Western Europe

Geely buys Volvo for $1.8bn

The acquisition by the GS Capital Partners-backed Chinese car manufacturer is a landmark deal for the Chinese car industry.

Passport protectionism

Entities around the world rail against ‘third-party’ measures in the Directive.

Actis invests $100m in Nigerian mall

The emerging markets specialist is taking a majority stake in a project in Ikeja, Lagos, with debt funding coming from local players Stanbic IBTC Bank and Standard Bank of South Africa.

Report: ADIA MD missing after air crash

Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahayan, managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, has reportedly gone missing after a glider he was in crashed in Morocco on Friday.

LPs need to be ‘realistic’ over further fund write-downs

Limited partners urged to start serious discussions with GPs about portfolio and asset valuations, as institutional investors attempt to choose tomorrow’s winners.

Eastern promise, Western doldrums

Many Western firms are looking East for investment opportunities. Some, like Quadrangle Capital Partners, are scaling up in Asia while scaling back in the West.

‘More than just cautious’

David Giampaolo is the chief executive officer of Pi Capital, an investment club comprising around 300 high net worth individuals, predominantly from the UK. Members pay an annual fee to gain access to both direct and fund investment opportunities as well as high level networking and speaker events. PEI catches up with the man some describe as the ‘best-networked in London’.

Lotto win for Teachers'

The direct investment platform of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan has agreed its second direct control investment in the UK: the £389m acquisition of National Lottery operator Camelot.

AMERICAS NEWS: Liquid goes large

San Francisco-based Liquid Realty is targeting $800 million for its fifth vehicle. If successful the fund would be the largest-ever private equity real estate secondaries fund. PERE June 2009

Platina collects €209m for fourth renewables fund

The Paris and London-based private equity firm has added several new investors to its roster, including France-based fund of funds Access Capital Partners.