THE RACE for Yo! Sushi is heating up after a new buyout firm run by former head of Lloyds’ private equity arm emerged as a frontrunner to buy the restaurant chain, in a deal valued at around £100m. Mayfair Equity Partners was founded earlier this year by Daniel Sasaki, who previously led Lloyds Banking Group’s LDC and oversaw deals including the acquisition and float of drinks brand Fever Tree. The company is understood to be the frontrunner to buy Yo! Sushi. However private equity firm Inflexion could still launch a counter-bid after previously being...