LinkedIn acquires Newsle

July 14, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

linkedin-iconLinkedIn has acquired Newsle, a service that sends you notifications when people you know or care about are in the news. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The announcement follows:

We know LinkedIn is a place you visit to stay up-to-speed on your network, showcase and strengthen your professional identity and read content to glean professional insights that help you make more informed business decisions.

Over the past year or so, we’ve introduced several new ways for you to further access this exchange of information to be better informed, educated and inspired by the business knowledge that exists on LinkedIn. For example, we’ve given you the ability to publish long form posts and add photos, videos and presentations to your profile; integrated LinkedIn and Pulse; and launched the Influencer program. But there’s more work to be done. That’s why I’m so excited to welcome Jonah Varon, Axel Hansen and the rest of Newsle to the LinkedIn family.

LinkedIn and Newsle share a common goal: We both want to provide professional insights that make you better at what you do. For example, knowing more about the people in your network – like when they’re mentioned in the news – can surface relevant insights that help you hit your next meeting with them out of the park.

For the last three years, Newsle has leveraged its disambiguation, natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to build an extremely compelling product that finds blogs and articles that mention you or anyone you care about – colleagues, bosses, industry thought leaders, etc. – and notifies you seconds after they’ve published. We’re excited to work with Newsle’s team to combine this technology with our core assets and build experiences that continue to make you and millions of other professionals more productive and successful.

In the meantime, Newsle users will continue experiencing this great product as always. Newsle has done an amazing job creating a service that professionals rely on daily for insights, and we look forward to making the experience even better together. Please join me in welcoming Newsle to LinkedIn, and click here for Newsle’s take.

USA, Mountain View & San Francisco, CA

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Independent Media Trust completes acquisition of control of Network18

July 9, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has announced that Independent Media Trust (IMT) of which RIL is the sole beneficiary, has completed the acquisition of control of Network 18 Media and Investments Limited (NW18) including its subsidiary TV18 Broadcast Limited (TV18).
Apart from nominees of IMT, Shri Deepak S Parekh and Shri Adil Zainulbhai have been inducted, as Independent Directors on the board of NW18. Mr. Raghav Bahl will continue to be on the Board of NW18 as a Non-executive Director, an RIL press release said.
“With the completion of this transaction, IMT and RIL have become promoters of NW18 and TV18. The open offers to the public shareholders for acquisition of equity shares of NW18, TV18 and Infomedia Press Ltd. as announced on May 29, 2014 by IMT are in process and the Draft letter of offer has been filed with SEBI for its comments,”
Read the full report in the economic Times here
India, Mumbai
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Progressive Digital Media Group acquires CurrentAnalysis

July 8, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

progressiveProgressive Digital Media Group Plc has acquired CurrentAnalysis Inc., for a gross consideration of US $19.6 million in cash payable on completion. Completion, which is subject to the approval of CurrentAnalysis shareholders, is expected to occur within 30 days and will be funded from the Group’s existing cash resources.

currentanalysis-s2CurrentAnalysis provides subscription based business intelligence services to the ICT industry. The company has offices in Washington D.C, London and Singapore. For the financial year ended 31 December 2013, CurrentAnalysis reported revenues of approximately $13 million, with net liabilities of approximately $2.3 million.

It is expected that the acquisition will be earnings accretive within the first twelve months post acquisition, though the impact on the Group results to 31 December 2014 are expected to be broadly neutral.

Commenting on the acquisition Simon Pyper, Chief Executive of Progressive Digital Media, said: “The acquisition of CurrentAnalysis satisfies all of our acquisition criteria, providing subscription based business information services to blue chip companies operating in a global sector. Additionally, CurrentAnalysis augments our existing platform and significantly increases our footprint in the key North American market.”

UK, London & USA, Washington, DC

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Beta Music Group acquires Digital Media Company, Viewpon

July 7, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

viewponDigital media holding company Beta Music Group has completed the acquisition of Viewpon Holdings. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Viewpon is a lifestyle entertainment, digital media and listing services website that features small businesses across San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.

