Thomson Reuters acquires Mastersaf

May 19, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Thomson Reuters has acquired Mastersaf, a provider of tax and accounting solutions for companies operating in Brazil. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Mastersaf offers a wide array of products and solutions including a tax and accounting compliance suite; E-invoicing software that facilitates digital registration and approval of invoices under Brazilian reporting regulations; and LegisCenter, an online information portal for tax rates and rules.

“The addition of Mastersaf is a key step in fulfilling our strategy to expand our professional services across Latin America,” said Gonzalo Lissarrague, president, Latin America for Thomson Reuters Professional Division. “We are pleased to welcome their exceptional management and staff to the Thomson Reuters family. Mastersaf also brings a highly valued and successful distribution network.”

In June DigiNet reported Thomson Reuters had acquired Revista dos Tribunais, also in Brazil.

Mastersaf’s LegisCenter information sets will be integrated into Revista dos Tribunais and Checkpoint.

USA, New York, NY & Brazil, Sao Paulo

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Publicis Groupe acquires Tailor Made

April 29, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Publicis Groupe is acquiring Tailor Made, a Brazilian independent advertising agency established by Paulo Giovanni. According to the terms of the agreement, Publicis Groupe immediately acquires a minority stake of the new agency, and has the possibility of increasing its participation to 100% by 2013. The agency will be integrated into Leo Burnett Brazil, which will be renamed Leo Burnett Tailor Made. It will be chaired by Paulo Giovanni, newly named CEO of Leo Burnett Tailor Made.

Leo Burnett Tailor Made will work out of Leo Burnett’s current offices in Sao Paulo, and will provide its clients with the full range of communications services. With 160 communications professionals, the agency will service clients including Fiat, Procter & Gamble, Rossi, Samsung, Walmart / Sam’s Club, Phillip Morris, Camil, Emirates, Chrysler Group and Radio Disney.

Brazil is an important market for Publicis Groupe. Today’s announcement is the third transaction for Publicis Groupe this month in Brazil, following the acquisition of GP7, and the increased participation (60%) in the Talent Group. Publicis Groupe’s 2010 operations in Brazil include the acquisitions of Taterka (minority share) and AG2.

Tom Bernardin said: “Our objectives for Leo Burnett Brazil are bold and aggressive. With our already strong presence in the market and a reputation for creative excellence, the acquisition of Tailor Made, and most importantly the leadership of Paulo Giovanni, we are better positioned than ever to take advantage of the opportunities in this booming market. Paulo is a proven leader and I am delighted to welcome him to the Leo Burnett Worldwide leadership team.”

France, Paris & Brazil, San Paulo

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Publicis Groupe to acquire GP7

April 29, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Publicis Groupe is to acquire GP7, a Sao Paulo-based advertising agency focused on emerging social classes as well as travel and tourism. The agency will be renamed Publicis Red Lion (a unit of Publicis Brazil), and will be aligned with Publicis Worldwide. The CEO of GP7, Joao Fernando Vassao, will become Managing Director of Publicis Red Lion and will henceforth report to Orlando Marques, CEO of Publicis Brazil.

GP7 was established in 2004 and employs 40 communications specialists. The agency offers the full range of advertising and communications services including creative work, corporate communication, strategic planning, media buying and marketing services. Key clients include CVC Turismo (largest tour operator in Latin America), Car System (car satellite monitoring system), Yakult (dairy products), Webjet Linhas Aereas (airline company), GJP Hotels & Resorts, and GJP Participacoes (investment company).

This transaction follows Publicis Groupe’s acquisition of a majority stake in the Talent Group last week, as well as 2010 operations such as acquiring Taterka (minority share) and AG2. Bolstering its presence in Brazil remains a key strategic priority for Publicis Groupe.

Publicis Groupe has nearly 1, 200 employees in Brazil and is present through its global networks Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, VivaKi, and MSLGROUP.

Jean-Yves Naouri, Executive Chairman of Publicis Worldwide, “GP7 is yet another step forward in Publicis Worldwide’s growth strategy in Brazil which is now its third regional market. This acquisition not only bolsters our teams but also broadens the range of services we can offer our clients at local and international levels.”

France, Paris & Brazil, San Paulo

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Publicis Groupe takes a majority Stake in Brazil’s Talent Group

April 21, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Publicis Groupe has acquired a further 11% in Brazil’s Talent Group, bringing its stake up to 60%. The increased participation follows Publicis Groupe’s acquisition of 49% of the agency in October 2010. This latest move does not impact Talent management, and the agency remains under the leadership of founding partners Julio Ribeiro and Paulo Zoega. Talent will continue to align under the Publicis Worldwide global advertising network. Publicis Groupe will be able to consolidate Talent in its numbers from April 5, 2011.

