Private Equity

Mid Europa Partners, a private equity firm focused on buyouts in central Europe, said it has capital commitments in excess of €1 billion at the first close of its third fund.

Global private equity firm the Carlyle Group has closed its third dedicated European buyout fund at $7 billion.

Catalyst Investors, a private equity fund with a focus on media, telecommunications and related Internet services, recently held final closings on two funds with $170 million in aggregate committed capital.

U.K.-based Climate Change Capital, an investment banking group focused on investments in clean energy and the low carbon economy, has raised €200 million (US$272 million) for its latest offering.

CVC Capital Partners has appointed Fred Watt as chief operating officer responsible for the private equity firm's finance and operations and as a member of its group management committee and board.

International buyout shop Advent International has recruited the first members of its Kiev, Ukraine, team. Tamás Nagy will head the new office and Natalie Polischuk will serve as its principal.

Private equity firm Riverstone Holdings has hired John Browne, the former chief executive of BP PLC, as a managing director of Riverstone Europe.

UK mid-market private equity activity has been robust this year, according to Lloyds TSB Development Capital. The firm’s recently released Regional Mid-Market Private Equity Barometer shows a 35% increase in activity levels in the mid-market private equity segment during the first half of 2007.

Private equity and venture capital firm 3i Group is establishing a new fund that will invest in Indian infrastructure. The new offering, the 3i India Infrastructure Fund, intends to build a balanced portfolio of infrastructure investments in India, has a target size of US$1 billion and will be unlisted.

Private equity Energy Investors Funds has hired Scott Parkes as a senior associate in the firm’s Mill Valley office.