Ashurst Morris Crisp (James Perry) acted for the Man Group and its Swiss subsidiary RMF Investment Products on Man’s acquisition of a majority equity interest in Westport Private Equity and a minority equity interest in Parallel Ventures Managers. Macfarlanes represented the sellers.
Lewis Silkin (Roger Alexander, Philip Lamb) advised Groupe Chez Gerard on its recommended takeover by cash shell Paramount. The offer consists of an all-share offer from Paramount with a full cash alternative underwritten by JO Hambro Capital Management at 75p per share, valuing Groupe Chez Gerard at £15.5m. Bircham Dyson Bell acted for Paramount and JO Hambro.
Addleshaw Booth & Co (Philip Goodstone, Angela Boland) acted for Royal Liver Assurance in the acquisition of Park Row Group, an AIM-listed independent financial advisory business, by its new company Royal Liver (IFA Holdings) for £17m. Hammonds represented Park Row Group.
Pinsent Curtis Biddle (Mike McGrath) advised Everest and its vendors, including North West-based entrepreneur Brian Kennedy and 3i, on its sale to a new company owned by management and Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) for £63m. DLA acted for the new company and HBOS.
Burges Salmon (Roger Hawes) represented Powabyke UK in connection with the £250,000 venture capital investment into the company by South West Regional Venture Capital Fund (SWRVCF). Powabyke was the first company to secure funding from the Government-backed SWRVCF in exchange for a minority stake in the business. SWRVCF advised by Laytons.
Nicholson Graham & Jones (Paul Salisbury) advised new client GMAC Commercial Mortgage, a subsidiary of General Motors, on the creation of an investment/ development facility for Portfolio Holdings, part of the Apollo Real Estate Group. Nabarro Nathanson acted for Portfolio Holdings and the other limited partnerships involved in the transaction.
