Great Hill Partners has agreed to acquire a minority interest in Freightquote.com Inc., a Lenexa, Kan.-based provider of freight transportation information, according to VentureWire and a Federal Trade Commission report. Freightquote has raised around $45 million in VC funding since its 1998 inception, from firms like Menlo Ventures and Morgan Stanley Venture Partners. It also […]
Neiman Marcus Group has completed its sale of hand-bag maker Kate Spade to Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ) for $124 million (including to-be-retired debt). Neiman Marcus was acquired last year in a $5.1 billion public-to-private buyout by Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus. www.neimanmarcusgroup.com
Diamond Castle Holdings has closed its inaugural fund with $1.825 billion in capital commitments. The firm was founded in 2004 by former members of DLJ Merchant Banking, and already has committed $670 million of the fund capital to six companies: Catamount Energy Corp, Harbor Point Ltd., Buckeye Cash Checking, NES Rentals Holdings, PRC LLC and […]
Shackleton Ventures Ltd. has formed as a direct private equity secondaries firm, and has acquired the secondaries business formerly owned by AIM-listed Strathdon Investments PLC. Shackleton managing partner Hugh Stewart previously ran the Strathdon business.
Richard Markee has joined Bear Stearns Merchant Banking as an operating partner focused on the retail market. He most recently served as vice chairman of Toys 'R' Us, and before that was vice president of merchandising with Target. www.bsmb.com
Karen Chung has joined The Barish Fund as a director in the firm's Wellesley, Mass. office. She previously was TA Associates. www.barishfund.com
Philippe Botteri has joined Bessemer Venture Partners as a senior associate in the firm's Menlo Park, Calif. office. He previously spent eight years with McKinsey & Co., including as a senior engagement manager in its Silicon Valley high-tech practice. www.bvp.com
Brian Lipson has joined real estate private equity firm Rubenstein Partners as a managing principal, effective January 2. He previously served as CIO of Trizec Properties from January 2005 through the closing of Trizec's October 2006 acquisition by Brookfield Properties and the Blackstone Group. www.rubensteinpartners.com
Robert Blumenfeld has joined Bryant Park Capital Valuation Services, an affiliate of Bryant Park Capital, as a managing director. He previously was president of ARG Recovery, a valuation and business consulting advisory. www.bryantparkcapital.com
Ophthonix, a San Diego-based developer of vision assessment and correction technologies, has raised $35.1 million in Series D funding. DAG Ventures led the deal, and was joined by return backers Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Gund Investment Corporation, InterWest Partners, Trex Enterprises and Wasatch Advisors' Cross Creek Capital Fund. www.izonlens.com