Sempra Energy Solutions sold to Noble Group

November 3, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

 

Sempra Energy and The Royal Bank of Scotland today completed the sale of the San Diego-based Sempra Energy Solutions unit of their RBS Sempra Commodities joint venture to Noble Group.

The final purchase price was $318 million in cash, plus the assumption of all debt.

The remaining principal North American assets of RBS Sempra Commodities are being sold to JP Morgan Ventures Energy. That transaction, which was announced Oct. 7, is expected to close next month. In July, Sempra Energy and RBS completed the sale of the joint venture’s global metals and oil businesses, and European natural gas and power businesses to JP Morgan Chase & Co.

Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2009 revenues of more than $8 billion. The Sempra Energy companies’ 13,800 employees serve about 25 million consumers worldwide.

USA, San Diego, CA

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Thomson Reuters acquires Highline Financial

November 2, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Thomson Reuters has acquired Highline Financial, a financial information and analytics provider focused on the US banking sector. The acquisition supports Thomson Reuters strategy of providing timely, accurate and high quality information by expanding its offering to include differentiated financial content and analytics for the banking and capital markets sector.

Market dynamics are creating a strong need for deep data and analytics as the financial sector experiences a tremendous level of new regulatory oversight, post crisis performance monitoring, bank closures and overall industry consolidation. The combination of Thomson Reuters and Highline Financial will provide Thomson Reuters clients with access to Highline Financial’s comprehensive public company and regulatory database which comprises 20 years of historical data covering 20,000 financial institutions, with over 24,000 filed and calculated financial data points and ratios maintained in the system on a daily basis. Highline Financial clients will benefit from having access to the depth and breadth of Thomson Reuters global content, support and infrastructure. The information will be available on Thomson Reuters Eikon, Thomson Reuters recently launched next-generation desktop, in 2011.

“The recent turmoil in the markets makes access to financial data more important than ever to our clients,” said Neil Masterson, Global Head of Investment Banking, Thomson Reuters. “With the acquisition of Highline Financial, Thomson Reuters can provide the banking and capital markets sector with the financial industry-specific analytics they need to drive deal activity.”

“This acquisition will create a significantly larger financial information and analytics platform for Highline Financial by enabling the company to leverage Thomson Reuters global reach and expertise to better serve its clients,” said Terry Waters, President & CEO, Highline Financial. “Both companies are committed to providing the most timely, accurate and complete financial information available and the combination of the two creates an industry leader in this space.”

Highline Financial is a portfolio company of Spire Capital Partners.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

USA, New York, NY

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GfK acquires custom research network Interscope

November 2, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

 The GfK Group has acquired 100% ownership of US company Interscope, LLC. Interscope is a leading marketing consulting organization that focuses on helping companies build their brands at retail.  The acquisition contributes to the growth of GfK Custom Research North America.  Interscope will remain in their Westport, CT location.

Interscope complements GfK Custom Research North America’s expanding shopper marketing and insights practice.  By combining GfK’s research expertise and analytical capabilities with Interscope’s consulting discipline and training expertise the company has created a truly integrated shopper marketing practice.  The synergies resulting from this combination will lead to a compelling and unique value proposition for clients. 

“The acquisition of Interscope enhances our ability to provide custom shopper insights solutions and to develop executable strategies and tactics that our clients can use to build healthier brands and strengthen customer loyalty at retail,” said Thomas Finkle, Chief Client Services Officer, GfK Custom Research North America. 

“This new combined approach of fusing shopper research, category management and shopper marketing into a common growth platform adds great value to our clients and the marketplace,” said Gary Schanzer, one of the Interscope principals.

In 2010, Interscope had a staff of 22 employees. Interscope’s clients span leading companies in the consumer packaged goods, general merchandise, apparel, technology and healthcare industries.

USA, New Yoyk, NY & Westport, CT

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Kabam Acquires Social Game Developer WonderHill

November 1, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Kabam, a leading developer of real games for social networks best known for creating the breakout social game, Kingdoms of Camelot, has acquired high-end social game developer, WonderHill. The San Francisco-based WonderHill developed the strategy social game Dragons of Atlantis and other quality games including the popular Facebook game Tattoo City and the MySpace title GreenSpot. Under the arrangement, WonderHill will officially become Kabam’s San Francisco studio, adding experienced development talent, IP, and over 2 million monthly active players to Kabam’s rapidly growing portfolio.

“Due to the traction of our strategy game, Dragons of Atlantis, we’ve been called on by a large number of potential acquirers”.

“WonderHill’s talent, analytics technology, and culture of quality game development fits extremely well with our existing approach and portfolio,” said Kabam CEO Kevin Chou. “WonderHill’s new direction in Flash-based strategy games with Dragons of Atlantis makes them a perfect complement to Kabam as we aggressively grow our business in deeply engaging social games. With our recent infusion of seasoned executive leadership, we have a solid foundation in place to integrate outstanding development talent like WonderHill.”

WonderHill founders James Currier and Stan Chudnovsky will stay on as advisors while the development team of approximately 25 will transition into Kabam employees. The new Kabam San Francisco will complement Kabam’s Redwood City headquarters by continuing to build titles like Dragons of Atlantis while also creating new, yet to be announced projects that will aid in further building out Kabam’s diverse portfolio of real social games.

“Due to the traction of our strategy game, Dragons of Atlantis, we’ve been called on by a large number of potential acquirers,” said WonderHill CEO James Currier. “Kabam’s strategy to focus on deep strategy games is the same as ours, so rather than competing, combining with them gives us both a better shot to build the dominant company in the space. They’ve got the right culture, the right focus, and enormous momentum. We’re proud to be associated with these guys. Watch this space.”

With the acquisition, Kabam continues its explosive growth. The company has expanded from 20 employees in one office at the beginning of 2010 to over 200 staff in four offices on three continents today. The company recently announced it added executives from Blizzard, PlayFirst, and PayPal to its management team, continuing the trend of growing its talent pool as it aggressively expands for its next operational phase—evolving and increasing its leadership in making rich and engaging social games. WonderHill is Kabam’s first acquisition, and terms of the deal were not disclosed.

USA, Redwood City, CA

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Morningstar to acquire Annuity Intelligence business of Advanced Sales and Marketing Corp.

October 23, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Morningstar a leading provider of independent investment research, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the annuity intelligence business of Advanced Sales and Marketing Corp. (ASMC) based in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. Morningstar expects to complete the transaction in the next few weeks. The purchase price is $14.1 million, subject to post-closing adjustments.

The Annuity Intelligence Report (AI Report), one of ASMC’s two product lines, is a web-based service that helps broker-dealers, insurers, and the financial professionals they support better understand and more effectively present variable annuity products to their clients. The AI Report service leverages a proprietary database of more than 1,000 variable annuities that includes “plain-English” translations of complex but important information found in prospectuses and other public filings. AI Report’s simplified format helps to better ensure that investors understand what they are purchasing and that advisors are meeting suitability review requirements and properly structuring annuity contracts. The AI Report includes FINRA-reviewed single annuity and side-by-side comparison reports as well as annuity flow data, a contract and benefit selector tool, historical contract data, and optional subaccount data.

The annuity intelligence business serves 170 firms, including broker-dealers, banks, advisory firms, and insurance companies. More than 150,000 financial advisors have access to the AI Report through these firms. 

ASMC also offers the MaxPlan wholesaler productivity system, a business planning and territory management tool for mutual fund and annuity distributors, which Morningstar is not acquiring.

“The Annuity Intelligence Report team has a deep knowledge of variable annuities, and offers a leading service that helps financial professionals provide better recommendations to their clients while avoiding the errors and liabilities that are quite common when selling and processing variable annuities,” said Chris Boruff, president of Morningstar’s software division. “By combining Morningstar’s strength in variable annuity subaccount data and modeling tools with AI Report’s product-level data, and proprietary methodologies, we believe we’re creating the best-of-breed offering for investors and financial advisors.”

“ASMC focuses on helping mutual fund companies, insurance carriers, and broker-dealers become more productive,” said Karen (Falat) Larson, president and founder of ASMC. “Morningstar’s large presence in the advisor channel and its history of investment research innovation will enable the annuity intelligence business to bring new ideas to market faster.”

After the acquisition is completed, the annuity intelligence business will become part of Morningstar’s advisor software unit. The company plans to keep the Annuity Intelligence Report product name for the foreseeable future and will market it under the Morningstar brand.

Kevin Loffredi, senior vice president and co-founder of ASMC, will continue to manage the annuity intelligence business. Morningstar expects to retain the majority of the business’s employees.

Karen Larson, president and founder, and ASMC’s chief executive officer, Perry Moore, will continue to run ASMC’s wholesaler productivity business under the new name MaxPlan Solutions, Inc.

City Securities Corp. acted as financial advisor to ASMC on this transaction.

USA, Chicargo, IL

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EA acquires Chillingo

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Electronic Arts has acquired Chillingo Ltd., a UK based publisher of iPhone games whose titles include titles include Cut the Rope, Angry Birds, Helsing’s Fire, Predators, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Minigore, iDracula, and Modern Conflict.

With the acquisition of Chillingo, EA Mobile has positioning on the Apple platform. EA’s announcement says the acquisition combines Chillingo’s expertise in cultivating the ideas of independent developers with EA’s global reach in mobile publishing.

USA, Redwood City, CA & UK, Cheshire

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Specific Media acquires online video provider BBE

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Independent media platform Specific Media has acquired Broadband Enterprises, a premier online video provider. Founded in 2004, BBE is a video advertising company that helps brands to monetize, track and produce video across all digital platforms. The deal recently closed for an undisclosed amount.

BBE, which currently works with a majority of Fortune 100 brands, has developed a complete video advertising solution used by major brand advertisers. The company has also developed the industry’s first ad-serving and tracking platform dedicated exclusively to video, VINDICO, which has logged more than 23 billion impressions to date. In addition, the company’s branded entertainment division has produced more than 20 original series, including the award-winning hit show Jen and Barb, Mom Life.

“Video is an exciting market, but advertisers have been unable to capitalize on its potential because it currently lacks data, targeting and analytics. We’re bringing our expertise to this area to fulfill the promise of video,” said Tim Vanderhook, co-founder and CEO of Specific Media. “We chose BBE because the company has a complete solution for brand advertisers, proven technology and a strong leadership team.”

USA, Irvine, CA and New York, NY

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Accent closes €5 Million in Series B funding to expand smart grid technology offerings

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Accent has closed a new round of financing of €5 Million from Silicon Valley investor Tallwood Venture Capital. The funding will be used to accelerate development and production of key communication technologies for system-on-chip solutions required by Smart Meter and Smart Home applications.

“We are delighted to add a prestigious firm like Tallwood to our shareholders. The closure of this funding is a strong endorsement of our global market reach and technology position,” said Federico Arcelli, CEO of Accent. “This funding will enable us to accelerate market introduction of next generation Smart Grid technologies, as part of our ASMgrid offering, and continue to optimally address the needs of our customers worldwide.”

Italy, Milan & USA, Palo Alto, CA

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Omnicom Group’s Diversified Agency Services acquires Excerpta Medica

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Omnicom Group‘s Diversified Agency Services has acquired Amsterdam-based medical communications agency Excerpta Medica from world-leading publisher Elsevier, a division of Reed Elsevier Group plc.

Excerpta Medica will become a division of DAS’s Adelphi, a group of businesses that provide multiperspective healthcare solutions to the pharmaceutical industry. Excerpta will continue to operate as an independent business, with offices in Amsterdam, New Jersey and London.

The acquisition of Excerpta Medica will allow Adelphi to collaborate on an increasing number of wide-ranging global client assignments. Excerpta Medica’s portfolio of strategic communications services includes publication planning, medical meetings and education, interactive solutions and customized publishing solutions.

“For years I’ve admired the work and reputation of Excerpta Medica. This has always been a best-in-class company,” said Thomas L. Harrison, Chairman and CEO, Diversified Agency Services Division, Omnicom Group Inc. “With the acquisition of Excerpta we can align two related and strategic businesses to offer more value and innovation to our healthcare clients.”  

Adelphi provides services in strategic marketing, marketing and business intelligence, real-world observational research and disease-specific programs, health and economic outcomes research, market access, pricing and research, health communications, medical education and strategic product development consultancy.

USA, New York, NY & China, Shanghai

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Omnicom acquires Sales Power

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Global advertising and marketing services business Omnicom Group, has acquired Sales Power, an in-store promotion company.

Sales Power was set up in January 2009 as a joint venture between Omnicom’s Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division and a local field marketing agency to service Unilever China’s in-store promotional needs in South China. The company has 23 offices across Southern China.

“This significant investment in Sales Power underscores Omnicom’s continued commitment to the fast growing Chinese market and providing best in class retail activation services to our clients,” said Serge Dumont, Senior Vice President, Omnicom Group Inc., President, APIMA (Asia-Pacific, India, Middle East, and Africa), Chairman Asia Pacific.

Simon Dalby, President of DAS Asia-Pacific, said, “We look forward to the next phase of Sales Power’s development and its investment in client needs.”

Sales Power CEO Simon Ho noted, “Omnicom’s 100% ownership of Sales Power will enable us to fully control our growth plans. We look forward to helping Unilever grow all of its brands through best-in-class retail activation.”

USa, New York, NY & China, Shanghai

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