A cheeky website about deals, dealmakers and anything else I find interesting. Edited by Ben Harrington. If you have a tip, want to discuss a story or have a subscription enquiry please feel free to email Betaville at [email protected]. Betaville can also be reached at Whats App, Signal or Telegram. Betaville's Twitter handle is @bharringtonw11 and you can message me via Twitter with stories.
Sensyne Health, the start up healthcare technology business funded by controversial (star?) fund manager Neil Woodford, is pressing ahead with a float on London's AIM market.
Sources familiar with the situation said Sensyne, formerly known as Drayson Health, has hired brokers from Peel Hunt to work on the listing...
Below is a link to a great scoop by John Collingridge, now deputy editor of The Sunday Times business section, about how China General Nuclear is trying to buy a stake worth £4 billion in Britain's nuclear power stations from Centrica and EDF.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/business/chinas-cgn-eyes-stake-in-uk-nuclear-stations-rll8f0lp9..
Fosun is said to be the mystery company circling Ageas, the Belgian insurance business formerly known as Fortis.
The Chinese conglomerate is in the "early stages" of examining a takeover of Ageas, said sources claiming to be familiar with the matter.
Last week Betaville Intelligence reported a potential acquirer of Ageas may have already indicated an interest in buying the business, which provides property insurance...
Nick Wheeler, the founder of shirt brand Charles Tyrwhitt, could be about to make another multi-million fortune from the sale of Feefo, an online reviews platform.
City sources told Betaville Feefo has hired from advisers from corporate finance boutique Stella to look at "strategic options" for the business after receiving takeover approaches from private equity firms...
Well that didn't take long.
An hour after Betaville published along came Bloomborg with a tale about how China Grand Enterprises, Inc. and its affiliate company Huadong Medicine Co made a takeover approach for London-listed Sinlcair Pharma, the face lift specialist.
Below is a link to the RNS confirmation:..
Are the Chinese about to unleash another round of dealmaking for European businesses?
A couple of years ago some of China's largest companies attempted unprecedented deals for western corporates - e.g. Anbang's $14 billion bid for Starwood Hotels - and, of course, well-known top flight football clubs...
UK Oil & Gas is said to be working on a fresh equity fundraising despite having just raised £5 million from investors.
The company developing the so-called "Gatwick Gusher" is said to be weighing raising another £2 million in fresh equity capital at 2p, according to sources claiming to be familiar with the matter...
So, farewell Iain Dey, who until yesterday was the business editor of The Sunday Times, a newspaper Betaville regularly writes for.
Iain and Betaville first worked together back over a decade ago when The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph decided to merge their respective business reporting teams. Below is a scoop we broke together during that period:..
Foxtons came to the market in 2013 at 230p courtesy of BC Partners, the private equity firm.
But it now languishes at around 57p thanks to stamp duty changes, affordability of London homes and, yes, the dreaded Brexit.
How much lower can it go.....
Sir Philip didn't make it down to yesterday's legendary launch (was he ever invited?) at Fortnum & Mason.
But there were few other business big hitters there to congratulate Oliver Shah on his brilliant new tome, including John Lovering, the fomer Debenhams chairman, Luke Johnson, former chairman of Pizza Express and Amanda Staveley, the Mayfair-based bank and football club dealmaker...
Betaville's just heading off to a certain launch party for a book about a certain retail tycoon by a certain newly-appointed business editor of a business section of a Sunday newspaper.
If that isn't a giveaway then let me tell you straight - it's the launch party of Oliver Shah's book on Sir Philip Green, which is being held at Fortnum and Mason, which is in a smart part of Central London...
Loyal readers know Betaville always likes a good row story. And the latest this website has encountered is about a dust up over Ellaktor, a Greek construction giant.
On the one side you have two brothers - Anastasios and Dimitris Kallitsantsis, chairman and vice chairman respectively - who have got it in for Leonidas Bobolas and Dimitrios Koutras...
So, Cluff Natural Resources - run by veteran commodities tycoon Algie Cluff - has confirmed yesteday evening's UNCOOKED ALERT about a potential equity fundraising.
I have pasted a link below to the confirmation in case you missed it:
Cluff Natural Resources is said to be looking to raise fresh capital.
The company, run by the 78-year-old commodities tycoon Algy Cluff, is said to be working on a placing, according to sources claiming to be familiar with the matter.
These sources suggested Cluff Natural Resources may be looking to place new shares with investors at between 2p and 2.25p...
The chairman of Telit Commuications has been kicked out of the business amid an acrimonious row with some of the company's shareholders and former directors.
The company's largest sharesholders have voted against the confirmation of Richard Kilsby at Telit's Annual General Meeting today. Below is a link to the RNS:..
The world’s largest private equity firm has put Ideal World on the market after it’s investment in the home shopping television channel turned sour.
People familiar with the matter said US buy-out giant Blackstone has appointed advisers from Deloitte to quickly find a buyer for Ideal Shopping Direct, a home shopping group that sells its products on Sky, Freeview and Virgin Media.
Ideal Shopping Direct’s main channel is Ideal World...
[Disclaimer - the information on Betaville does not consitute any form of investment recommendation and is not intended to be relied upon by readers in making, or refraining from, any investment decisions].