Coller Capital has won Private Equity International’s European Secondaries Deal of the Year 2020 for the single-asset GP-led transaction for Action Nederland, which was backed by Coller International Partners VIII (CIP VIII) with a $222m commitment.
The company was originally held by 3i Eurofund V, a 2011 vintage fund which was due to go into liquidation in November 2019. To facilitate an exit, the company was transferred to a new vehicle capitalised jointly by existing 3i Eurofund V investors who wished to retain exposure to the company, by 3i’s own balance sheet, and by a consortium of new investors co-led by CIP VIII.
Action is a fast-growing, non-food discount retailer headquartered in the Netherlands. The company continued to grow in 2020, with 164 new stores opening in the year, including its first in the Czech Republic.