UBM acquires Hors Antenne for up to €9m

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

United Business Media has acquired Hors Antenne on behalf of its wholly-owned subsidiary PR Newswire to further strengthen its position as the global leader in corporate and investor targeting.

Founded in 1997, Hors Antenne is the leading provider of media targeting information to the European French-speaking markets. The acquisition consideration comprises an initial cash payment of €6m with a further performance-related element of up to €3m payable over the next two years.

Hors Antenne provides its clients with access to data on more than 500,000 opinion formers, including journalists and media organisations, bloggers, key political and financial stakeholders, analysts and business contacts in France and in French-speaking Belgium and Switzerland. The business’ client base numbers over 16,000 and includes 90% of the largest 1,000 companies in France.

Hors Antenne employs 45 staff at its Paris headquarters and generated revenues of €3.6m in the year to 31 March 2010. Hors Antenne’s management – including its founder and CEO Marylise Fortin – will remain with the business, which will continue to operate as a separate entity. The acquisition is anticipated to exceed UBM’s cost of capital criterion in its first full year of ownership.

In addition to adding profitable revenue to PR Newswire’s successful European targeting business, the acquisition will enhance and expand the range of targeting and monitoring services Hors Antenne is able to offer its customers.

Lisa Ashworth, CEO of PR Newswire Europe said:

“The acquisition of Hors Antenne strengthens our position globally as a leader in the targeting field but more specifically in both France and in European French-speaking markets. The combination of Hors Antenne’s services with our own capabilities significantly enriches our data product services and reach. This continues our vision to develop PR Newswire in Europe and beyond, both organically and through best of breed acquisitions.”

France, Paris

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Apax Partners and Guardian Media Group discuss the future of Trader Media Group

October 18, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

According to paidContent, Apax Partners and Guardian Media Group – the publisher of the Guardian – have begun preliminary discussions with a number of banks about the future of their jointly-owned Trader Media Group business.

A trade sale or a flotation of TMG, which could value the owner of Auto Trader at up to £2 ($3.21)bn, are the likeliest options.

Read the full story here

UK, London

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AutoTrader.com acquires vAuto

October 18, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Automotive marketplace and consumer information website AutoTrader.com has completed its transaction to acquire vAuto, the automotive retail industry’s provider software tools for used vehicle management, pricing and inventory optimization.

The finalized agreement, first announced on September 17, makes vAuto a subsidiary of AutoTrader.com.  AutoTrader.com is majority owned by Cox Enterprises, Inc. with additional ownership stakes held by the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners.

USA, Atlanta, GA

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GROU.PS acquires Social Project from MTV Networks

October 15, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

According to TechCrunch, DIY social network platform GROU.PS is acquiring Social Project, developers of the Flux social media platform, from MTV Networks. As part of the deal, GROU.PS will only be acquiring Social Project’s company and its users; and MTV will continue to own Social Project’s Flux social media publishing technology. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

GROU.PS is a social groupware platform that allows people to come together and form interactive communities around a shared interest or affiliation. The functionality of any online group is limited only by the members’ collective imagination and ambition. The GROU.PS platform is used to create a wide variety of community sites, including online gaming forums, e-learning classrooms, fan clubs, charity fundraising campaigns, college alumni societies, and event planning portals.

The company is privately held and headquartered in Palo Alto, CA with development offices in Istanbul, Turkey. GROU.PS was founded in 2008 by Emre Sokullu. The site has more than 6.2 million monthly unique visitors worldwide and 7.5 million registered members. The company is backed by Golden Horn Ventures.
USA, Palo Alto, CA

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Sugar Inc. acquires MyPerfectSale

October 15, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Online women’s media company, Sugar Inc., has acquired MyPerfectSale, a San Francisco-based fashion shopping service that connects over half a million registered members to the latest sales for high-end designer apparel and accessories.

MyPerfectSale operates MyPerfectSale.com, an online shopping destination that sends over twelve million customized email sale alerts per month. MyPerfectSale also runs DesignerApparel.com, a shopping service that helps customers find fashion products across the premier US department stores, luxury retailers, and fashion boutiques.

Sugar Inc.’s acquisition will accelerate the growth of MyPerfectSale in the U.S. and enable it to expand into international markets where Sugar Inc. currently operates, including the UK, Japan, France, Germany and Australia. MyPerfectSale will be maintained as a separate brand while becoming a part of Sugar Inc.’s ShopStyle network of shopping sites. MyPerfectSale’s eight employees will join the growing Sugar Inc. team.

“We are excited to add MyPerfectSale’s large membership base to ShopStyle’s network. MyPerfectSale will now be able to leverage ShopStyle’s network to increase its reach and differentiation in this fast-growing market,” said Andy Moss, President of Sugar Inc.’s ShopStyle.

“When we started Sugar four years ago, we believed future online media leaders would delight their audiences by combining content and commerce,” said Brian Sugar, founder and CEO of Sugar Inc. “MyPerfectSale has done a tremendous job growing their business and we are excited to have them join our commerce team.”

