Fundraising

A leading fund manager said today that the shock waves emanating from the subprime mortgage crisis in the US could stifle investment activity in the European commercial real estate market.

The European mid-market firm Bridgepoint is beginning discussions with investors for its fourth fund, targeting a 45 percent increase on its 2005 fund Bridgepoint Europe III.

Dedicated secondary buyers are flat out, with billion dollar portfolio disposals being arranged by leading LPs such as CalPERS. At the same time, buyers are beginning to seriously contemplate what an end to the private equity boom might mean for them. Philip Borel reports.

Emerging Capital Partners managed to make a 3.4 times return from its stake in a rubber company with operations in the Ivory Coast, despite the country being wracked by civil war.

A new Softbank affiliate is making its mark across Asia.

Operational heavyweight Bruno Deschamps swaps Clayton, Dubilier for 3i.

Finland’s state pension fund wants to increase its alternatives allocation still further after another strong set of results.

Advantage Partners, one of Japan’s most prominent local private equity groups, is making its first foray into what one investor referred to as ‘hedge fund management’, with a $2 billion fund that will buy minority stakes in listed Japanese companies.

Accent Equity has sold Swedish flower delivery service EuroFlorist to Litorina Kapital. It is the third investment in three months from the Swedish firm’s third fund.

John Stomber, chief executive of Carlyle Capital Corporation, has apologised to shareholders about poor communication of portfolio troubles as its parent makes its second loan in a week.