Western Europe

Bridges buys first “keyworker housing” block

The UK venture firm with a social mission has bought three apartment blocks for NHS workers in Plymouth, as the issue of affordable housing for public sector workers becomes increasingly important in the UK.

FF&P homes in on OKA

Fleming Family & Partners, a UK asset manager, has bought a majority stake in UK home retail business OKA for an undisclosed amount.

Sainsbury board keeps Three Delta waiting

Three Delta continues to seek access to the books of UK supermarket Sainsbury’s, as difficulties in the credit markets look certain to affect the price of the £6 billion of debt needed for the offer.

ECI bolts on wireless company to Aerial with eye to £200m exit(2)

UK buyout firm ECI has bolted on underground wireless networking company Avitec to Aerial, as it looks to exit the combined company in six to 12 months.

Barclays sells Direct to LDC

Lloyds Development Capital has bought Direct Group, a UK provider of insurance services, from Barclays Private Equity.

Wellcome Trust backs $52m venture funding

UK charity Wellcome Trust has made a rare direct investment in a $52 million seventh-round financing for Xtera Communications, a US optical networking and services company.

3i adult carer exit has 61% IRR(2)

FTSE 100 listed 3i had a 61 percent IRR and a 3.9 money multiple on the sale to Three Delta of a company it first invested in 10 years ago, Care Principles.

Duke Street and Europa in unusual property tie-up(2)

The pair have forged an unusual private equity, property firm partnership to buy a listed Channel Islands group that controls five separate consumer and leisure businesses.

Stirling Square Capital Partners sells Schoeller Arca Systems for €428m(2)

The European buyout firm is exiting its Dutch packaging business in a secondary sale to One Equity Partners.

Apax makes 40x return on healthcare exit(3)

The global buyout firm has netted a return of more than 40 times its original investment from the sale of Healthcare at Home.