“We’re very pleased to join Sugar Inc. and extend our potential reach to the company’s 18 million plus unique users,” said Dominic Ang, President of MyPerfectSale. “MyPerfectSale fits perfectly into the Sugar Inc. family of sites, and will now connect even more fashion-conscious shoppers to name brands at great prices.”

USA, San Francisco, CA

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UBM acquires OBGYN.net for $0.8 million

October 15, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

United Business Media Limited has acquired the OBGYN.net website and related assets from MediSpecialty.com, Inc. for a total cash consideration of $0.8 million.

OBGYN.net is a women’s health website for obstetrics and gynaecology professionals and consumers. The site provides article-based and multimedia content generated by both contributors and users. OBGYN’s archived, searchable online forums – some of which have been running for over 10 years – comprise approximately one million posts and include professional peer-to-peer discussions and consumer-to-physician/expert forums, as well as patient-to-patient support forums. OBGYN.net has a registered population of approximately 140,000 and attracts more than 500,000 unique visitors a month.

The acquisition of OBGYN.net expands UBM Medica’s network of sites for physicians and allows the business to meet growing advertiser demand for access to online audiences as healthcare readers and marketers shift from offline to online media. This shift is driving growth of approximately 20% per annum in US pharmaceutical and healthcare online advertising spending (estimated at $1.4 billion in 2009). The acquisition of a digital presence in the obstetrics and gynaecology market will allow UBM Medica to market both existing and new products and services across a broader audience which includes digital agencies, pharmaceutical companies and device companies seeking to reach obstetrics and gynaecology professionals.

Henry Elkington, CEO, UBM Medica said, “I’m very pleased to bring OBGYN.net into UBM Medica’s network of online resources for healthcare professionals and consumers. OBGYN.net has strong brand recognition as one of the leading sites focusing on women’s health issues and over the course of the last 10 years has built and hosted the interactions of a vibrant set of professional and consumer communities. OBGYN.net is a great addition to our successful online business and we look forward to developing it further.”

UK, London & USA, Del Valle, TX

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UBM to acquire 65% stake in Rotaforte International Trade Fairs & Media

October 14, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

United Business Media Limited today announces that it has agreed to acquire a 65% stake in Rotaforte International Trade Fairs & Media, the owner of Turkey’s largest jewellery exhibitions, from its private owner on behalf of UBM Asia. The transaction is subject to regulatory clearance.

Rotaforte owns the Istanbul Jewelry Show, an international exhibition for jewellery, silver, watches and related equipment. Now in its 25th year, the exhibition is held twice a year in March and in October. In aggregate, the shows attract almost 60,000 visitors and 1,600 exhibitors, occupying net show floor space of more than 28,000 square metres. Covered products include gold, silver and diamond jewellery, precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, mountings, watches and clocks, machinery, tools and equipment, display units and security devices. The business is supported by the Turkish Jewellery Association, a national trade body which represents more than 1,100 jewellery companies, including the major manufacturers. Rotaforte also publishes a supporting magazine (in Turkish and English) and organises Turkish jewellery pavilions at a number of third party events in Dubai, Italy, and India, as well as selling exhibition space at jewellery events in Russia and Ukraine.

Rotaforte was founded by Ms Sermin Cengiz in 1986 and currently employs 21 staff in Istanbul. In 2010 the business is expected to generate revenues in excess of $5 million. The value of the gross assets being acquired is $0.3 million.

Turkey ranks as the world’s second largest gold jewellery exporter, the fifth largest importer and the third largest producer. Its domestic jewellery industry is highly fragmented, making tradeshows an attractive sales and marketing platform. Turkey’s international jewellery market is driven by strong demand from adjacent regions such as Russia and other CIS countries, Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East.

Rotaforte’s exhibitions are highly complementary additions to UBM Asia’s existing portfolio of twelve jewellery tradeshows in China, India, Hong Kong and Japan, including the world’s largest jewellery fair: the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair. UBM Asia’s worldwide sales and marketing capabilities in this market will help grow the number of international exhibitors and visitors at the Rotaforte shows, as well as driving Turkish participation at UBM Asia’s existing shows. The Istanbul Jewelry Show is well positioned to become the leading fair in the European and Middle East regions. The acquisition also provides UBM Asia with opportunities to bring its other products and brands to Turkish, Eastern European, Balkan, Russian, CIS and Middle Eastern markets.

Jime Essink, CEO of UBM Asia, said:

“The acquisition of Rotaforte adds a further industry-leading exhibition to our jewellery portfolio and is in line with our strategy to enhance and expand our international presence in geographic regions of significant growth. Rotaforte provides strong synergies and opens up a wide range of new business opportunities both in Turkey and across the adjacent Middle East and CIS regions. I am looking forward to working together with Sermin, who will be Managing Director of the UBM Rotaforte joint venture company, and also her team, who have done a fantastic job in building the successful Istanbul Jewelry Fairs portfolio.”