Jim Ennis, Chief Executive Officer of Beta Music Group, said, “Launched over four years ago, the Viewpon digital media platform and television show has created instant success for small and medium-sized local businesses along the west coast. We have worked closely over the past several months with Viewpon’s executive management and are excited to be working together regarding this expansion. Viewpon, with their extensive experience in television production and serving the small business sector, is a key strategic partner for our Company,”

USA, Miami, FL

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GDF SUEZ, through its Cofely subsidiary, acquires Lend Lease’s UK FM ssets

July 7, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

gdf suezGDF SUEZ through its Cofely subsidiary has completed the purchase of Lend Lease Group’s UK facilities management business (LLFM).

This acquisition will make Cofely one of the UK’s largest providers of technical services PFI and provide an increased portfolio of long-term FM contracts in key public sector and healthcare markets. Over the next 25 years these contracts will provide Cofely with a guaranteed revenue stream of 2.5 billion GBP. The transaction will also give Cofely a significant, new lifecycle management capability to its business, which includes building fabric and major repair & replacement.

LLFM currently provides a range of FM services across the UK and Ireland, with particular focus on healthcare, education, government and retail. The business has a number of large long-term contracts with clients comprising a number of major National Health Service (NHS) Trust hospitals at locations including Manchester and Leeds, Local Education Authorities in Birmingham and Lincolnshire, HM Treasury and Bluewater Shopping Centre.

LLFM will be combined with Cofely’s existing UK business with immediate effect, with the new entity operating under the Cofely brand.

Commenting on the acquisition Jérôme Tolot, GDF SUEZ Executive Vice President, in charge of the Energy Services Business Line: “The acquisition of LLFM reinforces our strategy to further evolve our business here in the UK. It continues to strengthen our service capability and our credentials as a leading UK service provider. LLFM has many synergies with our existing business and it will also provide us with the addition of a full lifecycle management capability. This will allow us to introduce and integrate new smart & low carbon energy efficient technologies into buildings for customers over the term of the contracts.”

The acquisition follows Cofely’s purchase of Balfour Beatty WorkPlace in late 2013.

France, Paris & UK, London

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6 new WPP acquisitions

July 7, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

wpp1. Kantar acquires majority stake in data visualisation and interactive specialist Guardian Digital Agency, in the UK

WPP’s wholly-owned data investment management arm, Kantar, has acquired the Guardian Digital Agency (“GDA”), a specialist data visualisation, site design and interactive development agency, previously part of Guardian News and Media Group. The company, which employs 13 people, will be rebranded under the new name Graphic. Many of Kantar’s 12 companies have already worked with GDA.

UK, London

 2. Grey to acquire a majority stake in Circus, Peru’s largest independent advertising agency

WPP’s wholly-owned operating company Grey, is to acquire a majority stake in Circus Peru S.A., the largest independent adverting agency in Peru.

Founded in 2008, Circus is a full-service integrated marketing company. Its subsidiaries include Circus Interactive, Circus Retail, Circus Experience, Brand Lab, a design company, and Carne, a second advertising agency. Circus will be integrated into the existing Grey Peru and be renamed Circus Grey.

Circus’ unaudited revenues were PEN 34 million as of December 31, 2013 with net assets of PEN 9.0 million as of the same date. Clients include Grupo Credito, Grupo Falabella, Claro and San Fernando. Based in Lima, the agency employs nearly 200 people.

Other WPP companies active in Peru (including affiliates) are Young & Rubicam, Ogilvy & Mather, J. Walter Thompson, GroupM, Burson-Marsteller, IBOPE, Kantar Worldpanel, TNS and Geometry Global.

UK, London & Peru, Lima

3. Millward Brown acquires global brand strategy company EffectiveBrands

WPP’s wholly-owned operating company Millward Brown, has acquired EffectiveBrands Holding B.V., a marketing strategy consulting firms.

