weighted global E&P company that will own and operate Repsol's globally diversified portfolio of upstream assets, delivering cash-generative and resilient operations, for $4.8bn.

"Energy transition informs every decision we make, and we are thrilled to partner with a global leader of Repsol's stature on this compelling opportunity to lead change in our industry. Evaluation of ESG impact is integrated into EIG's core investment and portfolio management functions, and we look forward to working with Repsol, a world-class operator, and energy transition leader, to continue building on the business's ESG best practices. As the world looks to meet the twin goals of decarbonization and reliability, we believe this partnership is well positioned to help meet the growing global demand for accessible, efficient, and safe energy," R. Blair Thomas, EIG Chairman and CEO.

EIG is advised by Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Lazard, Latham & Watkins and FGS Global. Repsol is advised by PJT Partners.
 
Kelso & Co completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Emtec. (FS)

Kelso & Co, a private equity investment firm, completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Emtec, an information technology consultant. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Emtec's success has been made possible by our talented associates and our valued clients who trust Emtec with their most demanding digital engagements. We have developed a unique culture over our history, and we are excited to welcome a partner in Kelso who shares our passion for customer service, dedication to our associates, and commitment to investing for growth," Sunil Misra, Emtec CEO.

Kelso & Co was advised by Canaccord Genuity, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Profile Advisors. Emtec was advised by Guggenheim Partners and Dechert. Guggenheim Partners was advised by Sullivan & Cromwell.

EQT to acquire the upstream assets of Tug Hill and the gathering and processing assets of XcL Midstream for $5.2bn. (FS)

EQT, an integrated energy company, agreed to acquire the upstream assets of Tug Hill, an operator of an oil and gas exploration company, and the gathering and processing assets of XcL Midstream, a developer and operator of natural gas assets, for $5.2bn. Tug Hill and XcL Midstream are backed by Quantum Energy Partners.

"We believe the company is in a uniquely strong position as the largest producer of natural gas in the country, with a differentiated track record of operational excellence, a deep core inventory base and a peer-leading commitment to ESG. The Tug Hill and XcL Midstream assets are complementary to EQT's existing footprint, and we believe the company is now positioned to create even more value for its shareholders through this highly strategic combination," Wil VanLoh, Quantum Energy Partners Founder and CEO.

EQT is advised by RBC Capital Markets and Kirkland & Ellis. Tug Hill and XcL Midstream are advised by JP Morgan, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Wells Fargo Securities and Vinson & Elkins.

Francisco Partners completed the investment in Drawbridge. (FS)

Francisco Partners, an investment firm, completed the investment in Drawbridge, a provider of cybersecurity software and solutions to the financial services industry. Long Ridge remains significant equity holders in the company. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Jason and Scott have done an exceptional job building Drawbridge's market-leading platform and have shown an impressive dedication to solving customers' critical cybersecurity and compliance needs. We are very excited to partner with Long Ridge and the Drawbridge team to accelerate growth and continue to drive innovation in the sector," Peter Christodoulo, Francisco Partners Partner.

Francisco Partners was advised by Kirkland & Ellis and Sloane & Company. Drawbridge was advised by Raymond James and Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath. Long Ridge was advised by BackBay Communications.

Cogent to acquire the wireline business of T-Mobile.

Cogent, an Internet service provider, agreed to acquire the wireline business of T-Mobile, a telecommunications service provider. Financial terms were not disclosed.

For Cogent, acquisition of T-Mobile's wireline business is expected to be an ideal strategic fit with its existing business. The wireline business offers the legacy Sprint US long-haul network that provides an owned network asset to complement and eventually replace Cogent's current leased network and provides the ability to expand its product set, including the sales of optical wave transport services to new and existing customers.

Cogent is advised by Morgan Stanley and Latham & Watkins. T-Mobile is advised by Houlihan Lokey and DLA Piper.
 
Gamut Capital to acquire Extreme Reach.​ (FS)

Gamut Capital, a New York-based middle market private equity firm, agreed to acquire Extreme Reach, a tech platform for video ad campaign workflow. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“We look forward to partnering with Extreme Reach’s strong management team to continue to bring transformative solutions to key industries that face complex challenges with the rise of streaming, media fragmentation, and content proliferation. Gamut will work with ER to leverage its strong roots in video delivery and commercial production payroll processing and invest in technologies and talent that accelerate growth in creative asset management, digital video activation, and the rich insights revealed by end-to-end workflow while enhancing its position in payroll solutions for the entertainment industry,” Stan Parker, Gamut Founding Partner.