Turkey, Istanbul

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Trinity Mirror takes full control of Fish4

October 14, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Trinity Mirror has been a shareholder in the Fish4 business for over 10 years and previously held a 50% joint venture interest alongside Newsquest Media Group.  Fish4 will sit alongside the brands in the Trinity Mirror digital classified portfolio including GAAPweb, totallylegal, SecsInTheCity and SmartNewHomes.
 
Launched in 1999, Fish4 operates one of the UK’s best-known websites for jobs, cars and homes.  Fish4jobs was one of the UK’s first mass-market recruitment websites and attracts over 3.3 million jobseekers every month.
 
David Black, Trinity Mirror’s Group Director of Digital Publishing, said: “Fish4 is an excellent addition to our digital portfolio. The acquisition demonstrates continued progress with our strategy of building a growing digital business of scale, and increasing our share of the online recruitment market.”
 
Paul Halliwell, Managing Director, Trinity Mirror Digital Recruitment and Property, said: “We have ambitious plans for the future of the Fish4 business. Fish4 is a strong brand, to which we will add considerable value for advertisers and consumers alike through our digital recruitment and classifieds expertise.”

UK, London

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Facebook’s Russian investor Mail.Ru Group plans an IPO on the London Stock Exchange this year

October 12, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

MAIL.RU GROUP has announced its intention to proceed with an offering of ordinary shares in the form of Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) to be admitted to a Standard Listing on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker “MAIL”.  One GDR will represent an interest in one ordinary share of the Company
 
The Offering is expected to consist of outstanding shares (in the form of GDRs) from existing shareholders and is expected to be completed by the end of 2010, subject to market conditions.  The Company has appointed Goldman Sachs International and J.P. Morgan as Joint Global Co-ordinators and, together with Morgan Stanley and VTB Capital, Joint Bookrunners in connection with the Offering. Pacific Crest Securities has been appointed Co-lead Manager in connection with the Offering.
 
Yuri Milner, Chairman of Mail.ru Group said: “I am very pleased to announce our intention to list on the London Stock Exchange, and we are proud to have reached this important milestone in our Company’s development.”
 
Dmitry Grishin, Chief Executive Officer added: “Russia is a very exciting and fast-paced Internet market and we are proud to be at the forefront of developments here.  With a highly engaged and fast growing Internet user community, our leading communications and entertainment platform targets significant growth opportunities that may arise from the more than 250 million Russian speakers worldwide. We believe we are well positioned to benefit from the expected growth of the Russian Internet advertising market and the increase in Internet Value Added Services.”

Mail.ru Group holds 2.38% shares of Facebook, 5.13% shares of Groupon and 1.47% shares of Zynga.

UK, London & Russia, Moscow

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DeNA to acquire mobile games developer ngmoco

October 12, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

DeNA today is acquiring ngmoco for up to US$400 million in cash and securities, creating the world’s largest mobile social games platform company.

ngmoco’s shareholders and employees will receive US$300 million in cash and securities and are entitled to additional consideration, up to a maximum of US$100 million, contingent upon the achievement of certain performance milestones through Dec. 31, 2011.

“In ngmoco and its team we see a lot of the same talent and dynamic traction that we have in the Japanese market, making the merger a perfect fit for us,” said Tomoko Namba, founder and CEO, DeNA. “This acquisition cements DeNA’s leadership position in the U.S. We’re building the largest mobile social gaming platform in the world and populating it with incredible games and services.”

Headquartered in San Francisco, and with studios in New York and Portland, ngmoco was founded in 2008 by games industry veterans Neil Young, Bob Stevenson, Alan Yu and Joe Keene. ngmoco’s games are played more than 50 million minutes a day and have been downloaded more than 60 million times on Apple’s iOS devices, resulting in 20 top 10 applications. The company’s Plus+ social network has over 13.5 million registered users, with more than 50 million friend connections and has been installed more than 86 million times. In September, ngmoco announced its commitment to the Android platform with games and services arriving in the fourth quarter.

“We are delighted to be joining forces with DeNA, a company that we have admired and aspired to,” said Neil Young, founder and CEO, ngmoco. “The opportunity to be a part of creating the number one social mobile game platform company and to benefit from the unique learning and knowledge that DeNA possesses is an amazing way to accelerate our vision for gaming.”

As a wholly owned subsidiary, ngmoco will be responsible for bringing DeNA’s “X-Device X-Border” strategy to Western markets by making DeNA’s Mobage a global service and platform for games. A key focus for the company is the creation of a unified open developer platform that combines ngmoco’s state of the art smartphone technology framework with DeNA’s pioneering Mobage Open SDK. The unified Mobage Smartphone Platform will allow developers to target both iOS & Android and access both Western and Japanese customers.

USA, San Francisco, CA

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