Suzanne Weinstock

The growth equity investor, formerly Paladin Private Equity, has held a final close on its debut cleantech fund, slightly short of its target.

The emerging markets-focussed private equity firm has sold 10 percent stake in pipeline company Transredes at a profit for for $46.6m, in compliance with Bolivia’s nationalisation of the oil and gas sector.

The UK asset management firm is preparing to cross the pond and has appointed Eric Nelson to spearhead sales for US alternatives.

The Los Angeles alternative investment firm has raised the largest ever distressed debt fund, more than three times the size of its previous similar vehicle.

The debt markets for infrastructure have turned a corner, the CFO of a major infrastructure investor said today at a conference in New York.

The majority of limited partners expect 23 percent returns from 2008 emerging markets investments, according to the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association’s 2008 LP Survey.

The oversubscribed fund will deploy ‘substantial capital in China, India and Israel’ while maintaining the firm’s US focus.

Citigroup’s debut infrastructure fund, targeting $5bn, has made its second investment in airport development company Vancouver Airport Services. It is acquiring 50 percent of a subsidiary of Vancouver Airport Authority.

The US venture capital association has teamed with a non-profit founded by Kleiner Perkins partners to invest between $10 million and $20 million in bettering the US education system’s quality of human capital.

The private equity firm’s Latin America Infrastructure Fund has now fully exited Mexican telecom start-up Axtel, following the company’s $345m 2005 IPO.