Thomson Reuters acquires precious metals consultancy GFMS

August 5, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Thomson Reuters has acquired analyst firm GFMS (formerly known as Gold Fields Mineral Services), a precious metals consultancy, specialising in research into the global gold, silver, platinum and palladium markets. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“The strategy for our commodities business has been to deliver best-of-breed, specialist services and unique content to energy, metals and agriculture professionals via our next generation desktop Thomson Reuters Eikon,” said Shaun Sibley, global head, commodities, Thomson Reuters. “This investment coupled with our acquisition of Point Carbon last year is helping us deepen those propositions by bringing in specialist talent to our team which delivers invaluable insight, information and tools to our clients.

“Our clients will now have access to additional high-value GFMS content via Thomson Reuters Eikon in the future. We’re extremely pleased to join forces with GFMS and significantly strengthen our offering to the metals market,” added Sibley.

Both Philip Klapwijk, chairman of GFMS, and Paul Walker, CEO of GFMS, will remain with the business and take up new roles as global head of metals analytics and global head of precious metals respectively. They will report to Mitchel Ingham-Barrow who is Global Head of Metals at Thomson Reuters.

“This is an exciting time for GFMS as we become part of the large-scale and dynamic company that is Thomson Reuters, helping us to provide an even sharper focus on the global metals markets,” commented Philip Klapwijk, incoming global head of metals analytics, Thomson Reuters. “We see the Thomson Reuters Eikon desktop as one of the most innovative tools for metals professionals and we look forward to enhancing this proposition even further with the addition of our research and analysis.”

USA, New York, NY & UK, London

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A Fusion Deal: Carson Systems sold to Wellesley Information Services

August 3, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

carsonifiedFusion Corporate Partners are pleased to announce our latest deal: the sale of Carson Systems Ltd a UK-based producer of industry-leading events for Web developers, designers, and entrepreneurs, to US-based Wellesley Information Services (WIS). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Carson Systems produces events for web professionals and entrepreneurs. The company’s Future of Web Applications (FOWA), Future of Web Design (FOWD), and Future of Mobileity (FOM) series of events are annual gatherings of thought leaders, technologists, and investors. They have featured renowned speakers including Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh, O’Reilly Media founder Tim O’Reilly, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Digg founder Kevin Rose.

Carson Systems has been particularly effective using social networks and other information delivery mechanisms to build a community of developers, designers, and futurists who are passionate about technology and leveraging it to make a significant impact on business and society.

“Both WIS and Carson Systems have unique competencies within their respective core market spaces. We are confident that, through this acquisition, each organization can learn from the other’s expertise — and together we will be much better positioned to offer unmatched value and exciting new products for our customers,” said Benny DiCecca, CEO of WIS.

WIS is a portfolio company of UCG and a provider of SAP and IBM training and education. WIS serves more than 250,000 customers in over 100 countries, and offers a diverse set of resources including print journals, magazines, electronic knowledge bases, online communities, conferences, seminars, and books. This is WIS’s first acquisition in the UK and will position WIS to serve a brand new market space.

“Web and mobile application development represents technology’s future. Carson Systems has consistently been at the epicenter of this technological revolution, offering education and training to an exciting breed of entrepreneurial web developers and designers. The opportunities in this market are immense, and we are excited to bring WIS’s deep knowledge of the conference, publication, online education, and custom training business to help capitalize on them,” said DiCecca.

Mark Eisenstadt Partner at Fusion said, “Ryan Carson is passionate about bringing the latest and best practice to the web community. We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with Ryan and his team. Carson Systems is a high quality business and tailor-made for WIS. I am sure that WIS’s expertise as a leading provider of technology education combined with Carson’s ability to attract leading edge players in the technology market will ensure the business accelerates it’s growth to cater for this expanding marketplace’’

Fusion acted exclusively for the shareholders of Carson Systems Ltd. Mark Eisenstadt (meisenstadt@fusioncorp.co.uk) led the Fusion team and was supported by Paul Kelly (pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk). Mogers Solicitors, headed by Tom Webb, provided legal advice to the vendors.

UK, Bath & USA, Dedham, MA

Other Fusion Deals:

Media and Information

Energy Services
Events, Broadcast and Other deals
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EA to acquire PopCap Games

August 1, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Electronic Arts (EA) is to acquire PopCap Games, a provider of games for mobile phones, tablets, PCs and social network sites. PopCapa’s titles include Plants vs. Zombies, Bejeweled, and Zuma.

“EA and PopCap are a compelling combination,” said EA CEO John Riccitiello. “PopCap’s great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA’s momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA’s global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels.”

“PopCap has a proven financial trajectory with sustained revenue growth and double-digit operating margins,” said EA CFO Eric Brown. “On a non-GAAP basis, this deal is expected to be at least ten-cents accretive in fiscal year 2013.”

PopCap has more than 150 million games installed and played worldwide on platforms such as Facebook®, RenRen, Google™, iPhone™, iPad™ and Android. In calendar year 2010, approximately 80% of PopCap’s revenue was on high growth digital platforms.

