Fundraising

Venture debt provider Kreos Capital has strengthened its senior team with the recruitment of Luca Colciago from Noble as a partner. The hire comes as the firm continues to invest its latest fund, which was closed in April and is being deployed at a rapid rate.

Alvarez & Marsal builds China team * Watson Wyatt appoints Sydney specialist * IFC appoints new South Asia head * NEA promotes six * Vestar Japan completes line-up * H&Q Asia Pacific promotes two in Seoul * Deutsche hires former Temasek director * CVC poaches Keeble from UBS

Vivek Tandon is the founder and a general partner of Aloe Private Equity, an investment firm based in London and Paris. Aloe expects to close Aloe Environment Fund II, its second clean energy and environmental fund dedicated to the clean energy and environment sector, in the third quarter of 2007 with a target of up to $200 million. The fund has attracted the support of the International Finance Corporation and many of the investors in the first fund. Aloe's strategy is to invest in European cleantech companies and help them expand into Asia.

Japanese LPs are looking to increase their exposure to private equity. But can they be tempted to invest outside their comfort zone, asks Sharon Lim.

The bumper results of three listed private equity vehicles suggest that the public markets remain positive about the asset class, although ICG chairman John Manser believes the coming year will see a downturn in performance.

The investment arm of SVG Capital has closed its latest structured fund of funds €200 million ahead of target, while introducing innovation in the fund’s gearing.

Park Square Capital has tapped three of its existing investors to raise a credit opportunities fund, which could have firepower of up to €1.25 billion and will work in complement to its existing mezzanine fund.

Alinta is backing a $6.66 billion takeover offer from Babcock & Brown instead of a rival bid by Macquarie, as the Australian energy utility is convinced the former offers a “high degree of completion certainty.”

Alliance Boots deputy chairman Stefano Pessina is set to land a windfall of more than £600 million if his take-private bid for the group is accepted – roughly the same amount that may be required to plug the company’s current pension deficit.

Which limited partners are best at investing in private equity? In its third annual investor survey, PEI asked the investor relations professionals at the world's leading general partner groups. James Taylor examined the results.