Connection Capital

Wagamama

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:39:33 +0000

In July 2011 our clients invested in wagamama, the contemporary chain of noodle restaurants serving Japanese style food. They were offered an opportunity to co-invest alongside highly regarded private equity firms, Duke Street and Hutton Collins, who led the £215m acquisition from Lion Capital. wagamama is a highly profitable, well-known international brand with 108 restaurants around the world and revenues in excess of £110m.

As with all Connection Capital investments, clients were able to participate in multiples of £25,000.

www.wagamama.com

Cornerstone Private Equity Fund

admin — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:09:42 +0000

In October 2010, more than 20 of our clients committed to The Cornerstone Private Equity Fund which gives private investors, smaller institutions and family offices access to the historically strong performing UK and European private equity mid-market. The Cornerstone Fund has made commitments to three mid-market institutional funds managed by Silverfleet Capital, HgCapital and Phoenix Equity Partners. The Fund, which completed its final close in the summer of 2010, is already c24% invested across 10 businesses since 2008, all of which are trading on or above plan.

As a result of gaining admission to the Fund after the final closing, our clients benefitted directly from the uplift in value of the already completed investments as well as being able to participate in multiples of £25,000 as opposed to the Fund’s usual £100,000 minimum commitment.

www.cornerstonepe.com

Secured Mezzanine Loan

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:44:05 +0000

In June 2010, 26 Connection Capital clients provided a £2,725,000 secured mezzanine loan yielding interest of 11% per annum rising to 14% per annum and repayable within 4 years. The loan is secured by a first and sole charge on a prime UK city centre freehold property with planning permission for re-development. This investment is an example of some of the unusual opportunities available to private investors against a backdrop of the reluctance of banks to provide bridging finance and development loans, even where there is very strong security cover as was the case in this instance.

Sleeperz Hotels Limited

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:30:55 +0000

In July 2010, over 30 Connection Capital clients invested £1,200,000 alongside existing shareholders in Sleeperz Hotels, an operator of stylish budget hotels built in prime city centre locations on land belonging to Network Rail. The investment, alongside bank debt, totalled £6.8m and is to be used to develop the company’s third hotel in Newcastle. Connection Capital clients invested in a combination of equity and high interest yielding loan notes.