Extreme Reach is advised by Moelis & Co and Kirkland & Ellis. Gamut Capital is advised by LionTree Advisors and Prosek Partners.
 
Misfits Market to acquire Imperfect Foods.

Misfits Market, an online grocery platform, agreed to acquire Imperfect Foods, an online grocer. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“Scale matters in grocery, and this combination makes us a truly meaningful disruptor in the space. Both organizations have made significant progress as individual brands—together we have already rescued nearly 500m of pounds of food that may otherwise have gone to waste, and driven innovation in a category propped up by antiquated technology and thinking. The combined experience and expertise of this newly merged team will exponentially increase our ability to take on established players in the traditional grocery space,” Dan Park, Imperfect Foods CEO.

Imperfect Foods is advised by Solomon Partners and DLA Piper. Misfits Market is advised by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Archetype Agency.

Arlington Capital-backed SPA completed the acquisition of ORCA business of Metron. (FS)

Arlington Capital-backed Systems Planning & Analysis, a provider of strategic advisory, systems engineering, modeling and simulation, completed the acquisition of operations research & cyber analysis business of Metron, a scientific consulting and research firm. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"ORCA is a key component of SPA’s overall strategy to solidify its position as the elite technical advisory partner to the national security community. SPA and ORCA both solve customer challenges within missions of strategic importance by pairing highly skilled employees with innovative tools. This shared business model will facilitate a smooth integration and accelerate the delivery of further innovation to each set of customers," David Wodlinger, Arlington Capital Managing Partner.

Systems Planning & Analysis was advised by Morrison & Foerster and Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton. Metron was advised by Robert W Baird and Venable.

Harvest Partners and Cressey & Company-backed VetCor completed the acquisition of People Pets & Vets. (FS)

Harvest Partners and Cressey & Company-backed VetCor, an operator of a chain of veterinary clinics, completed the acquisition of People Pets & Vet, an operator of veterinary hospitals intended to partner with veterinarians to help them reach their full potential. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Chris and his team have rapidly developed the founding PPV practice group into an impressive national network. We are excited to partner our organizations to expand the resources, support services, and career opportunities for our veterinary teams, as they continue to care for growing numbers of patients, clients, and communities," Dan Adams, VetCor CEO.

VetCor was advised by Jefferies & Company, Ropes & Gray and Lambert & Co. People Pets & Vets was advised by Harris Williams & Co.

SK Capital to invest in VanDeMark Chemical. (FS)

SK Capital, a private investment firm, agreed to invest in VanDeMark Chemical, a global producer of life science chemistries. Comvest will remain a co-owner of the company. Financial terms were not disclosed.

SK Capital’s investment will serve as a catalyst for a new strategic direction as the Company seeks to deepen and expand its presence in fine chemistries for the global life science market. 

“SK Capital has followed VanDeMark for many years, and we believe this is a great opportunity to partner with Comvest to bring our shared strategic vision to life. We feel privileged to play a part in VanDeMark’s story and will work closely with the company’s employees and customers to bring further success to fruition," Jon Borell, SK Capital Managing Director.

SK Capital is advised by King & Spalding and BackBay Communications. Debt financing is provided by CIT Group. Comvest is advised by Kirkland & Ellis.

Susquehanna Growth Equity led a $180m Series A funding round in Muck Rack. (FS)

Susquehanna Growth Equity, a private equity firm, led a $180m Series A funding round in Muck Rack, a public relations management platform. 

"We're thrilled to partner with SGE to support our rapid growth and continue to define the role of PRM in the SaaS ecosystem. This investment is an indicator of the strength of our business and Muck Rack's bright future as we drive toward our mission to enable organizations to build trust, tell their stories and demonstrate the unique value of earned media," Gregory Galant, Muck Rack Co-Founder and CEO.

SGE was advised by Gasthalter & Co. Muck Rack was advised by AQ Technology Partners.