Founded in 2001 by Marc de Swaan Arons and Frank van den Driest, the company’s unaudited revenues for the year ended 31 March 2014 were approximately EUR 14.1 million with gross assets at the same date of approximately EUR 6.5 million. Clients include Pernod Ricard, Virgin, Barclays, Unilever and PepsiCo. EffectiveBrands is headquartered in Amsterdam with offices in London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo and employs about 65 people.

Millward Brown will combine EffectiveBrands with Millward Brown Optimor, its strategy consulting unit, to form Millward Brown Vermeer. Millward Brown

UK, London & The Netherlands, Amsterdam

4. WT acquires majority stake in creative agency The Hardy Boys in South Africa

WPP’s wholly-owned operating company JWT, has acquired a majority stake in The Hardy Boys, a leading creative agency in South Africa.

Founded in 1994 in Durban, The Hardy Boys is a multi-disciplinary, brand building agency, with fully integrated activation capabilities. Clients include Unilever, Diageo, SA Home Loans, ADvTECH and RCL Foods amongst others.

The Hardy Boys’ revenues for the year ended 28 February 2014 were approximately ZAR 55 million, with gross assets at the same date of approximately ZAR 32.2 million.

UK, London & South Africa, Durban

5. Kantar Media acquires media intelligence business Precise

WPP’s wholly-owned media research and analytics business Kantar Media, has acquired a majority stake in the issued share capital of Precise Media Group Holdings Limited, a provider of monitoring and evaluation services.

Founded in 1996 and based in London, with offices in New York, Precise employs 430 people servicing 2,500 customers including multinational corporations, PR agencies, public sector bodies and SME clients. For the year ending 30 September 2013, Precise’s revenues were £28.9 million, with gross assets as at the same date of £34.4 million.

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

6. XM Asia to acquire majority stake in Sofresh in Vietnam

WPP’s wholly owned operating company, XM Asia, a JWT company, is to acquire a majority stake in Sofresh, a leading digital creative agency in Vietnam.

Sofresh, co-founded in 2007 by Ly Viet Vu and Justin Cohen, develops digital strategy, digital creative ideas and marketing campaigns across multiple digital channels, including social media, mobile and the web. The company also designs and builds e-commerce platforms, customer relationship management systems and in-store digital installations.

Sofresh works with a range of local and global clients, including Diageo, GSK, Kinh Do, Techcombank and Unilever.

Sofresh had revenues of VND 35.7 billion for the year ending December 31, 2013, with gross assets of VND 30.1 billion, as at the same date. The company employs 85 people.

Sofresh marks WPP’s third acquisition in Vietnam in seven months. In Vietnam, WPP companies (including associates) generate revenues of about $80 million and employ approximately 1,000 people.

UK, London & Vietnam

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XLMedia acquires un-named Scandinavian website network

July 7, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

XLMediaJersey based XLMedia, a provider of digital performance marketing services, has acquired an un-named Scandinavian website network within the online gaming sector for $2.3 million in cash.

The company said that the network reviews a large number of online casino and poker websites, mainly in Denmark, generating “high value added content”.  The acquisition provides a geographic footprint to XLMedia’s existing Scandinavian presence and extending its reach into Denmark, a fully regulated market.

The acquisition follows two acquisitions of domains in the North American market during H1 2014, also aimed at extending into new territories and further establishing a presence in fully regulated markets.

The Group said it will continue to buy domains and websites as part of its ongoing growth strategy as well as continuing to evaluate an increased presence in fully regulated markets.

Commenting on the acquisition, CEO, Ory Weihs said, “Since our IPO in March this year, we have continued to make good progress with positioning XLMedia to capitalise on the significant growth opportunities in the online gaming sector. This acquisition represents a complementary fit for our business, strengthening our reach in Scandinavia and providing entry into Denmark, a fully regulated territory.”

UK, St Helier, Jersey

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ECI invests in ATG Media

July 6, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

atgmediaECI Partners has invested in ATG Media, a pioneer of webcast and timed online auction platforms. ECI will partner with ATG’s management and existing investor Mobeus Equity Partners to help drive the company’s ongoing international expansion.

ATG operates the-saleroom.com, i-bidder.com, BidSpotter.co.uk and BidSpotter.com as well as publishing the antiques industry bible, Antiques Trade Gazette.

