Matilda Battersby

Notwithstanding a dearth of exits and a few troubled deals, such as its investment in hotel group Accor, the listed French firm says its balance sheet is much healthier than its share price reflects. Its full year earnings report revealed it has written down to zero its stake in Colony-backed Station Casinos.

The Belgian Gimv-XL fund, which held a first close on €500m in December, has acquired a €75m stake in food group Vandemoortele and opened talks with investors about a second fund close later this year.

CalPERS, USS and CalSTRS are among the LPs calling for GPs to provide material consideration of environmental, social and corporate governance risks to their portfolios, according to a survey conducted by the UN’s Private Equity Principles for Responsible Investment.

The creditors of the beleaguered Australian infrastructure specialist have formed a committee to assist the firm’s administrators.

First quarter deal activity reflects a ‘UK buyout market showing little sign of life’, according to recent data that shows just £2bn has been invested so far this year, compared with £7.5bn in the first quarter 2008.

HgCapital and Electra Partners stressed yesterday that listed funds with longer-than-average holding periods can achieve excellent returns and still find interesting investment opportunities, despite recent difficulties encountered by the sector.

Scottish Widow Investment Partnership will invest up to 50% of its private equity allocation into funds that invest in the secondary market and make turnaround and distressed investments, according to investment director William Gilmore.

Babcock & Brown Infrastructure has received clearance from the European Union to sell a management stake in port operator Europort

The San Francisco-based secondary specialist estimates some $5bn in venture secondary assets are up for grabs.

The firm’s London-listed trust recorded a strong cash position despite the unrealised write-downs and is planning to ‘bide [its] time' in 2009. HgCapital CIO Frances Jacob noted the listed trust does not have the same sort of over-allocation strategy that has recently caused problems for other listed vehicles including fund of funds linked to Candover and SVG.