Robert Venes

Nine funds have raised $1.5 billion in the MENA region in the first half of 2006, compared to $5.8 billion in total for the period between 1994 and 2005.

Vision Capital, a secondary direct firm, has acquired a portfolio including three nuclear consultancy businesses and a rail infrastructure specialist for £76.4m.

Mid Europa Partners, a private equity firm focused on Central and Eastern Europe, has sold its 83% stake in Karneval, a Czech cable business, to Liberty Global of the US for €322.5m, generating a money multiple of just over five times.

Bridgepoint, a European mid-market private equity firm, has bolstered its European advisory committee with the appointment of Sir James Crosby, former chief executive officer of HBOS.

Lion Capital, the former European arm of HM Capital Partners, has paid between $280m and $320m for Kettle Foods, a maker of snacks and ‘healthy’ food brands in the US and UK.

Specialised Petroleum Services, a Scottish oil and gas services company, is 3i’s second disposal in the sector this week, fetching $165m in a sale to M-I Swaco, a US-based drilling and waste management business.

3i, a London-listed private equity firm, has sold CH4 Energy, a UK oil and gas business it provided seed capital to in 2002, generating a 7.3 times money multiple and an IRR of 105%.

BTS Investment Advisors, a Swiss private equity advisor, has raised $80 million for expansion capital investments in India.

Warburg Pincus and Cinven, the US and European private equity firms, have won a €2.6bn auction to buy Essent Kabelcom, a Dutch cable operator, following the withdrawal of Liberty Global, a US cable business.

Graphite Capital, a UK mid-market private equity manager, has backed Avery Healthcare, a group of care homes, in its acquisition of Hadrian Healthcare.