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Sterling Group’s small-market team launches auto services platform; Trinity Hunt invests in Centricity Research

Morning!

This is Chris, on for Wire Wednesday.

There was a deal last week that slid under the radar that had more significant implications beyond the fact of the transaction. Sterling Group, of Houston, announced the launch of Premier Tire & Service, a tire and auto services provider platform run by John Adams, the former CEO of Full Speed Automotive. 

Research

Trinity Hunt Partners made a majority investment in Centricity Research, which provides research services for Phase I-IV clinical trials across more than 40 therapeutic areas. 

Valuations

Tiger Global’s efforts to sell stakes in investments across its portfolio has some limited partners watching closely for how the deal prices. If bids come in at a steep discount, some LPs are ready to use that data point to question other VCs invested in the same assets about their valuations and why they are not writing them down. Read more here on Buyouts.

That’s it for me! Have a great rest of your day. Reach me at cwitkowsky@buyoutsinsider.com or find me on LinkedIn with tips n’ gossip, feedback or book recommendations.

Read the full wire commentary on PE Hub ...

Also of note (may require subscriptions)

Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund has made more than $600 million in private equity commitments in FY 2023, as the system ranks among the largest allocators by percentage to the asset class. (Buyouts)

Adams Street Partners has closed on its latest secondaries program, having been out with its latest flagship for around two years. (Secondaries Investor)

Private debt manager Pemberton Asset Management has hired its first head of sustainable investing. Niamh Whooley has joined from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, where she was head of ESG research for the fixed income group. (New Private Markets)

Armen, a private equity firm focused on GP stakes, hopes to help European mid-cap private equity firms gain access to hitherto untapped retail cash via its acquisition of platform Private Corner, president Dominique Gaillard told PE Hub Europe.

Northern Europe private equity firm FSN Capital is looking to move several portfolio companies into a continuation fund, according to four sources familiar with the matter. (Secondaries Investor)

As real estate equity markets reprice, and with lenders exercising caution amid rising interest rates, investment managers are increasingly viewing debt as an attractive opportunity. (Real Estate Capital Europe)