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Data security company Venyu Solutions has raised an undisclosed amount from Madison Parker Capital and Gladstone Investment Corp. The financing supported a management buyout of Venyu from it’s parent company PHNS. As a result of the funding, Brent Brown, a managing director at Boston-based Madison Parker, will join Venyu’s board. Venyu is based in Baton Rouge, La.
Emerging Capital Partners has named Marie-France Mathes managing director and head of investor relations. Mathes worked previously as a managing director with emerging markets firm Macon PE, and earlier in her career was an investment officer with the International Financial Corp. Washington D.C.-.based Emerging Capital focuses on investments across Africa.
Private equity shop Apax Partners has acquired Israeli investment firm Psagot, Reuters reported. New York-based Apax paid roughly 2.08 billion shekels ($572.5 million) for a 76.8% stake in Psagot. Though signed last December, a close of the acquisition was put on hold until now because Psagot was the subject of an Israeli securities fraud investigation. U.S.-Israeli investment fund Markstone Capital owns the remaining 23.2 percent of Psagot.
New York-based private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners will acquire direct mail advertising company MailSouth for an undisclosed amount. Helena, Ala.-based MailSouth provides direct mail services in rural and suburban markets. The company was previously backed by New York-based New Mountain Capital.
Japanese IT services company NTT Data will acquire Keane International, a Boston-based company owned by Citigroup Venture Capital International Technology Holdings. Financial terms of the deal were not released. Under the terms of the deal, Keane will merge with an NTT subsidiary and will become wholly owned by NTT.
Indian paper maker Ballarpur Industries plans to form a new holding company for its Ballarpur International Graphic Paper Holdings, and list the subsidiary on the London Stock Exchange, Reuters reported. Ballarpur International Graphic Paper Holdings is partially owned by private equity funds JPMorgan Mauritius Holdings VII Ltd. and Lathe Investments PTE Ltd.
Private equity shops Oak Hill Capital Management and Lovell Minnick Partners have invested the bulk of a $103 million recap for United Western Bancorp. The two firms each put $47 million into the Denver-based company, and will each own a 23% stake. An additional $9 million came from entities controlled by Henry Duques, former CEO of First Data, who will hold a 5% stake. United Western Bankcorp aims to raise a total of $200 million.
The Carlyle Group plans to pour $300 million into buyout deals in the Middle East and North Africa in the next two years, and is specifically eyeing investments in Egypt and Morocco, Reuters reported. The firm has already invested part of a $500 million regional fund and aims to commit the rest of the capital within 18 to 24 months.
Wind farm developer First Wind Holdings has put its IPO on hold after cutting it’s price range by 24%, Reuters reported. Boston-based First Wind, which is funded by private equity firm Madison Dearborn and hedge fund operator D.E. Shaw, originally aimed to raise $300 million from the offering. The company faced skepticism from investors due to a heavy debt load, Reuters reported.
Robeco aims to raise $500 million for investments in timber and forestry, Reuters reported. The Dutch asset manager will launch its new fund next year, and will invest in timber-focused private equity fund and in companies in the forestry market.