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Blackstone sweetens deal with GSO's Goodman: Financial Times

Blackstone has sweetened its deal with Bennett Goodman, co-founder of the investment group’s $130 billion credit business, to prevent him from leaving, the Financial Times said. Goodman’s new deal with BX will provide faster vesting of a $200 million share award dating from 2015, when he joined the firm, as well as include five weeks’ holiday a year and benefits that will match whatever Blackstone offers its other senior managing directors, with the exception of chief executive Stephen Schwarzman, the story said. BX has also promised they will not pay Goodman less than Dwight Scott, who was named president of GSO Capital Partners in June 2017.

Centerbridge considers Ice Cube's bid for Sports Networks: Bloomberg

Centerbridge Partners LP is in talks to make a significant equity contribution that will back an offer from rapper and actor Ice Cube to buy a group of regional sports networks being sold by Walt Disney Co, Bloomberg is reporting. The Big3 U.S. basketball league, started by Ice Cube in 2017, is expected to submit a fully-finance bid for the TV channels in the next round of the auction, the story said. Excluding YES, the tv networks could fetch around $10 billion, Bloomberg said.

Private equity interested in sale of Nestle’s skin health: Financial Times

The sale of Nestle’s skin health unit has attracted private equity interest with a consortium made of Cinven, Advent International and Singapore’s state fund GIC expected to bid, the Financial Times is reporting. Another group comprised of KKR, Blackstone, Sweden’s EQT and Switzerland’s Partners Group are also expected to bid, the FT said. CVC and Carlyle are also expected to submit offers, the story said. First-round bids for the unit, which makes anti-wrinkle creams and a Botox rival called Dysport, are due on Wednesday, the FT said.

One Equity Partners to buy Walterscheid Powertrain Group

One Equity Partners said March 6 that it agreed to buy Walterscheid Powertrain Group from GKN Ltd. Financial terms weren’t announced. Walterscheid Powertrain, of Lohmar, Germany, makes, distributes and services shafts, gearboxes, attachment systems, clutches and other parts for off-highway applications.

Fleetcor to buy Nvoicepay

Fleetcor Technologies Inc said March 5 that it agreed to buy Nvoicepay Inc. Financial terms weren’t announced. Nvoicepay, of Beaverton, Oregon, provides cloud software that automates payments for suppliers. Buyouts reported in October that Nvoicepay was seeking another round of funding. Nvoicepay investors include Napier Park Financial Partners, Mosaik Partners, Silicon Valley Bank and Women’s Venture Capital Fund, the story said. Alston & Bird provided legal counsel to Fleetcor. Update: Jon Steele and Paul Fricilone of Raymond James provided financial advice while Cooley LLP supplied legal counsel to Nvoicepay.

Pie Insurance raises $45 mln

Pie Insurance said March 5 that it raised $45 million in a series B funding round. Investors included SVB Capital, Sirius Group, Greycroft, Moxley Holdings, Aspect Ventures, and Elefund. Pie, of Washington D.C., provides workers’ compensation insurance directly to small businesses.

RackTop Systems raises $15 mln

RackTop Systems said March 5 that it raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Razor’s Edge Ventures and Grotech Ventures. Also participating were Maryland Venture Fund, Blu Venture Investors and Gula Tech Adventures. RackTop, of Fulton, Maryland, provides a network-attached storage platform for federal and commercial organizations.

Reynolds, Davis join Hamilton Lane

Hamilton Lane said March 5 that it hired Jean Reynolds as head of consultant relations and Stephanie Davis as principal of intermediary sales. Reynolds most recently was with Morgan Stanley, where she was an executive director in the alternative investment partners group. Davis joins Hamilton Lane from Ultra Capital LLC, where she was director and CCO within the capital formation team.

Catalyst Clinical buys certain Triangle Biostatistics assets

Catalyst Clinical Research LLC, a portfolio company of NovaQuest Capital Management LLC, said March 5 that it acquired certain assets of Triangle Biostatistics LLC. Financial terms weren’t announced. Triangle, with offices in Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina, provides statistical programming, statistical consulting, and data management services for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries.

OEP-backed Orion Business combines with MERA

Orion Business Innovation, a portfolio company of One Equity Partners, said March 5 that it merged with MERA. Financial terms weren’t announced but One Equity is investing in MERA to support the deal. MERA, of Switzerland, is an outsourced product development business.