Och-Ziff, the $12bn (€10bn) hedge fund manager, is backing a bid for Peacock Group, the UK retailer, in the latest deal it has joined since hiring Anthony Fobel from CVC, the buy-out firm.

Sources close to Och-Ziff confirmed it had an interest in a bid for Peacock Group. The firm is understood to be part of a consortium, some of whose members are set to make an equity investment in Peacock Group if the consortium wins the bidding for the company.