Deals flood in

Since it was established in September 2000, independent corporate finance house, LongAcre Partners has already built a solid reputation for itself among the private equity community. With a string of deals to its name and its recent expansion into the Nordic region, there is even talk of setting up its own fund in the near future.

The firm employs a greenfield approach to serving dynamic and fast-growing companies in the media, communications and related technology sectors, providing advice on fundraising, M&A activity and strategic alliance.

Aside from the Ministry of Sound, the firm’s recent deals include Sports Resource Group’s acquisition of IEC for GBP17.5 million and a GBP6 million first round funding of independent television and film production company, Shine Entertainment, led by 3i.

In June, the firm extended its pan-European activity with the acquisition of Stockholm-based corporate finance house, Lommen Corporate Finance to form Longacre Nordic (see evcj July/August, page 9).

In November 1998 Jonathan Goodwin was part of the management buy-in team that acquired UK national radio station, Talk Radio with a consortium led by Kelvin McKenzie and including News Corporation and Liberty Media for GBP20 million. Talk Radio was then the foundation for The Wireless Group, of which he became group managing director. Goodwin was previously at Apax where he advised ex-radio presenter Chris Evans on his management buy-in of Virgin Radio for GBP85 million in 1998 and raising associated debt and equity.