M&C Saatchi sells its stake in Walker Media to Publicis Groupe

February 1, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

M&C SaatchiM&C Saatchi has sold its remaining 24.9% stake in media agency Walker Media to Publicis Groupe for £25 million in cash.

In the financial year ended 31 December 2017 Walker Media contributed associate income of £1.6m with the investment in associates valued at £10.7m on the balance sheet.

David Kershaw, CEO, M&C Saatchi, said, “M&C Saatchi has started many businesses. Walker Media was one of the first and has been one of the greatest. Christine, Phil and Simon have done a magnificent job, latterly with Publicis Media and we owe them all a huge debt of gratitude. M&C Saatchi has evolved considerably over the past 20 years and we believe now is the right time to realise the value of our minority stake, to support our entrepreneurial strategy of starting new businesses and building the stars of tomorrow.”

UK, London

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe. Tags: , , , . Leave a Comment »

Vivendi acquires French publisher Editis

January 31, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

VivendiVivendi has acquired 100% of the share capital of Editis, the second-largest French-language publishing group. The share purchase agreement with the vendor, Spanish group Planeta, was entered into on November 15, 2018, based on an enterprise value of €900 million. The French Competition Authority authorized the transaction unconditionally on January 2, 2019.

Vivendi and Editis share a recognised expertise in the development and management of rights to works of culture and the same passion for managing creativity and talent. This acquisition is a logical step in the building of a large content, media and communications group. It also marks the return of this French publishing powerhouse to a European group with a global reach.

Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Vivendi’s Chief Executive Officer, has taken on the additional role of Chairman of Editis. Pierre Conte has been confirmed as Chief Executive Officer of Editis.

Editis encompasses some fifty prestigious publishing houses (Nathan, Robert Laffont, Julliard, Plon, Belfond, Presses de la Cité, Pocket, Solar, …). With a large portfolio of internationally-acclaimed authors, 4,000 new books published each year and a catalogue of more than 45,000 titles, Editis is active in the fields of fiction, children’s books, non-fiction, graphic and illustrated books, educational & reference books. Editis employs 2,400 people.

France, Paris

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Publishers, ~Europe. Tags: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Marlowe acquires waste water solutions business Atana for up to £5M

January 31, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

 

Marlowe+PLC+logoMarlowe plc, the support services group, has acquired Atana Limited for up to £5 million.

Founded in 2001, Atana is a provider of wastewater treatment solutions to commercial organisations across the UK. Atana provides recurring services which ensure compliance with wastewater discharge regulations and reduce waste disposal costs. The business is headquartered in Leicestershire and employs around 20 staff.

AtanaFor the year to 31 December 2017, Atana had revenues of £5.1 million, profit before tax of £0.5 million and net assets of £0.4 million. The total enterprise value will comprise an upfront cash consideration of £3 million and a cash earn-out expected to be in the region of £3 million and capped at £5 million for regulatory purposes. The achievement of the £3 million earn-out is dependent upon the business generating EBITDA of £1.4 million in the 12-month period to 31 December 2020.

Alex Dacre, Chief Executive of Marlowe plc, said:

“The acquisition of Atana accelerates Marlowe’s strategy of broadening the capabilities of our Water division across the entire regulated water management cycle. It enables us to provide additional water services to our customers and strengthens our competitive proposition and ability to cross-sell, both within and across our operating divisions.”

UK, London & UK, Coalville, Leicestershire

Related Articles:

Posted in B2B Services, Consultancy, Energy & Environmental Services, Water, ~Europe. Leave a Comment »

reach4entertainment to acquire 50% stake in Buzz 16 Productions

January 30, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

r4ereach4entertainment enterprises plc, an entertainment marketing communications group, is to acquire 50% of the issued share capital of Buzz 16 Productions Limited. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Buzz 16, which was founded in 2016, creates both short and long form sports orientated content and is co-owned by shareholders including former Manchester United player and broadcaster, Gary Neville, along with former Sky Sports Premier League producer, Scott Melvin.

Gary Neville

Gary Neville sells 50% of Buzz 16

Buzz 16 has been responsible for a number of sports-related productions in recent years, including “Class of 92: Full Time”, which became Sky Sports most downloaded series in 2018, and “SoccerBox”.

Gary, Scott and the Buzz 16 team will continue to develop cross-platform original content but will further expand Buzz 16’s offering by partnering with r4e and its management team to diversify into new marketing-focused verticals. CEO of r4e Marc Boyan will join Gary & Scott as Directors of the Buzz 16 and will take an active role in building out combined capabilities.

Commenting on the acquisition, Marc Boyan, CEO of R4E, said, “We are delighted to be working with Gary, Scott and the team as Buzz 16 embarks on its next phase of growth. Our investment in Buzz 16 was the culmination of a competitive process and is testament to the fact that our vision for the Group has broad appeal. This exciting partnership brings with it a number of important synergies. While it will provide r4e with exposure to the sports media sector, we see a great opportunity to help Buzz 16 develop a marketing services offering and provide leading brands with powerful strategies to meaningfully engage with their audiences across sponsorship, talent partnerships, experiential and sports marketing. We believe Buzz 16 will be a valuable addition to the r4e family.”

