Top private equity news of the week

Goldman Sachs is spearheading a $2.77bn financing package to support Prada’s proposed acquisition of Versace, according to a report from Italian daily MF. 

The investment bank is leading a consortium to provide €2.5bn in funding, with €1.5bn earmarked for the purchase of the Capri Holdings-owned fashion house, and the remaining €1bn allocated to revive Versace’s performance post-acquisition.

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Goldman Sachs has launched G-PE, a new open-ended private equity fund that will allow high-net-worth individuals to invest in buyout, growth, secondary, and co-investment deals.

The initiative is part of the bank’s broader strategy to expand its alternatives platform and capture a larger share of private market inflows.

The move signals Goldman’s intent to compete more directly with leading alternative asset managers such as Blackstone, Apollo, and KKR, which have all been expanding access to private markets via individual and institutional capital.

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Private equity interest is mounting as the NBA prepares to launch a European basketball league, with franchise valuations expected to start at $500m and potentially exceed that figure in key markets such as London and Paris.

The NBA plans to retain a 50% equity stake in the league, offering the remaining ownership to franchise investors. Crucially, the league is targeting new backers from outside its existing ecosystem, paving the way for private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional capital to enter the arena.

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