European private equity-backed management buyout activity has risen by almost a sixth in 2015 to €80.9 billion, the fourth highest annual total on record and the highest since the 2005 to 2007 boom era.

The total amount of buyouts and buy-ins in Europe has surged 16% from €69.6 billion in 2014, according to research by the Centre for Management Buy-out and Private Equity Research, which also found that investment exits in Europe also reached an all-time high, of €153.2 billion. The figure compared with €114.7 billion in 2014.