Here are the main deals in the media, communication and technology sectors that were registered last year. For a forecast regarding the M&A market this year, you can read this exclusive article.
MEDIA
- Transaction: Goldbach Group seals a management buy-out for its two Romanian companies
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: The Swiss-based Goldbach Group announced that ownership of Goldbach Media Romania and Goldbach Audience Romania has been transferred to the executive leadership of the two companies.
- Transaction: Universal Music Group buys MediaPro Music Entertainment from CME
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: Musat & Asociatii
Legal team seller: bpv Grigorescu Stefanica
Description: Universal Music Group International took over – through its subsidiaries, Universal Music Romania and Universal Music Publishing Romania – MediaPro Music Entertainment, one of the leading independent players in the Romanian music industry, part of media Central European Media Enterprises (CME).
COMMUNICATION
- Transaction: Consolidation process of Publicis Group
Value of transaction: N/A.
Legal team buyer: DLA Piper Dinu
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: Publicis, one of the largest communications groups worldwide consolidates its presence in Romania through redefining its group structure at local level. This involved in principle multiple acquisitions (in companies where Publicis did not have a controlling interest or no shareholding interest at all) and subsequent mergers, spin-offs and consolidations of part of such companies. The transaction involved as targets several different legal entities operating in the communication sector to include creative advertising, marketing & PR, online marketing and the media buying businesses.
TECHNOLOGY
- Transaction: Acquisition of certain assets of Schibsted Media Group in Romania related to the classifieds website tocmai.ro by Naspers
Value of transaction: N/A.
Legal team buyer: DLA Piper Dinu
Legal team seller: Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen
Description: Naspers acquired certain assets of Schibsted Media Group in Romania related to the classifieds website tocmai.ro.
- Transaction: VectorWatch start-up financing by Concentric Ltd and Radu Georgescu, a serial entrepreneur and angel investor in technology and internet ventures
Value of transaction: N/A.
Legal team buyer: DLA Piper Dinu
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: The financing of a start-up company activating in the smart watches technology field implied contribution of shares in a Dutch holding and negotiation and execution of a shareholders agreement between the founders and the investors.
- Transaction: Catalyst Romania buys 20 percent of 123ContactForm SRL
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: RTPR Allen & Overy
Description: Catalyst Romania, a private equity fund managed by 3TS Capital Partners, took over a 20 percent stake in 123ContactForm SRL, a software development company whose primary product is 123ContactForm, an online web form and survey builder.
- Transaction: Catalyst Romania and GECAD Group invest in Vector Watch
Value of transaction: EUR 5 million
Legal team buyer: RTPR Allen & Overy
Description: Vector Watch, the producer of the smartwatches having a one-month battery life, got EUR 5 million in a new financing round. Out of the total investment amount, GECAD Group accounted for EUR 2 million.
- Transaction: RR Media buys Eastern Space Systems in Romania
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: N/A
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: Israel-based RR Media, a provider of global digital media services to the broadcast industry, has recently acquired Eastern Space Systems (ESS) in Romania, a privately held provider of content management and distribution services and related consulting services.
- Transaction: Marlin Equity in indirect takover of Asentinel International
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: Noer
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: Marlin Equity Partners, a global investment firm with over USD 3 billion of capital under management, has indirectly taken over Asentinel International, a leading provider of Telecom Expense Management (TEM) software and complementary services, as part of a broader transaction, involving the acquisition of the US Based mother company, a leading provider of Telecom Expense Management (TEM) software and complementary services. Asentinel had an office in Bucharest, which employed some 50 people and reported a turnover of USD 1 million in 2013.
- Transaction: Radovan Limited buys Konsalnet Security SA
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: Noerr
Legal team seller: NNDKP
Description: Radovan Limited, owned by a Romanian entrepreneurs family, became the sole owner of Konsalnet Security SA, one of the leaders of the Romanian cash and valuables services market. Radova Limited has acquired a 50 percent stake held in the target by Konsalnet Holding SA, the market leader in security services in Poland ultimately controlled by the private equity fund Value 4 Capital.
IT
- Transaction: Hewlett-Packard on the Romanian side of the spin-off of the company into Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and HP Inc.
Legal team: Popovici Nițu Stoica & Asociații
E-COMMERCE
- Transaction: eMAG took over AGITO sp. z o.o. and Allegro Group HU kft
Value of transaction: N/A.
Legal team seller: DLA Piper Dinu
Legal team buyer: N/A
Description: eMAG (jointly controlled by Naspers group and Iulian Stanciu) acquired shares in AGITO sp.zo.o. and in Allegro Group HU kft.