With more than 230 employees, Talent is one of the most prominent advertising groups in Brazil, and provides advertising services such as strategy, creative, media planning, digital communication, below-the-line, promotion, activation and mass media communication. The agency services clients such as Semp Toshiba (electronics), Santander (banking), Net (cable TV, internet and telephone operator), Ipiranga (fuel), Tigre (PVC products), Alpargatas (fashion), Dicico (home improvement), Serasa Experian (database management), Jequiti Cosmeticos (beauty and health care), Mapfre (insurance), Ovomaltine (food and beverage), Adria Alimentos (food) and Monsanto (biotechnology).

This transaction is in line with Publicis Groupe’s strategy of targeted acquisitions aimed at bolstering its presence in high-growth markets such as Brazil. According to ZenithOptimedia forecasts (April 2011), Brazil ad expenditure grew by 18.1% in 2010. The forecasts predict a 9.5% increase over the course of 2011, followed by 7.0% and 7.2% growth in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Brazil is to become the sixth ad market in the world in 2011.

Publicis Groupe has close to 900 employees in Brazil and is present through its global networks Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, VivaKi, and MSLGROUP.

Comments Jean-Yves Naouri, Chief Operating Officer Publicis Groupe & Executive Chairman Publicis Worldwide, “Brazil is one of the most promising markets in the world and Talent is one of the most accomplished agencies in Brazil. This partnership will fuel growth for both partners and signals Publicis Worldwide’s continued intent to build strength in fast moving BRIC markets”.

France, Paris & Brazil

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VC Funding in the solar sector off to a Strong Start With Q1 Coming in at $658 Million

April 12, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Mercom Capital Group, llc, a global clean energy communications and consulting firm, today released funding and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the solar sector for the first quarter of 2011.Venture capital (VC) funding in the solar sector came in at $658M in 25 deals, compared to $238M in the previous quarter. The trend was similar with M&A activity amounting to $1.4B in 18 transactions for Q1, compared to $266M in Q4 2010.

“Looking at the first quarter funding activities, it is clear that VC investor’s appetite for solar has not gone away. In fact, this was the best VC funding quarter since Q2 of 2010 and the second best quarter since Q4 of 2008,” commented Raj Prabhu, Managing Partner at Mercom Capital Group.The top five funding deals were $201M raised by BrightSource Energy, a concentrated solar power (CSP) company. MiaSole, a CIGS thin-film panel maker raised $106M; Alta Devices, a GaAs thin-film developer raised $72M; Solopower, a CIGS flexible thin-film maker, raised $51.6M; and Kiran Energy, a project developer raised $30M.

Thin film companies attracted the most funding with $283M raised in seven deals. CIGS was the most popular technology within thin films accounting for $196M in four deals. CSP companies raised $212M in three deals, followed by $84M raised by solar downstream companies in six deals.Top VC investors included Crosslink, Vantage Point, Convexa, Hudson Clean Energy and Kleiner Perkins.

In continuing with last year’s trend, VC arms of companies remained active in the sector, including Alstom, BP, GE, Chevron, Dow Chemical, Intel and Hanwha. California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), a pension fund, also invested.

Of the $9.8B announced in debt and other funding, Jinko Solar received $7.6B in credit from Bank of China.

For a complete list of solar transactions, visit: http://mercomcapital.com/cleanenergyreports.php

USA, Austin, TX

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Bergen Energi forms global energy management alliance

March 8, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Here is a story we missed in early February:

Energy services company Bergen Energi, has formed a strategic alliance with US based Delta Energy and Brazilian Comerc Energia. The alliance, known as Energy Experts, is created with the mission to offer a global solution to serve the energy management and data reporting needs of industrial and commercial clients with facilities around the world.

Bergen Energi is also cooperating with energy data management company Entech USB.

The global energy markets have over the last decades seen a rapid development. Deregulation in the markets for, inter alia, electricity and gas, the emergence of increasingly international markets and a sharpened focus on CO2-emissions related to energy consumption are three key features of this development.

