Apax Partners, the UK private equity firm, has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire PCM Uitgevers, publisher of NRC Handelsblad, the Netherlands' leading financial paper.

Apax fended off 14 other bidders to win exclusivity and was one of five partys to reach the penultimate round of talks. PCM Uitgevers said competition amongst the remaining bidders, including rival private equity firms Candover and Warburg Pincus, was very close.