Philip Borel

Following yesterday’s agreement to put $500m towards the $2.5bn purchase of Morgan Stanley’s aircraft leasing group, Guy Hands must seek a speedy fundraising to refill coffers.

The firm formerly known as EMP Europe has closed the largest private equity fund aimed at Central and Eastern Europe to date.

According to figures presented at the AVCA’s annual conference in Mombasa earlier this week, VCs active in Africa invested $1.3bn last year, up 60% on 2003.

Markstone Capital Group has attracted investment from US and Israeli pension funds to invest in late-stage old economy companies in emerging markets.

Petri Myllyneva is to take over the running of EQT’s Finnish operation from Andreas Tallberg, who will remain a senior partner at the firm.

European infrastructure specialist Star Capital Partners has sold Inexus, a UK provider of gas and electricity distribution networks, to Challenger Infrastructure Fund for £465m.

Armed with its new €5.8bn buyout fund, pan-European LBO house BC Partners has hired Nikos Stathopoulos from Apax and Giampiero Mazza from Englefield.