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• Limited partners warn EU over regulation 10 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. An investor association whose members hold over $1trn in private equity assets under management has warned EU regulators that proposed regulatory measures could close Europe off from international private equity and severely limit the prospects of European firms.

• New Zealand angel investment hits NZ$50m in 2009 05 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. New Zealand start-up companies received a boost from angel investors in 2009, as the amount of capital from high net worth individuals grew to NZ$50m ($34.5m). The figure represents a 72 per cent increase on the previous 12 month record of NZ$23m ($15.8m) invested in 2008, based on data collected by New Zealand analysts Young Company Finance.

• EFG-Hermes opens debut Syrian office and private equity fund 04 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. Listed Arab investment bank EFG-Hermes is to expand into Syria with the simultaneous launch of a private equity fund that will target investments in the Middle Eastern country.

• SVG Capital upbeat as NAV bounces back 04 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. SVG Capital, the UK-based fund of funds, has posted a significant recovery in its net asset value per share for the second half of 2009, following tough times for its investments in buy-out group Permira’s funds.

• Advent prepares opening of New York office 03 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. Global private equity firm Advent International is readying the launch of an office in New York, one of the world’s most important financial centres.

• BVCA welcomes report into private equity’s role in accelerating low-carbon economy 03 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. Climate change is a problem private equity must address, according to the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) as it welcomed a new report published by a collaboration of European investors into how to accelerate investment in a low-carbon economy.

• OPERS clashes with Permira over planned Hugo Boss factory closure 03 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. UK buy-out house Permira has locked horns with an Ohio pension fund over plans by portfolio company Hugo Boss to close a factory in the limited partner’s backyard.

• HgCapital launches investigation into Goldshield’s profits 03 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. HgCapital is investigating whether Goldshield, a UK pharmaceutical company acquired by the mid-market private equity firm in January, understated its reported profits over a number of years whilst it was a public company.

• Secondary deals to pick up in 2010 02 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. Secondary private equity deals are likely to pick up this year due to a narrowing price gap between buyers and sellers, according to Reuters.  After a fallow year for secondaries, investors are likely to be better positioned to sell stakes in private equity funds in 2010, said two industry executives at the Reuters Private Equity and Hedge Funds Summit.

• Brazilian buy-out funds sitting on $9bn in dry powder 01 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. Brazilian private equity funds are poised to spend billions, spurred by what people familiar with the country say is the strongest investment environment for 20 years. Brazilian buy-out groups have $9bn in dry powder to deploy in the country, according to Bloomberg, who cited representatives of the country’s private equity and venture capital association, Abvcap.

• Candover rebounds with 15 per cent net asset value increase 01 Mar 2010. Source: AltAssets. Troubled UK private equity firm Candover has seen a slight rebound in its asset values since mid-2009. The firm, which was forced to terminate the investment period of its flagship fund in January, said that net assets per share reached £10.38 (€11.41) as of the end of December 2009, an increase of 15.1 per cent on the 902 pence (995 euro cents) recorded at the end of June 2009. The figure is also 1.2 per cent above the firm’s share price as of the end of 2008.

• Private equity flocks to China 26 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. Western private equity investors are continuing to flock to China, attracted by the virtually untapped market despite the challenging regulatory environment.

• Terra Firma bolsters EMI board with turnaround specialist Peter Williams 26 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. Terra Firma has appointed turnaround director Peter Williams to the board of struggling portfolio company EMI. The former Selfridges CEO has been appointed as a board director of Maltby Investments, the holding company for EMI Music and EMI Music Publishing.

• Blackstone climbs out of the red 25 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. Blackstone Group, the private equity industry’s biggest player, has reported positive earnings for last year after suffering heavy losses in 2008.

• American Capital loses $910m in 2009, logs Q4 profit 25 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. Listed private equity firm American Capital has reported a profit for the fourth quarter of 2009. The embattled firm, which had been near collapse after haemorrhaging money during the recession, posted net earnings of $107m for the quarter, and will reportedly repay a portion of its debt.

• CalPERS to trim private equity managers 25 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest public pension fund in the US, plans to cut the number of private equity firms it invests with to improve returns and curb costs, according to a Bloomberg report.

• PE deals under threat as UK considers tighter takeover regulations 25 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. The UK Takeover Panel may be set to radically alter the rules governing buy-outs in the country. In a move that could have implications for private equity firms looking to buy public companies in the UK, the independent statutory body said that it will be launching a consultation on the regulation of takeovers.

• KKR to list on New York Stock Exchange 25 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. Euronext-listed private equity firm KKR is to float on the New York Stock Exchange. The firm said it intends to prepare and file a registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission “as promptly as practicable”.

• Aureos Capital relocates staff to Singapore 25 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. Aureos Capital, the emerging markets private equity specialist, is moving it several senior executives from London to Singapore, partly because of the UK’s high cost base and rising taxes, according to reports.

• BVCA calls for capital gains tax freeze 24 Feb 2010. The British Venture Capital Association has called for a freeze on capital gains tax in its budget submission to the UK Treasury, saying that increases could push the UK to the bottom of international competitiveness league tables.

• Terra Firma's EMI promises to keep Abbey Road 22 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. Terra Firma portfolio company EMI has promised that iconic UK recording studio Abbey Road will stay in its possession. The troubled record label issued a statement in response to a public outcry at the prospect of the famed studio being sold.

• South Africa moves to regulate private equity 18 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. South Africa’s government will take measures to regulate domestic private equity funds as part of a wider move to clamp down on its financial services industry following the global economic downturn.

• HgCapital readies share issue ahead of investment spree 18 Feb 2010. Source: AltAssets. London-listed private equity firm HgCapital is preparing a share issue to raise up to £50m (€57.4m) ahead of a fresh round of investments, according to the Financial Times.