ATG’s platforms allow bidders from around the world to browse fully illustrated sale catalogues and place bids over the internet in real time, with live audio and video feeds delivering the auction room atmosphere. Bidders are also able to participate in timed, online only auctions.

ATG’s growth has been driven by the continued shift of bidders online and ATG’s ability to provide auctioneers with a larger bidder base.

Tom Wrenn, Partner and head of TMT at ECI, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with ATG Media as the company transitions into its next growth phase. As a growth focused investor we were attracted to ATG by its market leading technology and strong brand recognition, attributes that have driven its market penetration.
“We look forward to working with Anne’s team and Mobeus to help drive ATG’s continued expansion in the UK and internationally.”

UK, London

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Belgian publisher De Persgroep buys Mecom for just under £200m

June 30, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

persgroep-logo-belgieBelgian publisher De Persgroep has agreed to buy Mecom for just under £200 million. Each Mecom Shareholder will be entitled to receive 155 pence in cash for each Mecom Share they hold, which values the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Mecom, on a fully diluted basis, at approximately £196 million.

mecomMecom, a company incorporated under the laws of England, is a European media group, with leading positions in the news and information publishing business in the Netherlands and Denmark. Mecom’s Dutch division comprises the Koninklijke Wegener (Wegener) and Media Groep Limburg (Limburg) businesses. Wegener is the largest publisher of regional daily newspapers and free door-to-door newspapers in the Netherlands. Limburg is the leading regional newspaper business in the Dutch province of Limburg. The Dutch division has a total daily readership of approximately 2.5 million and publishes content in print and in online, mobile and e-paper form. The Danish division publishes two daily national titles and one weekly national title as well as seven daily regional titles and 17 free weekly titles. In total, the Danish division has a daily readership of approximately 500,000. Mecom also operates national and local radio stations, with total listeners of approximately 1 million.

De Persgroep, a company incorporated under the laws of Belgium, is a major operator in the Belgian and Dutch media markets. De Persgroep’s activities consist of news media, magazines, television, radio and online services.

The Transaction will be funded by a combination of existing cash resources and a new debt facility provided by BNP Paribas Fortis S.A./N.V.

Commenting on the Transaction, Christian Van Thillo, Chief Executive Officer of De Persgroep, said: “This announcement is consistent with our successful strategy in our publishing activities and with our belief that consolidation in our industry is necessary in order to transform our publications into multimedia brands in a profitable way. Mecom is a leading publishing group with strong and respected news brands in the Netherlands and Denmark.

It further underscores our ongoing commitment to develop innovative multi-media news brands that offer readers a richer experience through printed and digital newspapers, news sites and apps. In addition to operational breadth and depth, the combined business will be better positioned for transformation towards a media group that is leading in print and online.”

Norway, Oslo & UK, London & Belgium, Kobbegem

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Felix Dennis 1947 – 2014

June 23, 2014 — Fusion DigiNet

Felix DennisFelix Dennis, the magazine publisher, poet, entrepreneur and philanthropist has died at his home in Dorsington, Warwickshire, aged 67. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2012.  The family announcement said he died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on Sunday.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Felix Dennis passed away yesterday surrounded by his loved ones. After a long and painful battle with cancer, Felix died peacefully at his home in Dorsington, aged 67.”

“Felix was a publishing legend, famed for his maverick and entrepreneurial style and, more lately, a successful and much loved poet. He will be greatly missed.”

“Thank you to the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Felix, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.”

Felix Dennis’s  company, Dennis Publishing, pioneered computer and hobbyist magazine publishing in the United Kingdom. Famously, he was co-editor of Oz, which led to him being one of the “Oz three” defendants eventually found not guilty following the 1971 Old Bailey obscenity trial about the title’s content. In 1987, he co-founded MicroWarehouse, with Peter Godfrey and Bob Bartner, a company that pioneered direct IT marketing via high quality catalogues.  It was sold to a private investment group in January 2000. This created the bulk of Dennis’ personal wealth.

UK, Warwickshire

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