Livingstone's Media & Technology sector team has advised on the management buy-out of fast-growing business information company Briefing Media Group, backed by growth investor Lyceum Capital.
Livingstone’s Media & Technology sector team advised Lyceum on the transaction, which further enhances the firm’s credentials in the Business Information space.
Briefing Media owns Farmers Guardian as well as a growing portfolio of other online and print agriculture brands, including Agrimoney.com. It also owns a number of events and exhibitions, including LAMMA, the UK’s largest agriculture event, and the British Farming Awards. The group also operates The Media Briefing, which provides strategy insight and market intelligence for senior decision makers in the media industry.
The business was founded in 2010 by chief executive Neil Thackray, former CEO of Nexus Media and Quantum Business Media, and chief marketing officer Rory Brown, previously group marketing director of Incisive Media. The management team has acquired several B2B media assets including Farmers Guardian which Briefing Media bought from UBM in 2012.The deal provides an exit for Kester Capital, three years after its original investment.
Lyceum, which has invested alongside management, will support Briefing Media in its strategy of organic and acquisitive growth through providing premium paid-for content, including online portals Agrimoney and FG Insight, marketing solutions and advertising, and industry events and exhibitions.
Lyceum partner Daniel Adler (pictured), says: "We appointed Livingstone because of their track record in the business information sector as well as their strategic and tactical insights and execution capabilities. All of these attributes were invaluable to us in what was a highly competitive process.”
Richard Fetterman, Partner at Livingstone London, says: “We are really pleased to have advised Lyceum on its investment in Briefing Media which is a leader in its market with a proven management team. I am sure that the investment will provide an excellent platform for continued value creation for all stakeholders.”