EA will pay approximately $650 million in cash and $100 million in stock. Plus an earn-out that could be worth (at the top end) up to $550M. EA will also provide up to $50 million in long-term equity retention awards to PopCap employees to be granted over the next four years.

USA, Redwood City, CA

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Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for Private Equity in the Information Industry

August 1, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Berkery Noyes has released its Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for Private Equity in the Information Industry.

The report analyses merger and acquisition activity in the private equity market over the first half of 2011 and compares it with activity in the four previous sixth-month periods. Berkery Noyes includes in this report transactions made by financially sponsored acquirers within the Information Industry, including purchases made by subsidiaries or platforms of private equity firms.

Berkery Noyes data shows that transaction volume and aggregate value rose considerably over the second half of 2010.  Transaction volume gained 11 percent in the first half of 2011, rising to 171, while value rose a considerable 21 percent in the first half, hitting $11 billion.

“The data shows that the private equity market continues to improve in the number of completed deals from the trough of 2009,” said John Shea, COO of Berkery Noyes. “The upward trend has been lumpy, however, and will probably continue that way for some time.”

The report also highlights the activity of Thomas H. Lee Partners within the information industry this half as the most active financial acquirer, with 10 acquisitions.  Thomas H. Lee Partners also announced the highest valued transaction this half, the pending acquisition of Acosta, Inc., a subsidiary of AEA Investors LP, for $2 billion.

A copy of the First Half 2011 Private Equity Industry M&A Report is available here.

USA, New York

 

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Martini Media acquires TDP Media Group

July 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Martini Media has acquired TDP Media Group, a London-based European digital media company.

The two companies have operated a partnership since December 2010, and since that time Martini has used the presence in Europe to attract such clients as Phillips, Canon, Harrods and Porsche.

“We’re making possible a more effective way to mass market—starting with the most influential people and working out,” said Erik Pavelka, COO of Martini Media. “Because we aggregate the niche sites where uber-influencers go first for content and community in their passion areas, we offer a way for marketers to gain critical mass quickly. For publishers, we create a pipeline to premium advertising they wouldn’t normally get. Buying TDP gives us the stable base we need to expand rapidly in Europe and beyond.”

The combined network includes such advertisers as American Express, Burberry, Dell, Emirates and UPS. Lifestyle publishers include Bloginity, World Golf Tour, and Gayot, and B2B publishers include Reed Elsevier, United Business Media, and Architizer.

USA, New York, NY & UK, London

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Local.com Corporation acquires Screamin’ Media Group

July 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Local.com Corporation has acquired Screamin’ Media Group, Inc. (“SMG”), which operates Screamin’ Daily Deals (“SDD”), http://www.screamindailydeals.com, a daily deals business based in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Local.com acquired SMG for $12.5 million in cash, stock and debt, with the opportunity for the SMG shareholders to earn up to an additional $20 million if certain financial performance criteria are met during the two-year period following the closing.

Founded in early 2010, SDD has approximately 60 employees serving subscribers with deals from local merchants in 14 markets throughout the U.S. including Los Angeles, Orange County, Salt Lake City and San Diego. SDD also recently launched travel deals at: http://getaways.screamindailydeals.com. SDD generated unaudited revenues of approximately $2.4 million in 2010 and $4.4 million during the first half of 2011.

SDD supports local communities with its School Rewards program, which allows consumers to donate 10 percent of SDD’s net proceeds from each deal to a school or non-profit organization chosen by the consumer. More than 700 local schools and non-profits benefit from this community program, which has donated over $400,000 to date.

SMG is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Local.com and will relocate to Local.com’s corporate headquarters in Irvine, Calif. Local.com’s social buying business, Spreebird, will absorb SDD’s operations and SDD will assume the Spreebird brand. SDD’s three co-founders, formerly president, CEO and COO, will become Spreebird’s vice presidents of sales and marketing, product and operations, respectively. Spreebird will continue to be led by Malcolm Lewis, Local.com’s senior vice president and general manager, social buying.

“The acquisition of SMG serves our mission of connecting brick-and-mortar merchants with online consumers by extending our reach directly to thousands of local merchants in 14 markets. This transaction diversifies our revenues and provides us with a new way to engage consumers,” said Heath Clarke, Local.com chairman and CEO. “School Rewards is a terrific program that allows us to develop a more meaningful relationship with merchants and consumers by enabling them to contribute financially to their local schools. We look forward to working with the SDD team to accelerate their rapid growth while expanding the School Rewards program.”

USA, Irvine, CA

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eBay to acquire Zong

July 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

eBay Inc. is to acquire Zong, a leading provider of payments through mobile carrier billing, for total consideration of approximately $240 million in cash. Zong leverages connections with more than 250 mobile network operators around the world, offering localized, secure and easy-to-use payments capabilities for digital goods and services in 21 languages and 45 countries. Combined with PayPal’s global payment platform serving 100 million active accounts worldwide, the company expects that Zong will add complementary technology and talent that help strengthen PayPal’s position in mobile payments and digital goods.

Zong allows consumers to easily pay for purchases from their mobile phones or computers through direct carrier billing. Consumers simply enter their mobile phone numbers. Then, in a matter of seconds, Zong verifies that number and clears the payment on the customer’s existing wireless service account.