Namely completed the merger with Vensure Employer Services and PrismHR.

Namely, a developer of a human capital management platform, completed the merger with Vensure Employer Services, a provider of comprehensive and cost-effective human resources services, and PrismHR, a developer of software for human resource outsourcing service providers. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Small and mid-sized businesses are the lifeblood of the US economy and culture—and we're committed to providing them with even more cloud-based HCM solutions that help them compete with large companies. We do this by offering them the same high quality HR technology, healthcare plans, and outsourcing services including payroll, benefits and risk management that big companies enjoy. Namely's significant technology investments and well-respected brand will enable us to provide employers and our PEO and ASO partners with even more functionality," Gary Noke, PrismHR President and CEO.

Namely was advised by Jefferies & Company and The Devon Group.
 
Helios Technologies to acquire Daman Products.

Helios Technologies, an industrial valve manufacturing company, agreed to acquire Daman Products, a hydraulic valve manifolds manufacturer. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“Adding Daman onto our pure play Hydraulics platform is a clear demonstration of the continued progress we are making with our flywheel acquisition strategy. Daman has established, long-term relationships with a diversified customer base serving multiple end markets. They bring a differentiated value proposition through sophisticated inventory programs that reduce supply chain delays and enable rapid delivery,” Josef Matosevic, Helios President and CEO.

Helios Technologies is advised by Kei Advisors.
 
Mercer Advisors to acquire Jordan Financial Strategies.

Mercer Advisors, a national registered investment adviser, agreed to acquire Jordan Financial Strategies, a wealth management firm. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Kristy leads a highly respected wealth management team and will fit in seamlessly with our already strong presence in Colorado, including our National Hub located in downtown Denver. We are thrilled they are joining the Mercer Advisors team and look forward to working together to help deliver meaningful results for our shared clients," Dave Welling, Mercer Advisors CEO.
 
Mercer Advisors is advised by Chris Tofalli Public Relations.

Magna5 to acquire Interphase Systems.

Magna5, a national provider of managed IT services, to acquire Interphase Systems, a Philadelphia-based managed IT services provider. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"We're thrilled to join the Magna5 team and look forward to leveraging their sales and marketing expertise to expand our customer base in the Philadelphia region. Our current customers will also benefit from Magna5's broader set of capabilities and technical resources," John Biglin, Interphase Systems CEO.

Lamb Weston to invest $240m in the manufacturing facility in Mar del Plata.

Lamb Weston, an American food processing company, to invest $240m in the manufacturing facility in Mar del Plata. 

“Our investment in a new french fry processing facility demonstrates our continued confidence in the growing global market for frozen french fries, and our commitment to serving our customers in Argentina and the broader South American market,” Tom Werner, Lamb Weston President and CEO.

PCX Aerosystems to acquire Pacific Contours.

PCX Aerosystems, a producer of advanced mechanical systems for the aerospace industry, agrred to acquire Pacific Contours, an aerospace company. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"The acquisition of Pacific Contours further expands our Southern California portfolio, adding customer and product diversification, an experienced leadership team, and a skilled workforce," Tom Holzthum, PCX CEO.

Oakley Capital to invest in vLex. (FS)

Oakley Capital, a mid-market private equity investor, agreed to invest in vLex, a developer of a legal information platform. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"vLex has all the hallmarks of an Oakley deal: a fast-growing, disruptive business model in a niche sector, led by ambitious business founders. We look forward to partnering with Lluis and Angel to help them build a successful product in the global market for legal information," Peter Dubens, Oakley Capital Founder and Managing Partner.
 
SoftBank nears $2bn sale of Fortress to Mubadala. (FS)
 
Mubadala Investment is nearing a deal to buy Fortress Investment Group, a global investment manager, from SoftBank Group in a purchase that could value the US asset manager at more than $2bn, Bloomberg reported.
 
The Abu Dhabi sovereign fund could announce an agreement in the coming weeks. Rajeev Misra, a key lieutenant to SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son with close ties to the Gulf emirate, is playing a key role in brokering the deal.

Ben & Jerry's will amend lawsuit against Unilever over Israel ice cream sale. 
 
Ben & Jerry's plans to amend its lawsuit challenging the sale of its ice cream business in Israel by its parent company, Unilever, Reuters reported.
 
In a letter filed in federal court in Manhattan, Ben & Jerry's said it plans to file an amended complaint by September 27, with Unilever's response due by November 1. Unilever has agreed to the timetable. Its response to Ben & Jerry's original complaint had been due.

Kim Kardashian to launch private equity firm with former Carlyle partner. (FS)
 
Reality television star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian and a former partner at Carlyle Group are launching a new private equity firm focused on investing in consumer and media businesses.
 
The new firm to be launched by Kardashian and Jay Sammons will be named SKKY Partners. The firm will make investments in sectors including consumer products, hospitality, luxury, digital commerce and media.
 
AIG revives life unit corebridge’s $1.9bn US IPO.
 
American International Group, a global insurance organization, will move ahead with plans to raise as much as $1.9bn selling shares in its life and retirement unit, Bloomberg reported.
 
The insurer will offer 80m shares in Corebridge Financial at $21 to $24 apiece in a proposed initial public offering. The listing was slated for earlier this year before it was delayed amid a market downturn. 
 
Advent International appoints new CFO. (FS, People)
 
Advent International has appointed Susan Gentile as CFO and Managing Director, effective 1 October, 2022. Gentile succeeds Eileen Sivolella, who has served in the role since 2009 and will assume the role of strategic advisor on an interim basis to provide continuity.
 
Gentile brings nearly two decades of experience across financial services. She most recently served as Chief Financial & Administrative Officer at HIG Capital, where she was responsible for leading the strategic direction of the global private investment firm since 2018, including managing its development and growing assets.
 
EMEA​
 
Borromin Capital to acquire Aerotec Europe from AURELIUS. (FS)

Borromin Capital, an investment firm, agreed to acquire Aerotec Europe, a provider of repair and maintenance services of air cargo containers, from AURELIUS, a private equity firm. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"The fabulous development of Aerotec, as well as the successful management buy-out, exemplify our special expertise in facilitating successful succession planning in medium-sized companies. We contribute our extensive operational expertise to this process. We always cooperate with our portfolio company as a close and reliable partner along the development path," Eric Blumenthal, AURELIUS Managing Partner.

Borromin Capital is advised by Taylor Wessing. Debt financing is provided by Muzinich & Co. AURELIUS is advised by Ebner Stolz, CIL Management Consultants, Stephens and EGO HUMRICH WYEN.

Chinachem Group to acquire Farringdon East from Helical for £159m. (RE)

Chinachem Group, a property developer based in Hong Kong, agreed to acquire Farringdon East, an owner of the long leasehold interest in Kaleidoscope, from Helical, a property investment and development company, for £159m.
 
"Kaleidoscope was the first over station development to complete on the Elizabeth Line, and we were able to attract one of the world's fastest-growing tech businesses due to its striking design, highly accessible location, excellent amenities, and strong environmental credentials. We will now seek to recycle the proceeds from the sale into delivering new highly sustainable 'best-in-class' Central London office schemes, where occupier demand remains strong," Matthew Bonning-Snook, Helical Property Director.

Chinachem Group is advised by Ingleby Trice and Deloitte. Helical is advised by JLL Corporate Finance and FTI Consulting. 

Ringier to invest £50m in the gaming and media business of LiveScore Group. 

Ringier, an operator of a digitalized and diversified Swiss media company, agreed to invest £50m in the gaming and media business of LiveScore Group, a global sports media business and real-time sports updates and results provider. 

"This is a hugely significant day for LiveScore Group, as we take a significant step forward following a £50m strategic investment from Ringier, which values our business at £500m. Ringier, with its Sports Media Group, is the perfect partner as we look to accelerate our expansion into Central and Eastern European territories, given their outstanding expertise, assets, and relationships," Sam Sadi, LiveScore CEO.

Ringier is advised by KPMG and DLA Piper. LiveScore is advised by Moelis & Co and CMS.

Brown‑Forman to acquire Gin Mare from Vantguard and MG Destilerías.

