Milan-listed energy giant Eni is closer to acquiring UK Neptune Energy as it tabled a sweetened bid worth in the region of 6 billion US Dollars (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Sam Laidlaw founded Neptune Energy in 20215. In 2017, Neptune acquired assets of French Engie for 3.6 billion euros and sold a 49% stake to China Investment Corporation. Neptune also belongs to Carlyle (30.6%) and CVC Capital Partners (20.4%). In 1Q23, Neptune generated revenues of 1.42 billion US Dollars, gross profits of 1.05 billion and a net debt of 1.54 billion.
Syscom-Prorep, a portfolio company of Siparex, acquired Tecnika Due, a distributor of electronic components (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The new entity will generate sales of 60 million euros. Tecnika Due previously belonged to Claudio Implicito (35%), Stefania Gambacurta (35%), Franco Boero (25%), and Giovanni Rovera (5%). Siparex and Syscom-Prorep’s management will reinvest in the group for implementing M&A strategies. Castaldi Partners, Fortem Avocats and Capitalmind assisted the buyers which financed the transaction through the issuance of bonds and a capital increase. Franco Baudino e associate advised Tecnika Due.
Unigrains financed the birth of Vivaldi Group, a catalyst for companies active in the distribution of ingredients and semi-finished products for the pastry, ice cream, Ho.re.ca, bakery, retail and cafeteria channels (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Vivaldi acquired CPC Food, Eurodolce, Marper, and Nuova-Neue Serpan whose vendors reinvested in the group with 40 million euros sales. Vivaldi received the financing support of Milan-listed illimity Bank.
Italian insurance broker Wide Group acquired Italian competitor Ibo Gestione Rischi (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Pollen Street Capital invested in Wide Group which aims to carry on further acquisition and has revenues of 15.4 million euros, an ebitda of 1.8 million and net cash of 6.7 million.
UTurn Investments acquired 40% of MPE, a manufacturer of expanded polypropylene and expanded polystyrene products, through a club deal (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Natale Santoni (chairman and 56.46% owner), Alberto Nicoli (ceo – 20.53%) and Elisabetta Nicoli (20.53%) sold part of their stakes. MPE has sales of 30 million euros and an ebitda of 4 million.
Italian Strategy Private Equity, a vehicle of Riello Investimenti Partners, acquired 75% of Italian bakery compamy Il Fornaio del Casale from Darix (41.94%), Samuele Gecchele (41.94%), Fiorenzo Botter (10.75%), and Nives Zorzan (5.38%) (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The buyers received assistance from Adacta, Pedersoli, Gea, Cds Associati, and ERM. Studio Diroma e Tesser, Bodini and EOS & Partners advised Il Fornaio del Casale which has sales of 50 million euros.
Alpha Private Equity aims to raise 900 million – 1 billion euros for a new fund (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Edoardo Lanzavecchia heads Alpha whose aum amount to 2 billion.
Fondo Italiano per l’Efficienza Energetica (FIEE) launched SpesX, an investor in energy transition (see here a previous post by BeBeez). SpesX takes long-short position through four capital allocation strategies: Fundamental Value, Cross Capital Structure, Soft Catalyst, and Hard Catalyst. Chief investment officer Luca Moro heads the fund.
Alberto Forchielli said to BeBeez that Mindful Capital Partners (MCP fka Mandarin Capital Partners) may reach by November 2023 the closing for its 250-300 million euros fundraising (see here a previous post by BeBeez). MCP already raised 55 million. The fund could also target venture capital and impact investing deals.
Germany’s Golding Capital Partners appointed Laura Tardino as managing director and head of Milan office (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Tardino will expand Golding in Southern Europe and target infrastructure, private credit, private equity, secondary private equity, and impact investments deals. Tardino previously worked at abrdn as Head of Institutional Business Development Italy.
Azzurra Capital, a private equity based in Dubai, and bureaus in London, Milan, Madrid, and Singapore that ceo Stefano Marsaglia heads, raised 600 million euros for its Luxembourg vehicle European Growth Opportunity Fund (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Sources said to BeBeez that the fundraising target amounts to 800-850 million. The fund will target European family-owned mid-market firms.
Engineering Società Informatica, the Italian IT company that belongs to Bain Capital, NB Renaissance and NB Aurora appointed Maria Andrisani, Michaela Castelli and Maria Cristina Messa as new directors (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Gaetano Miccichè (chairman), Maximo Ibarra (ceo and general manager), Carlo Achermann, Luca Bassi, Stefano Bontempelli, Giovanni Camera, Fabio Cosmo Domenico Canè, Vito Cozzoli, Pietro Galli, and Aurelio Regina are the further board members. Italian-British newcleo, a scaleup for nuclear energy that Stefano Buono founded in 2021, announced the acquisition of same sector companies SRS Servizi Ricerche e Sviluppo and Fucina Italia (see here a previous post by BeBeez). On 15 April, Saturday, BeBeez Magazine quoted Elisabeth Rizzotti, the chief operating officer and co-founder of newcleo, as saying that the company need a further 3-4 billion euros in the next eight years for implementing its business plans.