Bill Schjelderup, CEO and founder of Bergen Energi says: “Just as global companies demand financial and legal consulting from advisors with a global reach they now request the same reach from their energy management advisors. They need expertise and tools to benefit from price movements in a global market. They need frequently updated reports on their worldwide energy consumption, cost and carbon footprint. Via the Energy Expert Alliance we will be able to provide these services in a comprehensive and comprehensible way – also to clients with global operations”.

The member companies of Energy Experts combine more than 285 energy experts serving over 1,200 clients with facilities in North America, Europe and South America. The alliance plans to expand Energy Experts’ presence into additional geographies in the coming months.

Bergen Energi: Norway, Bergen
Delta Energy: USA, Columbus, OH
Comerc Energia: Brazil, Sao Paulo
Entech USB: London

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Reed Exhibitions acquires Brazil’s Multiplus Fairs and Events

February 28, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Reed Exhibitions Brazil has acquired Multiplus Fairs and Events, adding a strategically vital component to its growing global energy portfolio while also opening the door to new markets within the expanding Brazilian economy.

Multiplus, located in Ribeirao Preto in Sao Paulo State, organizes the leading ethanol manufacturing event in Brazil – Fenasucro – as well as the co-located agri-industrial event Agrocana. The company also works with Unica (Brazil’s sugarcane industry association) to produce the Brasil Ethanol Tradeshow alongside the association’s ethanol conference in Sao Paulo. In the northeastern city of Pernambuco, Multiplus produces a third event related to sugar cane and ethanol, Sucronor.

Brazil is the second largest producer of ethanol fuel after the USA and the world’s largest ethanol exporter. In 2009, Brazil produced 38% of the world’s total ethanol used as fuel and according to the Brazil Institute the country is the world’s “first sustainable bio-fuel economy.” At present, 90 percent of all new cars produced in Brazil run on “flex fuel.” According to the Brazil Ministry of Agriculture, as many as 100 new ethanol production plants will be built by 2014 to keep pace with demand. Nearly eight million hectares of sugar cane are under cultivation, but Unica expects this to increase to 14 million hectares by 2020.

“Multiplus is an important step in securing our position in the broader energy market of Brazil and, just as important, it is a key strategic element in our global renewable energy strategy,” said Chet Burchett, President of Reed Exhibitions Americas and a member of the company’s global board. “And Multiplus also puts us into important markets in Brazil’s Northeast and the interior of Sao Paulo State, with management that has proven its ability to launch and manage brands across a variety of industry sectors. That’s important in our long-term growth goals for Brazil.”

Reed Exhibitions has been active in Brazil since 1997, but in 2007 the company embarked on an aggressive plan for growth with the acquisition of a majority interest in Alcantara Machado and the formation of Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Machado (RXAM). Overnight, Reed became the largest tradeshow organizer in Brazil. In 2009, the selective acquisition of MG Media added the oil & gas-related Brazil Offshore to the RXAM portfolio of events as well as Salao Duas Rodas, the leading motorcycle event that joined the existing portfolio of Solao do Automovel (Brazil’s #1 auto show) and Fenetran, the country’s top truck and transportation event.

“Our goals for acquisition in Brazil are focused on strategic value. We already have the scale necessary for market leadership. Now, we are working a long-term plan with a clear understanding of where we want to play and how we intend to win,” Burchett said.

The addition of Multiplus opens the door to the furniture market in Brazil for Reed as well, with Movexpo e Brasil in Recife (the largest event in its sector in Brazil’s Northeast); Movinter, which is moving from Mirassol to Sao Paulo in 2012; and Salao Abimovel in Sao Paulo which Multiplus organizes on a management contract for the Moverergs, the furniture trade association.

Other events acquired as part of the deal include niche industrial services tradeshows (Forind and Forind Nordeste) in Sao Paulo and Recife, respectively, and a food service technology event (FFATIA) in Goiania, located in Brazil’s central western region.

Multiplus principals Augusto Balieiro and Fernando Barbosa will remain with the company and provide ongoing management of the existing events and new launches. Headquarters for the operation and its 38 employees will remain in Ribeirao Preto. Multiplus will report to Juan Pablo de Vera, who oversees RXAM as its president and is the senior executive for RX Brazil.

Sao Paulo

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Investments in green companies and technologies globally now total more than $2 trillion

February 22, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

A new report from Ethical Markets Media which tracks private investments since 2007 in green companies and technologies globally, says investments now total more than $2 trillion.