Gary Neville, who is co-owner of Buzz 16, added, “We are proud to produce engaging content of the highest quality, so welcoming r4e’s marketing communications expertise and network is the next natural stage to strengthen our proposition and ultimately broaden our offering to a wider audience. We started Buzz 16 to give people the chance to engage with sports and live entertainment in a different way so this partnership means we can do more of that. Having spent a lot of time with Marc, I am excited by his plans for the Group as well as his forward thinking approach to providing a differentiated and value enhancing service to clients.”

UK, London

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Infopro Digital to acquire B2B publisher DOCUgroup

January 29, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

InfoPro DigitalInfopro Digital group is to enter into the acquisition of DOCUgroup, taking a major step in its international expansion. The acquisition will be financed with additional indebtedness, available cash on hand at the group level and an equity contribution from the shareholders of Infopro Digital group. The majority shareholder of Infopro Digital, alongside management of the group, is TowerBrook. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

DOCUgroup is a leader in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in business information for the construction, architecture and real estate industries.

DOCUgroup has two main activities: Project Information, whose flagship brand is IBAU, an online subscription platform that references almost 1 million private and public real estate projects; and Product Information, with leading brands such as Heinze and Baunetz, which are digital platforms that enable architects and planners to access databases and detailed information for over 500,000 products. These platforms attract around 15 million online visits each year.

Infopro Digital also offers services to professionals in the building industry in France, Belgium and the Netherlands through Le Moniteur and Vecteur Plus.

Over 500 employees will join the Infopro Digital group, to bring the total to more than 3,200 people worldwide. DOCUgroup generates a turnover of 67 million EUR, which will allow Infopro Digital to reach a turnover of approximately 440 million EUR once the acquisition is completed.

Christophe Czajka, Executive Chairman of Infopro Digital, said,“With the acquisition of DOCUgroup, we become a truly European BtB and Data company. The share of our turnover generated outside of France increased from 14% to 35% in less than a year. Over 1,300 group employees will be based in Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, Hong Kong, and Tunisia.”

Julien Elmaleh, CEO of Infopro Digital, added, “The DOCUgroup DNA fits perfectly with that of Infopro Digital: databases and digital platforms allowing professionals to develop their commercial activity and have detailed and high quality business information. Combined, we will have an unmatched offer for professionals in the building industry”.

France, Ile-de-France & Germany, Munich

Posted in B2B Services, Consultancy, Content Media, Information Management, Market Data & Information, Publishers, ~Europe. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

ZDF Enterprises invests in Nadcon Film

January 28, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

ZDF EnterprisesZDF Enterprises, the commercial arm of German public broadcaster ZDF, has acquired shares in Nadcon Film, gaining a majority stake in the company. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Nadcon Film was founded in 2012 by Peter Nadermann and Constantin Film, and specialises in co-producing film and television projects, mainly with international partners. Nadermann will remain the managing director of the German company following ZDF Enterprises’ takeover of the majority of the shares previously held by Constantin Film.

Fred Burcksen, president and CEO of ZDF Enterprises, said, “We are pleased to be able to resume our successful collaboration while taking on a corporate structure. ZDF Enterprises and Peter Nadermann set the trend many years ago by being the first to invest in Scandinavian crime series and successfully distribute them around the globe. The result: the widely recognised international interest in ‘Nordic Noir’ remains as strong and steady as ever. We are confident that we will be able to come up with new ideas and create trends within this new cooperation.”

Germany, Mainz & Munich

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~Europe. Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Immediate Media acquires Upper Street Events

January 25, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Immediate MediaImmediate Media Co, the special interest content and platform company, is to acquire Upper Street Events Ltd, one of the UK’s leading producers of consumer enthusiast events. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Upper Street Events is a specialist producer of over 15 events a year at the heart of the UK’s art & design, craft, cycling, dance and specialist travel scene. The acquisition of Upper Street significantly strengthens Immediate’s strategic audience development capabilities. The alignment of the special interest events, such as craft, with Immediate’s existing portfolio of brands, should create future growth opportunities.

Immediate reaches over 22 million UK consumers monthly across a range of special interest sectors, including food, cycling, parenting, weddings and craft. In the craft sector alone, Immediate reaches four million active crafters every month across its current content platforms.

Immediate Media CEO Tom Bureau said, “The acquisition of Upper Street Events is a further step in Immediate’s multiplatform transformation complementing our strategy of focusing on special interest content and communities. We see significant opportunities for growth and development in the events space, both in the markets Upper Street already operate in and with our portfolio of market-leading brands. This deal enhances our ability to offer our consumers world class content, products, services and experiences, across print, digital and live events.”