Brown‑Forman, a producer of distilled spirits, agreed to acquire Gin Mare, a Spanish gin, from Vantguard, a beverage producer, and MG Destilerías, an independent Maison creating premium-class distilled spirits. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“Brown‑Forman is the perfect partner to bring Gin Mare to more consumers and bartenders around the world while keeping the brand’s commitment to producing a unique, high quality, Mediterranean gin,” Manu Giró and Marc Giró, MG Destilerías CEO and Master Distiller.

Vantguard and MG Destilerías are advised by Rothschild & Co.
 
Tencent completed the acquisition of a 49.9% stake in Guillemot Brothers for $299m.

Tencent, a Chinese multinational technology and entertainment conglomerate, completed the acquisiton of a 49.9% stake in Guillemot Brothers, a French video game company, for $299m.
 
“The expansion of the concert with Tencent further reinforces Ubisoft’s core shareholding around its founders and provides the company with the stability essential for its long-term development,” Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft CEO and Co-Founder.
 
GTCR confirms a potential offer for GB Group. (FS)

GTCR, a US-based private equity firm, is considering making a potential cash offer for GB Group, a London-listed identity-data-intelligence specialist. The firm confirmed its takeover intention regarding GB Group in response to recent press speculation.

GB Group, which has a market capitalization of $1.52bn on the London Stock Exchange. There can be no certainty that any firm offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any firm offer might be made.
 
GTCR is advised by Jefferies & Company.
 

Aquila Capital unveils €2bn renewable investment in Spain, Portugal. (FS)

 

Aquila Capital on Wednesday unveiled a spending push of more than €2bn ($1.98bn) to fund solar and wind projects in Spain and Portugal, in what marks a major expansion at one of Europe's largest private renewables investors, Reuters reported.

 

The funding covers 50 projects of Aquila Clean Energy EMEA, Aquila's European cleantech arm, mostly photovoltaics and onshore wind with a total generation capacity of 2.6GW, enough to power 1.4m households a year.

 

ABB shareholders approve Accelleron spinoff.

 

ABB, a global technology company, shareholders approved on Wednesday spinning off turbocharging business Accelleron, whose products increase engine output and raise efficiency while also reducing fuel consumption, Reuters reported. 

 

ABB said in July it would spin off the business to shareholders with the aim of listing it on the SIX Swiss Stock Exchange in October.

 

Russia's Novatek not interested in Fortum's Russia assets, CEO says.

 

Russian gas company Novatek said it does not want to acquire the Russian assets of Finland's Fortum, and that France's TotalEnergies was set to stay actively involved in the Russian energy industry, Reuters reported.

 

CEO Leonid Mikhelson said TotalEnergies were interested in the Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG-2 projects to exploit Russia's liquefied natural gas reserves.

 

Richemont shareholders reject proposals from activist investor Bluebell. (FS)

 

Luxury goods group Richemont successfully batted away proposals from activist investor Bluebell Capital at an annual shareholder meeting Wednesday in which tensions flared, Reuters reported.

 

An overwhelming majority of the Cartier maker's shareholders rejected Bluebell's candidate Francesco Trapani, a former executive of rival LVMH, to represent holders of publicly traded A shares on the group's board and instead opted for current board member Wendy Luhabe.

 

UniCredit CEO sees "shallow" recession ahead.

 

UniCredit Chief Executive Andrea Orcel said Italy's second biggest bank expected a "relatively shallow" recession in Europe followed by a rebound in 2024 or later, Reuters reported.

 

Speaking at a financial conference in Frankfurt, Orcel said the European Central Bank was in a difficult position having to strike the right balance between fighting inflation "without killing the economy".

 

Greece considers listing 30% stake in Athens airport.

 

Greece is considering listing a 30% stake in Athens International Airport, a government official, after a review of the ownership of the country's biggest airport, Reuters reported.

 

Greece owns 55% of the airport and the country's privatisation agency had shortlisted nine investors as part of a tender for the sale of a 30% stake, but the government is now looking at a listing on the Athens stock exchange, Alex Patelis, the Greek prime minister's chief economic advisor, told Real FM radio station.

 
APAC
 
SDIC led a $129m Series B funding round in JLC Group. (FS)
 
SDIC, a state-owned investment holding company, led a $129m Series B funding round in JLC Group, a manufacturer of printed circuit boards, with participation from Xiamen C&D Emerging Industry Equity Investment and Eastern Bell Capital.
 