“Commerce is changing. With mobile phones, we walk around with a mall in our pockets. PayPal helps to make money work better for customers in this new commerce reality – no matter how they want to pay or what device they’re using,” said Scott Thompson, president of PayPal. “We believe that Zong will strengthen this value by helping us reach the more than 4 billion people who have mobile phones, giving them more choice and security when they pay.”

PayPal is an industry leader in mobile payments and digital goods. PayPal expects to transact more than $3 billion in mobile payments in 2011. Currently, more than 8 million customers are making purchases on their mobile phones through PayPal, driving up to $10 million in mobile payments per day.

Earlier this year, PayPal launched PayPal for Digital Goods, a new product that lets buyers pay in two clicks without leaving their gaming experience or content site. In 2010, PayPal processed $3.4 billion in payments for digital goods.

eBay Inc. does not expect the acquisition of Zong to have a material impact on its financial guidance as issued in conjunction with its first quarter earnings release on April 27, 2011. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.

USA, San Jose, CA & Menlo Park, CA

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Knowledge Networks acquires Hispanic consumer researcher Garcia Research Associates

July 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Knowledge Networks has acquired Hispanic consumer researcher Garcia Research Associates (GRA).

Founded in 1990, GRA conducts research for Fortune 500 companies and organisations involved primarily in the Hispanic community. GRA will maintain its home office in Burbank, CA; Knowledge Networks will fully utilize GRA’s operations center in Tijuana, Mexico.

With the addition of GRA’s experts, Knowledge Networks will have 15 full-time staff in its Hispanic research team. The acquisition of Cada Cabeza, along with KnowledgePanel LatinoSM and the National Shopper Lab, strengthens Knowledge Networks ability to reach U.S. Hispanic segments.

“The need to find ever more sophisticated ways to understand the U.S. Hispanic population – especially those in Spanish-dominant or bilingual households – has been our priority for years,” said Knowledge Networks CEO Simon Kooyman. “GRA shares our focus and our passion for making insights actionable for clients of all types, and Cada Cabeza provides an excellent complement to KnowledgePanel Latino. I am pleased to welcome Carlos and his team to Knowledge Networks.”

USA, New York, NY & Burbank, CA

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Experian acquires Virid Interatividade Digital, a permission-based email marketing company

July 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Information services company Experian has acquired Virid Interatividade Digital Ltda, a permission-based email marketing company in Brazil.

For the year ending 31 December 2010, revenue for Virid was R$9m (c.US$5m). Gross assets as at 31 December 2010 wereR$2m (c.US$1m).  Virid was acquired from its founding shareholder and management. The acquisition has been funded from Experian’s existing cash resources.

Founded in 1996, Virid is Brazil’s largest email marketing service provider, offering email delivery, email based behavioural segmentation, real-time campaign reporting, mobile delivery and social media integration. The company has over 800 direct and 3,000 indirect clients including retailers, advertising agencies and news organisations.

The acquisition is a further step in Experian’s strategy to expand its targeted digital marketing activities globally. It extends the geographic reach of Experian’s email marketing business into the key market of Brazil, where Virid will become part of Experian’s Marketing Services business in Latin America.

“This acquisition underlines Experian’s commitment to providing domestic and international brands in Brazil with innovative digital marketing services. Following the successful launch of Experian Hitwise, our digital marketing intelligence service, the addition of Virid to our portfolio offers organisations the very best in email marketing to help them achieve a high return on investment from their marketing spend,” said Juliano Marcilio, president of Experian Marketing Services, Latin America.

“As the largest global technology services provider focusing on the integration of email, social media, mobile and display marketing, we’re excited to expand our capabilities and service philosophy to the Brazilian market, and to our international clients who have customers in Brazil,” said Matt Seeley, group president, Experian Marketing Services North America. “Email marketing has the highest ROI of any other digital marketing channel and acquiring Virid ensures this trend will continue in Latin America.”

USA, New York, NY & Brazil, São Paulo

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Thomson Reuters has completed its acquisition of Manatron

July 19, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Thomson Reuters has completed its acquisition of Manatron following regulatory clearance in the U.S. and Ukraine.

Manatron is a provider of property tax automation and land registry software for governments and municipalities around the world, and was acquired from Thoma Bravo LLC, a private equity firm.

Manatron’s flagship solution, Government Revenue Management (GRM), is an integrated suite of web-based property recording, assessment and tax software that automates the operational, informational, and planning needs for assessors, auditors, treasurers, tax collectors and other government officials. Manatron’s software solutions are being used by governments to replace antiquated systems to help improve customer service, streamline processes and manage the growing velocity of legislative changes.

“The government tax automation space is a growing sector and a natural fit with our strategy to improve workflow efficiency for our clients through innovative technology,” said Brian Peccarelli, president of the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters.

The acquisition of Manatron will strengthen the expanding Tax & Accounting business as well as create a new government business group headed by Bill McKinzie, senior vice president and general manager of the government sector for the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters.

USA, New York, NY

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