UK, London

Related articles:

Posted in Conference/Exhibitions/Events, Content Media, Publishers, ~Europe. Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

DVV Media media acquires Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International

January 21, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

dvv mediaDVV Media International has acquired Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International (HLPFI). The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2007 by Ian Matheson and Peter Edwards, HLPFI is read by professionals involved in the logistics of over-dimensional and heavy cargoes. It has a distribution of around 19,500.

Based in Sutton, Surrey, DVV Media International is the UK-based division of DVV Media, the publishing division of German media business Rheinische Post. The company’s portfolio of publications in the transport and logistics sector include: Deutsche Verkehrs Zeitung; Schiff und Hafen; Ship and Offshore; Air Cargo News; Motor Transport; Railway Gazette International; and Commercial Motor, among others.

DVV Media International’s managing director, Andy Salter, said that HLPFI is a logical fit within the company’s growing portfolio of products: “At present, we publish a number of market-leading transport and logistics titles covering the road, rail, shipping and aviation sectors.

“HLPFI covers a niche but essential part of the infrastructure supply chain, has a powerful international audience and has huge potential for growth.

“The DVV events division has already been working with the HLPFI team on the development and launch of the Heavy Lift Awards event, which will take place in October 2019. We fully expect to announce further developments in the months ahead and we look forward to working with the HLPFI team and seeing this division develop strongly.”

All HLPFI staff members have transferred to DVV Media International as part of the takeover; HLPFI magazine will continue to be headquartered in the London Borough of Bromley.

UK, Sutton, Surrey & Bomley, Kent

Related articles:

Posted in Conference/Exhibitions/Events, Content Media, Publishers, ~Europe. Leave a Comment »

Reed Exhibitions to acquire Mack Brooks Exhibitions

January 15, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Reed ExhibitionsReed Exhibitions, a division of the RELX Group, has agreed to acquire Mack Brooks Exhibitions, adding a major line-up of industry-leading brands to Reed’s global portfolio. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Mack Brooks Exhibitions was established in 1965 and features more than 30 B2B events in 14 countries, including Germany and the UK, serving nine industry sectors. Flagship brands include EuroBLECH (sheet metal working technology); inter airport (airport infrastructure and technology); Fastener Fair (fastener and fixing technology); Chemspec (fine and speciality chemicals); RAILTEX (rail infrastructure and technology); ICE Europe (paper, film and foil converting); CCE (manufacturing and converting corrugated and cartonboard); PSE Europe (plastics) and InPrint (print technology for industrial manufacturing).

A broad programme of geo-cloning has successfully positioned many of these brands and related adjacencies outside Germany and the UK to include a presence today in countries including France, Italy, the United States, Mexico, China, Singapore, Thailand, India and Turkey.

Chet Burchett, CEO of Reed Exhibitions, said, “Mack Brooks is widely recognised as a market leading exhibitions organiser and bringing these shows together with Reed Exhibitions’ own strengths in delivering customer value and innovation represents an exceptional opportunity, For customers, we will be able to add value through capabilities such as our International Sales Group, innovative digital tools and increasingly sophisticated customer matchmaking programmes. For employees, Reed Exhibitions will provide exciting new opportunities. The acquisition is in line with our organic growth driven strategy, supported by acquisitions of targeted show portfolios that are natural additions to our existing business.”

UK, London & St. Albans

Related articles:

Posted in Conference/Exhibitions/Events, Content Media, ~Europe. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Next 15 acquires Planning-inc for up to £15M

January 11, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Next15Next Fifteen Communications Group plc, a digital communications group, has acquired Planning-Inc Limited, a predictive analytics and data marketing business.

Planning-inc is a UK-based marketing, data and technology agency. Following the Acquisition Planning-inc will continue to operate as an independent brand as part of the Next 15 Network.

The initial consideration for the acquisition is approximately £6.3 million, made up of £5.4 million in cash and the issue of 187,943 new ordinary shares in Next 15. Further deferred payments may be payable around April 2019 with a top-up payment based on the EBITDA performance of Planning-inc for the year ended 31 December 2018, and around April 2021 and April 2023 based on the EBIT performance of Planning-inc in the 2-year periods ending 31 January 2021 and 31 January 2023 respectively. The maximum total consideration is expected to be £15 million.

For the year ended 31 December 2017, Planning-inc reported EBIT and profit before tax of £1.3 million, and gross assets of £2.7 million.

The senior management team will continue to lead the business which includes clients such as Argos, M&S, Halfords and Sony.

Tim Dyson, CEO of Next 15 commented: “Next 15 believes marketing is a technology and data-driven activity. As a result we are committed to investing in these areas alongside the creative aspects of marketing. Planning-inc’s focus on using data science and analytics to inform and design great marketing programmes fits beautifully with our strategy. We are excited to have them as a part of the group and believe they will work with a number of the agencies in the group”.

UK, London

Related articles:

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe. Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »