Informa and IHS Markit swap portfolios

Informa (LSE: INF.L), the International Exhibitions, Events, Information Services and Scholarly Publishing Group, today announces further Progressive Portfolio Management (“PPM”) through an agreement with information services group, IHS Markit, that sees Informa’s Agribusiness Intelligence Portfolioexchanged for IHS Markit’s leading portfolio of TMT brands, further enhancing Informa Tech.

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UDG Healthcare has acquired Putnam Associates and Incisive Health

UDG Healthcare plc (“the Group”), a leading international healthcare services provider, is pleased to announce two acquisitions in its Ashfield Communications and Advisory business. Putnam Associates (“Putnam”), a US-based strategic management healthcare consultancy, is being acquired for a total consideration of up to $88.6 million, and Incisive Health, a UK-based healthcare policy and communications consultancy, is being acquired for a total consideration of up to £13.6 million ($17.7 million).

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Huntsworth has announced the acquisition of controlling stakes in Creativ-Ceutical and Kyne Communications

Huntsworth plc, the healthcare and communications group, today announces the acquisition of 70% of Creativ-Ceutical S.A.R.L. (“CC”), a Luxembourg company, from 100% shareholder Avicenne Invest S.A., a company connected to CC’s founder Pr Mondher Toumi for an initial cash consideration of €15.5 million, and the acquisition of 85% of Kyne Communications, LLC and Kyne Communications Limited through direct and indirect interests (together, “KYNE”) from founder and majority shareholder David Kyne and his wife Jacqueline Kyne together with associates for an initial cash consideration of $17.4 million. The Group also announces a successful placing raising gross proceeds of £16.3 million (the “Placing”) to part-fund the acquisitions, with the balance (approximately £12 million) to be funded from existing debt facilities.

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Publicis Groupe to acquire Alliance Data’s Epsilon division

Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC 40) today announced it has entered into an agreement with Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS) under which Publicis Groupe will acquire Alliance Data’s Epsilon business for a net purchase price of $3.95 billion after tax step-up (total cash consideration of $4.40bn) and build a strategic partnership with Alliance Data remaining business. This acquisition will accelerate the implementation of Publicis’ strategy to become the preferred transformation partner for its clients 

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INM agrees sale for €146m to Belgian media group

The board of Independent News and Media has agreed a sale to Belgian newspaper group Mediahuis for €145.6m. The INM board has unanimously recommended the offer, which is conditional on acceptance by shareholders. Independent News and Media publishes the Irish Independent, Independent.ie, ‘Sunday Independent’, ‘Sunday World’, ‘The Herald’, ‘Belfast Telegraph’ and several regional newspapers.

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Centaur agrees sale of HR business to DVV Media International

Centaur Media Plc (“Centaur” or the “Group”), an international provider of business information and specialist consultancy, today announces that it has entered into a conditional agreement to sell Centaur Human Resources Limited, the owner of the Employee Benefits brand and the rest of its HR business, to DVV Media International Ltd (“DVV Media International”) for a cash consideration of £5m (subject to customary post-completion adjustments). Completion of the disposal is expected to take place on 30 April 2019.

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Simplify Compliance Announces Strategic Sale of Argosy Group

Simplify Compliance, a Leeds Equity Partners portfolio company, announced today that it has completed the sale of Argosy Group. The transaction resulted from a strategic decision to further hone the parent company’s focus on its core markets: human capital management, healthcare, environmental health and safety, and communications.

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