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TARGET

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  • John Brown Publishin...

VENDOR

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  • Private Shareholders

AQUIRER

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  • Management/Bridgepoi...
vendor
target John Brown Publishing Ltd
aquirer Management/Bridgepoint Capital
description Management buy-out of the UK’s largest contract publisher.
deal type Buy-out/But-in
deal value £30m
sector Media & Marketing Services
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The management team of John Brown Citrus Publishing Limited has successfully bought the business from founder John Brown and the other shareholders, including the William Reed Trust in a transaction backed by private equity firm Bridgepoint and HSBC Acquisition Financce.

Under the leadership of Chief Executive Andrew Hirsch, Managing Director, Dean Fitzpatrick and Chief Operating Officer Andrew Jarvis, the team has over the past decade, built the business up to become one of the UK’s leading contract publishers with billings in excess of £50 million and a portfolio of enviable clients such as BskyB, English Heritage, London Underground, Orange, Selfridges and Virgin Atlantic.

Gordon Blair and Alex Sheffield assisted the management team in negotiating the transaction with the vendors and Bridgepoint. 

Succession partner, Gordon Blair comments, “The management team are delighted with the outcome and are looking forward to growing the business in the UK and overseas.   The transaction was overlaid by some complex deal structuring and tax issues and we were pleased to have resolved them to Management’s satisfaction.”

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  • The management team, led by Andrew Hirsch (right) with Gordon Blair (middle)
 

Testimonials

  • We couldn’t have done it without them, the experience was like being in a minefield, with them having the map to show us where the mines were and help us through it. We would have been much more exhausted without their help. They were fantastically impressive.

    Andrew Hirsch, Chief Executive, John Brown Citrus Publishing

  •  They provided sound, balanced advice to the management team at critical points in the transaction.

    Mike Black, Bridgepoint Capital

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