Angela Sormani

DDR to Acquire Select Prime Power Centers from Blackstone J-V

DDR Corp is to acquire a portfolio of prime power centers from its existing joint venture with Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII. The joint venture between Blackstone and DDR currently owns 44 shopping centers, and DDR has executed a purchase and sale agreement to acquire Blackstone's 95% common equity ownership interest in 30 of these shopping centers for $1.46 billion.

Rothschild Reaches First Close on Five Arrows Credit Solutions

Rothschild's merchant banking arm has completed the first closing of Five Arrows Credit Solutions, its private debt fund focused on the Western European middle-market. The fund has with total commitments so far of 235 million euros ($302.1 million). The final closing target is 400 million euros.

NBGI Private Equity Appoints Senior Adviser

NBGI Private Equity has appointed food and drinks industry veteran Tim Kelly as the second member of a panel of senior industry advisers. Kelly began his career with Unilever, before joining Coca-Cola Enterprises Europe. He was subsequently marketing director at Diageo plc in Ireland and president of Guinness Bass Import USA.

peHUB First Read

This Thursday morning First Read brings you links to the most popular American brands in China, Blackstone's bargain bucket of shares and some early stage entrepreneurs jumping at the chance to visit their investor mecca.

Bayside Capital Makes Investment in Consolis

Bayside Capital has completed an investment in Consolis, a European manufacturer of prefabricated concrete products. The investment, executed in partnership with private-equity sponsor LBO France, forms part of a comprehensive debt restructuring aimed at reducing indebtedness and providing fresh capital to support the company’s return to growth.

Locust Walk Partners Appoints MD

Locust Walk Partners, a transaction advisory firm that supports biopharmaceutical companies, has hired Chris Ehrlich as managing director. Based in San Francisco, Ehrlich will be responsible for expanding and managing the firm's west coast practice.

H.I.G. Europe Makes First Nordic Investment

H.I.G. Europe, the European arm of global private equity firm H.I.G. Capital, has announced its first Nordic investment with the acquisition of Freedom Finance Nordic, a prime consumer loan broker operating in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Edwards Wildman to Open Istanbul Office

Edwards Wildman is to open an office in Istanbul in association with the Ismen law firm, a boutique M&A and private equity law firm based in Istanbul, Turkey. Edwards Wildman will work closely with Ismen in advising a broad range of clients on cross-border private equity and corporate-backed M&A transactions throughout the Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Northern Africa region and other emerging markets.

AnaCap Sells Cabot Credit Management to J.C. Flowers

AnaCap Financial Partners has sold Cabot Credit Management to funds managed and advised by J.C. Flowers & Co. CCM was formed after the merger in April 2011 of two businesses, Apex Credit Management and Cabot Financial, purchased by funds advised by AnaCap and its co-investors, Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners and Partners Group.

peHUB First Read

This Wednesday morning read all about China's SeedAsia that is open for business; Google Ventures' investment in OpenCoin and the appeal of the last mile start-up accelerator.