The Green Transition Scoreboard® (GTS) represents time-based, global research of non-government investments and commitments for all facets of green markets. This update of the GTS totals  $2,005,048,785,088 from 2007 to the end of 2010. This is significant because many studies indicate that investing $1 trillion annually until 2020 will accelerate the Green Transition worldwide.  The updated 2010 finding puts global investors and countries on track to reach the $10 trillion in investments goal by 2020.

Hazel Henderson, D.Sc.Hon., FRSA, former US government technology advisor and president of Ethical Markets Media said, “this new total is remarkable in spite of economic uncertainty.  It indicates that the global transition away from the 300-year fossil-fueled Industrial Era is accelerating toward the cleaner, greener, information-rich economies of the 21st century.”

Timothy Nash, M.Sc., Senior Advisor to Ethical Markets Media, adds, “This over $2 trillion total does not include nuclear, ‘clean’ coal or CCS, nor biofuels from food or agricultural sources, which we consider unsustainable.”

Rosalinda Sanquiche, Ethical Markets Media’s Executive Director and editor of the Green Transition Scoreboard® report, points out, “this startling amount does not include thousands of deals under $100 million, which we hope to include in future reports.  We have added and will continue to track our exclusive Corporate R&D sub-report and invite companies to alert us to any investments we may have missed.”

The full report is available at www.greentransitionscoreboard.com.

USA: St. Augustine, FL

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Quepasa to acquire Brazilian Social Game Development Studio for $4 million

February 4, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Quepasa Corporation, creator and operator of Quepasa.com, the online social network for the Latino community, is to acquire XtFt Games S/S Ltda (XtFt), the owner of substantially all the assets of TechFront Desenvolvimento de Software S/S Ltda (TechFront), a social game development studio based in Curitiba, Brazil.

Quepasa will acquire XtFt for net consideration of approximately $4 million, comprised of $3.7 million in shares of Quepasa common stock (as determined by Quepasa’s average closing price over a 10-day period) and a $300,000 brokerage fee. XtFt’s key partners have also been offered option-based retention packages. The transaction will close upon the delivery of all outstanding items outlined in the agreement.

Founded in 2006 as a developer of multiplatform console, Web and mobile games, TechFront began developing social games for the Orkut platform in 2010 in partnership with various international publishers, including U.S.-based eGames.

The acquisition of XtFt will allow its team of 41 full-time game developers to focus on developing culturally relevant social gaming IP for the Quepasa platform and other social networks with audiences in Latin America. The acquisition will also better position Quepasa to capitalize, as both a publisher of social games and a platform for playing social games, on the rapid growth and monetization of social games throughout Latin America.

Quepasa recently reported that its membership base increased 255% in 2010 to total more than 27.2 million registered users. The site added 2.2 million users and generated 16.4 million unique visits in December 2010, compared to 1.2 million new users and 7.1 million unique visits in December 2009. Page views increased to 184 million page views in December 2010 from 175 million in the previous month.

Brazil, Curitiba  & USA, West Palm Beach, FL

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US information industry M&A report shows deal value and volume Up 36%

January 7, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Berkery Noyes has released its 2010 Information Market M&A Trends Report. The report analyses merger and acquisition activity in the US Information Industry in 2010 and compares it with activity in the three previous years.

Highlights

  • Transaction volume in 2010 surpassed 2009 by 36 percent, climbing to 2,046 transactions.
  • Transaction value has increased by 36 percent as well, with $112 billion in aggregate acquisition value.
  • The median revenue and EBITDA multiple both increased over 2009, with the revenue multiple rising to 1.8 and the EBITDA multiple to 11.2, a 29 percent increase over the 8.7 of 2009.

“Multiples have started to make a return to pre-crisis levels,” said James Berkery, CIO of Berkery Noyes. “There are more deals happening and there are higher valuations. While we’re not at the levels we saw in 2007, I think we’re well on the road to recovery.”

Strategic acquirers have been the most common acquirer in the industry, yet financially sponsored transactions rose 39 percent by value over 2009 while losing 2 percent in volume over 2009. This trend of larger financially sponsored transactions is further evidenced by two of the top seven deals by value this year being made by financial acquirers: Interactive data Corporation’s acquisition by Warbug Pincus and Silver Lake Partners for $3.2 billion and Visma ASA’s acquisition by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. for $1.9 billion.

Google was not only the most active buyer in the information industry in 2010, with 28 acquisitions, but was also the most active buyer from 2007 through 2010, with 48 transactions during that time.

The largest transaction in 2010 was Intel Corporation’s announced acquisition of McAfee, Inc., for $7.55 billion.

To view the full report click here:

USA, New York, NY

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