Canal+ acquires Nollywood film studio ROK

July 16, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Canal+CANAL+ Group has acquired ROK, the leading African film studio and international TV network, in a deal comprising production, content distribution and publishing channels. As part of the transaction, IROKO Ltd will also take full control of the JV IROKO+, the leading subscription video on demand (SVOD) platform in French-speaking Africa. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The move comes as CANAL+ Group looks to strengthen its content production reach in Nigeria and across Africa. As part of the acquisition, ROK founder, Mary Njoku, will continue in a leadership role as Director General of ROK Productions SAS and maintains a material shareholding in the company.

In Africa alone, ROK has produced over 540 movies and 25 original TV series, making ROK one of the most prolific production houses in Nollywood.

ROK will continue to produce Nollywood content to deliver movies and original TV series for CANAL+ Group’s audiences. As part of the acquisition, CANAL+ Group will continue to collaborate with IROKO Ltd, with a non-exclusive content distribution of ROK content via the IROKOtv SVOD app.

ROK was incubated from 2013 onwards by IROKO Ltd, the leading African digital content distributor for Nollywood content, whose flagship platform IROKOtv has transformed how Nollywood content is accessed and consumed around the world.

Speaking on the acquisition, Mary Njoku said, “ROK has captured the imagination of millions of movie fans, and they have truly supported us as we’ve grown the company to celebrate and enjoy our African culture. I’m excited to be taking our platform on the next stage of its journey with CANAL+ Group, who share our passion for creating original content, supporting new talent and together, we have ambitious plans for the future.”

France, Paris & Nigeria, Lagos

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Africa.com acquires iAfrica from Primedia and MTN

July 13, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

Africa.comMedia holding company Africa.com has acquired Primedia and MTN-owned news portal, iAfrica.com. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

iAfrica was founded in the late 1990s, and continues to serve as a news source. Africa.com chairman and CEO, Teresa Clarke, will serve as executive editor of iAfrica, whose content will continue to include a wide array of coverage of local and international news, business, sport, and lifestyle content.

Clarke said, “The acquisition of iAfrica creates a next generation South African media platform with a global reach. By acquiring iAfrica, we are able to combine editorial, technology, and marketing resources, bringing the benefits of more original content and better site performance to readers of both iAfrica and Africa.com”.

Laura Joseph, Africa.com’s Managing Director, added, “We are fusing a legendary African news portal with an innovative and dynamic management team under one umbrella. With combined resources, we will continue to make each site better and better.”

South Africa, Johannesburg & Cape Town

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Informa completes the takeover of UBM

June 18, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

InformaInforma has completed the takeover of UBM. The new Informa Group will employ more than 11,000 people. It will own and operate a portfolio of more than 500 exhibitions brands in 15 industry verticals including Health & Nutrition, Life Sciences & Pharma, and Real Estate & Construction. In addition, it will own a portfolio of confex/conference brands, a range of specialist information and intelligence brands; plus have capabilities in B2B consulting and marketing service.

The board of Informa will be as follows:

  • Derek Mapp (Non-Executive Chairman)
  • Greg Lock (Deputy Chairman)
  • Stephen A. Carter CBE (Chief Executive)
  • Gareth Wright (Group Finance Director)
  • Gareth Bullock (Senior Independent Non-Executive Director)
  • Mary McDowell (Non-Executive Director)
  • David Wei (Non-Executive Director)
  • Helen Owers (Non-Executive Director)
  • Cindy Rose (Non-Executive Director)
  • Stephen Davidson (Non-Executive Director
  • David Flaschen (Non-Executive Director)
  • John Rishton (Non-Executive Director)

Company announcements:

Previous reporting

UK, London

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Informa

UBM

 

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EA acquires Gamefly’s cloud gaming technology & talent

May 22, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts Inc. has acquired the cloud gaming technology assets and personnel of a wholly owned subsidiary of video game rental company GameFly, Inc. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Los Angeles-headquartered GameFly acquired Israel-based cloud gaming company Playcast Media Systems in 2015. The team will join EA’s functional teams, including the central technology organisation that is responsible for developing and operating the cutting-edge platform that powers EA’s leading games and services.

Cloud gaming opens up new possibilities to expand the reach of games by streaming high-quality entertainment to more players, on more devices, in more geographic regions of the world. With this acquisition, EA is adding to its strategic focus on advanced technologies that will give players more freedom to access the games they want, and enable the delivery of next-generation experiences at scale.

Ken Moss, Chief Technology Officer of Electronic Arts, said, “Cloud gaming is an exciting frontier that will help us to give even more players the ability to experience games on any device from anywhere. We’re thrilled to bring this talented team’s expertise into EA as we continue to innovate and expand the future of games and play.”

USA, Redwood City, CA & Israel, Caesarea

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Keshet acquires majority stake in Greenbird Media

March 12, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

Keshet InternationalKeshet International, the global production and distribution arm of Israeli media giant Keshet, has acquired a majority stake in UK production company incubator, investor and biz accelerator Greenbird Media. The deal sees Keshet up its share of Greenbird and take over BBC Worldwide’s 30% stake in the company. Further details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Greenbird, a venture from Shine TV executive Jamie Munro and Stuart Mullin from Argonon, was founded in 2012 and provides independent producers with access to innovative funding models and licensing deals to support their creative productions.

KI, known for “Homeland,” “The A Word” and “Rising Star,” will become distribution partner for Greenbird Media’s production companies and boost its roster with more entertainment and factual content, while Greenbird will continue to guide its independent producers in terms of funding and licensing deals for creative productions.

