First shortlists announced for TMT M&A Awards 2019

16 M&A deals worth over EUR 35 billion shortlisted for Telecom M&A Deals of the Year


LONDON, Sept. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TMT Finance, the world’s leading news service for mergers and acquisitions in the telecoms, technology and media sectors, is pleased to announce the first shortlists for the TMT M&A Awards 2019, which are to be presented in London on Nov 26.

Some of the world’s largest global telecom operators, private equity investors, M&A advisers and bulge bracket and boutique investment banks including Liberty Global, Vodafone, BC Partners, Apax, UBS and JP Morgan, are highlighted in the shortlists announced for Telecom M&A Deals of the Year in EMEA, Mid-Cap Europe and Asia.

View all shortlists on the TMT M&A Awards 2019 website

‘Deal volumes in telecoms have remained relatively strong for the past 12 month period, despite economic headwinds and political and regulatory uncertainty in key markets,’ outlined Ben Nice, Managing Editor and Events Director at TMT Finance.

‘This has been driven by consolidation opportunities, pressure on capex requirements, and the continued availability of cheap financing to back acquisitions. We’re thrilled that this year’s awards looks to be fiercely competitive and I’m looking forward to celebrating the best in the industry.’

The TMT M&A Awards 2019 has fast become the premier event to celebrate and recognise the leading industry CEOs, CFOs and M&A dealmakers transforming the TMT industries. The Awards are based on nominations from the global TMT Finance network, and then analysed against the TMT Finance deal date and league tables, with final shortlists then put before an independent judging panel of 20 key deal advisers and industry experts.

The shortlists for over 20 further categories will be revealed in the lead up to the awards ceremony at the Leonardo Royal Hotel, London on November 26 and shine a spotlight on the key deals and people transforming the global TMT sector.

THE SHORTLISTS

TELECOM M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR – EMEA 

DNA (Finland) 
Telenor’s acquisition of DNA from Finda Telecoms Oy and PHP Holding Oy for E1.5bn
Advised by Barclays (Telenor); Nordea (DNA shareholders)

Global Telecoms Holdings (Egypt, Various) – subject to closing 
VEON’s mandatory tender offer for the remaining shares in GTH for US$2.3bn
Advised by Citi and LionTree (VEON) 

Inmarsat (UK) – subject to closing 
Apax, Warburg Pincus, CPPIB and OTPP’s acquisition of Inmarsat from shareholders for US3.3bn
Advised by UBS (consortium); JPMorgan, PJT Partners, Credit Suisse (Inmarsat).

Liberty Global ‘Germany and CEE portfolio’ (CEE, Various) 
Vodafone’s acquisition of Liberty Global’s Germany and CEE portfolio for E18.4bn
Advised by LionTree, Goldman Sachs (Liberty); Robey Warshaw, UBS, Morgan Stanley (Vodafone) 

United Group (SE Europe, Various) 
BC Partners’ acquisition of United Group from KKR for an undisclosed amount (c. E2.6bn) 
Advised by Morgan Stanley, LionTree (BC Partners); Credit Suisse (United Group)

MID-CAP TELECOM M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR –EUROPE 

Liberty Global ‘DTH’ unit (Europe Various) 
M7’s acquisition of Liberty Global ‘DTH’ portfolio for E180m
Advised by Merrill Lynch International (Liberty Global) 

KCOM (UK) 
Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets’ acquisition of KCOM from shareholders for £628m
Advised by: Barclays (Macquarie); Rothschild & Co, Peel Hunt, Investec Bank (KCOM) 

Manx Telecom (UK)
Basalt Infrastructure Partners’ acquisition of Manx Telecom from shareholders for £255m
Advised by Oakley Advisory, Liberum Capital (Manx Telecom) 

Melita (Malta) 
EQT’s acquisition of Melita from Apax Partners and Fortino Capital for an undisclosed sum
Advised by Lazard (Apax Partners and Fortino Capital) 

NewVoiceMedia (UK) 
Vonage’s acquisition of NewVoiceMedia from shareholders for US$350m
Advised by: JP Morgan (Vonage); Jefferies (NewVoiceMedia)

Tele2 NL (The Netherlands) 
T-Mobile NL’s (Deutsche Telekom) acquisition and merger with Tele2 NL for E190m 
Advised by Credit Suisse, JP Morgan (DT); Rothschild (Tele2)

TELECOM M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR – ASIA

Etisalat Lanka (Sri Lanka)
CK Hutchison’s acquisition of Etisalat Lanka from Etisalat Group for an undisclosed amount.
Advised by JP Morgan (CK Hutchison)

Kcell (Kazakhstan)
Kazakhtelecom’s acquisition of Kcell from Telia Company and Fintur Holdings for US$446m.
Advised by UBS (Telia).

M1 (Singapore)
Keppel Corp and Singapore Press Holdings’ acquisition of a minority stake in M1 from Axiata Group for MYR 1.65bn (US$404m)
Advised by Credit Suisse (SPH); DBS (Keppel); Morgan Stanley (Axiata Group)

Pan Asia Majestic Eagle Limited (Myanmar)
TPG Capital’s acquisition of Pan Asia Majestic Eagle Limited from shareholders for an undisclosed amount
Redpeak Advisers (TPG Capital)

Vodafone New Zealand (New Zealand)
Infratil and Brookfield Asset Management’s acquisition of Vodafone New Zealand from Vodafone for N$3.4bn (US$2.23bn)
Advised by Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Craigs Limited (Vodafone)

WTT HK (Hong Kong)
HKBN’s acquisition of WTT HK from TPG Capital and MBK Partners for HK$10.5bn (US$1.34bn)
Advised by Goldman Sachs (WTT shareholders, MBK and TPG Capital); JP Morgan (HKBN)

The TMT M&A Awards 2019 (November 26, London) is part of the three-day leadership summit, TMT World Congress 2019. The event offers a maximum of 500 TMT industry investment, M&A and finance professionals the opportunity to discuss and plan the biggest telecoms infrastructure deals. 

For more information about TMT M&A Awards 2019, including tickets, please visit https://www.tmtfinance.com/world-congress/awards or contact enquiries@tmtfinance.com for speaker and sponsor opportunities.

About TMT Finance
TMT Finance was first launched in the UK in 2009 to connect and inform senior executives pursuing M&A, investment, financing and advisory opportunities in the telecom, media and tech sector globally. Since then, TMT Finance has established 5 weekly news titles with a series of leading annual executive only events gathering financial-decision makers in the US Europe, Asia and Africa.

For more information on TMT Finance visit www.tmtfinance.com/events and follow on Twitter and LinkedIn


            

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