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Direct marketing group changes hands

West Midlands-based entrepreneur David Grove has bought direct marketing company GI Solutions (GIS) with backing from private equity. Mergers & Acquisitions / Monday, 17th November 2008

Margins, not momentum, to drive web M&A

Potential acquirers of young web ventures rate profitability above page impressions, according to Ben Holmes, a partner at Index Ventures. Business News / Wednesday, 12th November 2008

Essentially buys South African rugby contracts 

Sports marketing group Essentially has expanded its business in South Africa by acquiring the contracts of 40 rugby union players. Mergers & Acquisitions / Monday, 10th November 2008

PR agency in private equity buy-out

The Television Consultancy, a broadcast and digital PR agency, has been sold to private equity firm ISIS Equity Partners for £10 million. Mergers & Acquisitions / Monday, 20th October 2008

WPP seals double deal 

London-based marketing communications group WPP has continued the expansion of its international networks by negotiating two deals in as many days in South Africa and Denmark. Mergers & Acquisitions / Friday, 17th October 2008

First Artist to stage US deal

A London-based media, events and entertainment group that has helped promote West End shows such as Mamma Mia! and The Sound of Music is on the verge of expanding its operations across the Atlantic. First Artist Corporation is set to spearhead campaigns for Broadway shows after agreeing to buy entertainment advertising agency SportCo of Manhattan. Mergers & Acquisitions / Monday, 11th August 2008

Teens grow wary of social networking

Nearly half of British teenagers are using social networking tools less than they used to, according to a survey by IT firm Logicalis. Those who do use sites such as Bebo and Facebook are increasingly careful about giving out their personal information. Business News / Monday, 11th August 2008

Pearson increases Nigerian interests

A US-based international educational products specialist has taken a majority stake in an African publisher, increasing its exposure to a country that has 35 million students. Pearson, which has its European headquarters in Edinburgh, has bought a 22 per cent stake in Longman Nigeria for an undisclosed sum. Mergers & Acquisitions / Friday, 8th August 2008

Big Canadian deal for Entertainment One

A film and television content provider has established itself as a producer and distributor in Canada following a treble acquisition. Entertainment One (E1) has bought independent TV production companies Barna-Alper Productions and Blueprint Entertainment as well as sales and distribution specialist Oasis Pictures. Mergers & Acquisitions / Monday, 7th July 2008

Ten Alps’ Twenty First Century deal

A factual media group co-founded by Bob Geldof has bought a video production company that produces content for organisations, such as Nike, Sage, the NHS and the Prince’s Trust. Ten Alps, which has TV, radio and Internet operations, bought Twenty First Century Media to strengthen the online video production business it established in November. Mergers & Acquisitions / Thursday, 3rd July 2008

Domain name rush 2.0?

Last week’s decision to allow companies to buy their own top-level domains (TLDs) has led to press forecasts of a ‘land-grab’ similar to that of the late 1990s. Nora Nanayakkara, director of business development at domain marketplace SEDO, believes this prospect may be exaggerated. Business News / Wednesday, 2nd July 2008

Nokia acquires social platform

Plazes, a Swiss-based developer of a platform that helps people coordinate social activities online, has been acquired by Finnish mobile giant Nokia. VC firm Doughty Hanson, an investor in Plazes, will fully exit the company on completion of the deal, which is expected in the third quarter of this year. Mergers & Acquisitions / Tuesday, 24th June 2008

Isobar search leads to Thailand deal

Digital marketing company Isobar has continued the international expansion of its search engine marketing business with an acquisition in Thailand. The company, part of marketing group Aegis, has added Globlet to its search specialist agency iProspect following similar acquisitions in Belgium, Holland and Germany this year. Mergers & Acquisitions / Friday, 20th June 2008

Review Centre in £7 million buy-in

The Review Centre, a user-generated review website that generates revenues from pay-per-click advertising, has been acquired by Ingenious Media Active Capital (IMAC). IMAC’s investment of £7 million gives it a share of 71.5 per cent in the website’s owner, RTL. Mergers & Acquisitions / Friday, 13th June 2008

MAMA gets into Angel groove

Music and media group MAMA has increased its interests in the festivals market after buying a majority stake in Angel Music from Neil Moffitt. The group now owns 70 per cent of the company, which organises dance music festivals, such as Global Gathering and Escape into the Park as well as owning the Godskitchen club brand. Mergers & Acquisitions / Friday, 13th June 2008

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