Google considering private-equity alliances amid buying spree

Google Inc, actively on the lookout for acquisitions, is for the first time considering forging alliances with private-equity firms to help it structure deals.

Buyout firms can assist an acquirer by providing needed financing or advice on how a target could be restructured or carved up after a deal closes. While Google may invest cash to get a return on the investment, it may also take part in a deal to acquire an asset, said Don Harrison, Google's mergers and acquisitions chief.