Santander, BlackRock 'eye' Citigroup unit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Private equity firm Warburg Pincus raised $11.2 billion for its latest fund, one of the largest private equity funds since the global financial crisis. The New York-based firm said on Friday that investors in the new fund, Warburg Pincus Private Equity XI LP, include public and private pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and wealthy individuals, with a significant number of the new investors coming from outside the United States. Warburg Pincus reached a final close of the fund within one year of closing the fund's first part, in line with its initial plan. ...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Warburg Pincus LLC has reached its first fund-raising close for its 11th private equity fund, raising more than $5 billion in just over seven months, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday, a major step toward it reaching its $12 billion target. About 50 investors, both existing and new, participated in the closing, which took place in early May, the people said. The firm has identified opportunities to put some of this capital to work immediately, they added. Warburg Pincus declined to comment. ...

Toron Investment Management and AMI Partners, two medium sized money managers that operate in different parts of the business and which between them have been around for 75 years have agreed to combine forces.

By Ganaxi Small Cap Movers: Blackrock Inc., (BLK), with $3.66 trillion assets under management as of June 30, 2011, is the world’s largest and most prominent asset manager. The firm is headquartered in New York City, has offices in more than 26 countries worldwide, and has more than 9,300 employees including more than 700 investment professionals.

Ganaxi Small Cap Movers submits:Blackrock Inc. (BLK), with $3.648 trillion assets under management as of March 31, is the world’s largest and most prominent asset manager.

The trade magazine Private Equity International is just out with its annual list of PE funds ranked by their success in raising capital. Before we get to the winner, let's confirm that, yes, raising capital amid the worst recession in more than half a century has been difficult. Exactly how difficult is not easy to gauge, since PEI magazine uses a five-year rolling average† in compiling its list. (And it doesn't get into the touchy business of ranking how much the firms earned on their investments.)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Private equity firm Carlyle Group LP is close to clinching a deal with Societe Generale for the takeover of the French bank's Los Angeles-based asset management arm TCW, three people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

By Renaissance Capital IPO Research: The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest and most diversified alternative asset management firms, filed on Tuesday with the SEC to register for an initial public offering.