Fundraising

California pension fund Fresno County Employees’ Retirement Association has committed a further $110 million to the asset class, after enjoying strong returns from its previous investments.

Franklin Templeton Investments’ buyout arm has launched the largest mezzanine fund in central and eastern Europe.

Lehman Brothers’ private equity arm has hit its $500m fundraising target for a listed fund of funds despite planned flotations of other alternative asset vehicles being knocked off course.

South African casino group Gold Reef Resorts has entered into exclusive talks with an Ethos Private Equity-led consortium, and the bid already has 76 percent shareholder acceptance.

Blackstone has surpassed Goldman’s record for the biggest private equity fund raised to date, with the closing of its fifth fund on $21.7 billion.

The Brazilian bank is raising a new private equity fund that can tap Blackstone as a co-investor on large deals.

Triple-digit returns have helped the Sao Paulo-based firm reach a first close on what is for now Latin America’s largest private equity fund.

Blackstone has surpassed Goldman’s record for the biggest private equity fund raised to date, with the closing of its fifth fund on $21.7 billion.

The Moukarim family has sold its majority stake in the Nigerian foam mattress company Mouka to emerging markets buyout firm Actis in an effort to resolve succession problems.

Bahrain-based Investcorp will buy a majority stake in Berlin Packaging, just weeks after the first close on its latest fund.