Equita wins the Private Debt Awards 2020 (AIFI and Deloitte) in the category "Closed transactions - Leverage buyout / Extraordinary transactions"

Milan, 18 September 2020

The private debt team of Equita, the leading independent investment bank in Italy, wins the third edition of the Private Debt Awards with the deal “Passione Unghie”.

In March 2019 the private debt team invested, with a mix of subordinated debt and equity, Euro 7.8 million to finance the acquisition of Passione Unghie, leading Italian player in the online sale of nailcare solutions, from Orienta Partners and other co-investors. This deal allowed Equita to win the award sponsored by AIFI – the Italian Association of private capital – and Deloitte in the category “Closed transactions – Leverage buyout / Extraordinary transactions”.

Equita – together with the winners of the other categories – was awarded by a jury of high-standing professionals belonging to the institutional, entrepreneurial and academic world. 12 transactions from 7 different private debt funds were initially identified as candidates for the Private Debt Awards and 3 transactions were shortlisted as candidates to win the “Closed transactions – Leverage buyout / Extraordinary transactions” category (including the French fund manager Tikehau Capital and the Italian fund manager Green Arrow Capital) where Equita was prized.

The jury that voted the winners of the Private Debt Awards 2020 was chaired by Innocenzo Cipolletta (chairman AIFI) and composed by Luigi Abete (chairman, FeBAF), Andrea Azzolini (manager debt advisory, Deloitte), Guido Corbetta (full professor management and technology, Bocconi), Giancarlo Giudici (associate professor corporate finance, Politecnico Milano), Sergio Luciano (director, Economy), Giovanni Maggi (chairman, Assofondipensione), Luca Manzoni (manager corporate banking, Banco BPM), Christian Martino (chief editor, Plus 24 - Il Sole 24ORE), Emanuele Orsini (vice chairman, Confindustria), Federico Visconti (dean, Università Carlo Cattaneo – LIUC).

Paolo Pendenza, Head of Private Debt at Equita Capital SGR, commented: “We are glad for this award that comes few days after the First Closing of our second private debt fund and follows the nomination as best private debt team received in 2018 at the Financecommunity Awards. These achievements confirm the abilities of our team and give us new incentives to reach the growth targets we set”.