Alon Shtruzman, CEO of Keshet International, said, “Greenbird Media, with its entrepreneurial and creative culture, is the perfect match for us. We share similar philosophies and values, and by combining KI’s global footprint with Greenbird Media’s stellar team, I see limitless possibilities and accelerated growth.”

Israel, Jerusalem & UK, London

 

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dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa acquires exhibitions and publication from Hypenica

January 18, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

dmg MEAAdmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa has acquired five exhibitions, and an associated publication, focused on the construction and transport infrastructure sectors from South African media company Hypenica. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The events, African Construction Expo, Cape Construction Expo and KZN Construction Expo are a natural fit within dmg events’ existing construction portfolio. African Ports Evolution Forum and African Ports Evolution Forum – West Africa add a complementary transport element to the company’s existing customer base across industries such as construction, mining, power and logistics. Finally, Concrete Trends and its digital platform http://www.concrete.tv gives dmg events an established channel through which to support the events as well as deliver content and up to date business information all year round.

Matt Denton, President of dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, said, “We know Africa is a key geography for the future growth of our business, as well as those of our exhibitors and visitors. Adding these five events and the accompanying respected trade media to our portfolio is an excellent way to expand our regional reach, enabling us to leverage our sector expertise in new markets”.

KZN Construction Expo will be the first event to take place under new ownership, with the exhibition set to kick off in Durban, South Africa, on February 7 2018, followed by the African Construction Expo in Johannesburg in May.

UAE, Dubai & South Africa, Cape Town

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dmg events acquires Atticus events and hotel interior design series HI Design

January 5, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

dmg MEAAdmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, a leading international events company, has acquired boutique business forum organiser Atticus Events’ HI Design portfolio. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Focused specifically on the interior design of luxury hotels, HI Design organises specialist business meetings between key buyers from currently active hotel projects and a curated selection of International FF&E suppliers. With each edition held in a different five star hotel location, HI Design events are currently run annually in Europe, Asia and MEA.

Matt Denton, President of dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, said, “The HI Design portfolio dovetails perfectly with the work our teams do with INDEX and the growing selection of Hotel Shows. The acquisition of HI Design gives us another way to serve our market, bringing suppliers together with buyers from four and five-star hotel projects in a well-controlled atmosphere primed for doing good business.”

UAE, Dubai & UK, Hertfordshire

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Media Development Investment Fund acquires majority stake in South Africa’s Mail & Guardian

December 12, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

MDIF Media Development Investment FundMedia Development Investment Fund, a New York-based not-for-profit investment fund for independent media in emerging markets, has acquired a majority stake in South African media company Mail & Guardian. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The restructured ownership sees M&G’s Chief Executive Officer, Hoosain Karjieker, acquire a minority stake in the business as part of a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) transaction.

The Mail & Guardian is an award-winning South African title edited by Khadija Patel who was this week named as one of Africa’s leading talents by the New African magazine.

Trevor Ncube, the newspaper’s former publisher, said “My partner for 14 years, the MDIF, under the leadership of Harlan Mandel have put forward a compelling case plan that will ensure the survival of the M&G well into the future. Ownership of the M&G is equivalent to carrying a baton that gets passed on from generation to generation with just this underlying principle: Editorial independence is sacrosanct. I have often said my role over the past 25 years has been more of a custodian of a great South African asset, than an owner.”

USA, New York, NY & South Africa, Johannesburg

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GlobalData acquires MEED Media from Ascential for £17.5M

December 8, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

GlobalDataGlobalData PLC has announced the acquisition of MEED Media FZ LLC  from Ascential PLC for a cash consideration of $17.5 million. MEED, formerly known as the Middle East Economist Digest, provides premium business information content with an industry focus on infrastructure and projects in the Middle East. The business services its growing client base principally through annual subscription contracts.

As reported on Fusion DigiNet in January 2016, GlobalData Holding Limited, a company then owned by Mike Danson and Wayne Lloyd, was acquired by Progressive Digital Media Group Plc. Mike Danson is Executive Chairman of Progressive Digital Media Group.

Commenting on the acquisition Bernard Cragg, Executive Chairman of GlobalData, said: “MEED gives the Group the opportunity to further expand into a key region and adds an additional industry vertical to our offering whilst maintaining our disciplined investment criteria of premium proprietary content and strong renewable subscription based revenues.”

UK, London & UAE, Dubai

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XLMedia acquires ClicksMob

February 7, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

XLMediaXLMedia, a provider of digital performance marketing, is to acquire ClicksMob Inc, a mobile performance marketing platform for $5.1 million. The transaction was made through Dau-Up, XLMedia’s mobile marketing subsidiary. It is expected to complete during the first quarter of 2017.

ClicksMob generated unaudited revenues of $16.3 million and profit before tax of $0.3 million for year ended 31 December 2016.

ClicksMob delivers performance-based user acquisition to leading apps across a number of verticals, including gaming, e-commerce, travel, entertainment and finance. The addition of ClicksMob will provide Dau-Up with significant presence in Asia, with over 30% of ClicksMob 2016 revenues generated from the region.

As part of the transaction Dau-Up will acquire ClicksMob’s proprietary technologies such as audience matching, engine optimization and fraud fighting tools which will be integrated with Dau-Up’s own technology.

Ory Weihs, Chief Executive Officer of XLMedia, commented: “We are excited to announce the acquisition of ClicksMob, which combined with our own mobile marketing capabilities provides a significant future growth engine for the Group across key verticals.  This acquisition represents an excellent opportunity for XLMedia to further extend our reach in Asia in addition to strengthening our presence in North America. As mobile marketing becomes a driving force in the online marketing world, we see this as a strategic acquisition to further strengthen our offering in this important vertical.”

UK, London & Tel Aviv, Israel & St Helier, Jersey

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