The group has expanded its manufacturing services to the mechanical sector, offering services such as 3D printing, Computer Numerical Control machining, and sheet metal processing, among others.
 
MegaChips Corporation led a $140m Series B funding round in Morse Micro. (FS)

MegaChips Corporation, a ASIC and SoC services company, led a $140m Series B funding round in Morse Micro, a fabless semiconductor company, with participation from Blackbird Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Skip Capital, Uniseed and SpringCapital.

“MegaChips pursues strategic partnerships and investments with promising startups like Morse Micro that have innovative ideas, cutting-edge applications and are expanding their businesses in areas such as industrial IoT, wireless communications and energy control,” Tetsuo Hikawa, MegaChips President and CEO.
 
Morse Micro was advised by Green Flash Media.
 
China state firms takeover Evergrande's $1.1bn holding in Shengjing Bank.
 
State-owned companies of the Chinese northestern city of Shenyang bought China Evergrande Group's shareholding in Shengjing Bank, a firm engaged in the provision of corporate and personal deposits, loans, advances, settlement and treasury business, in an auction for $1.1bn, Alibaba auction platform showed, Reuters reported.
 
In July, Evergrande, the world's most indebted property developer, said its unit, Evergrande Nanchang, had been ordered to pay an unamed guarantor $1.1bn for failing to honour debt obligations.
 
GDS explores Singapore listing after Hong Kong, US.
 
Data center operator GDS Holdings is weighing a secondary listing in Singapore in addition to US and Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported.
 
The Shanghai-based firm has held initial talks with potential advisers on a plan to list its shares on the Singapore exchange. It hasn’t decided whether it will raise any capital through the listing.

SoftBank-backed Chinese fitness app Keep renews plans for Hong Kong IPO. 
 
Keep, China’s most popular fitness app backed by SoftBank’s Vision Fund and Tencent, renewed its effort to sell shares in Hong Kong weeks after its first application expired, DealStreetAsia reported.
 
Keep submitted another application to the Hong Kong stock exchange for an initial public offering, according to a Tuesday release by the bourse. The company updated its financials in its new application, showing 37.6% revenue growth in the first quarter.
 
Richard Li-owned FWD eyeing Hong Kong IPO in 2023.
 
FWD Group, the Asian insurer backed by billionaire Richard Li, is weighing 2023 as a new target for its long-awaited Hong Kong initial public offering, Bloomberg reported.
 
FWD, which in May decided to postpone its listing in the Asian financial hub due to a weak market, is working toward a potential share sale as early as the first quarter next year. The insurer has been seeking to raise about $1bn in an IPO, although the final size hasn’t been formally decided.

Baring PE Asia raises $11bn for eighth flagship fund. (FS)
 
Baring Private Equity Asia has raised about $11bn for its latest flagship fund and may announce the final close as soon as this month, DealStreetAsia reported. 
 
The reported amount far exceeds the firm’s target of $8.5bn eighth fund. The predecessor vehicle was closed at $6.5bn in January 2020. BPEA has recently received commitments from US pension funds as well as the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. It secured a $100m commitment from the Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois.

CREDAI, Venture Catalysts partner to set up $100m proptech fund. (FS)
 
In a move that is sure to disrupt India’s real estate sector, The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India and startup incubator Venture Catalysts have come together to set up a $100m proptech fund to invest in startups, DealStreetAsia reported.
 
The fund will invest in early-to growth-stage startups that have the potential to transform the real estate industry through technology, data analytics, blockchain, AI and augmented reality. It will focus on startups catering to all the major segments of real estate, including residential, commercial, institutional and industrial.

BNP Paribas Asset Management names Mike Nikou as APAC CEO. (People)
 
BNP Paribas Asset Management appointed Mike Nikou as its chief executive officer and head of distribution of the Asia-Pacific region on Tuesday, effective September 15, Reuters reported.
 
The appointment ends the company's almost one year's search of a locally based helmsman since previous Asia Pacific CEO Steven Billiet relocated to Paris in August last year. Nikou will report to Billiet who remains APAC head, and regionally to Paul Yang, head of BNP Paribas Asia Pacific.
 

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