CANAL+ ACQUIRES MAJORITY STAKE IN SPI INTERNATIONAL
Canal+ will acquire a 70 per cent majority stake in SPI International while keeping the current management team and operational structure in place.
SPI International, a global media company operating 42 TV channels and multiple digital products across six continents, and a major player in content distribution and broadcasting worldwide, is now joining forces with Canal+ Group.
Canal+ Group is a global pay-TV operator and major player in free-to-air television in France. Canal+ has a wide international footprint with a presence in 40 countries in Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.
In a joint statement, Loni Farhi & Berk Uziyel, said: “It is very exciting news and the start of a new era for SPI International. Canal+ and SPI share a common vision for continuous growth and a strong international presence. We have been strategic partners for years, where we have built a great tradition of collaborations and achieving mutual goals. Now we will have the chance to join forces under one roof. SPI will further accelerate its growth with Canal+ while leveraging natural synergies. SPI International has an amazingly talented team that has produced incredible growth in the last decade. Now, with this great team and with much enthusiasm, we are delighted to become part of the Canal+ family. Our joined forces will strengthen the existing entertainment products and expand the distribution of our compelling content to far larger audiences.”
For Maxime Saada, CEO of CANAL+ Group, added:
“The acquisition of SPI International is part of the strategy we have been implementing for several years. Canal+ currently has 22 million subscribers in over 40 countries, including 15 in Europe. We have set ourselves the goal of reaching a minimum of 30 million subscribers by 2025, and SPI INTERNATIONAL will certainly be a key asset in achieving this ambition.”
Jacques du Puy, CEO of Canal+ International said:
“We are very pleased to welcome SPI to our group.
This acquisition marks a new strategic step for the development of our European contents. It will be a great opportunity to develop new synergies and businesses for our activities, especially in the Polish market and in the Central and Eastern European countries where Canal+ operates through M7 brands.”
The completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities in the territories concerned (including in particular the authorities responsible for antitrust and merger control).
MultiChoice now 15% owned by Canal+
French broadcaster Canal+ Group has increased its stake in MultiChoice from 12% to over 15%, Reuters reports.
Vivendi-owned Canal+ significantly raised its holding in Africa’s largest pay-TV last year, causing speculation that it could be looking to take over MultiChoice.
MultiChoice reportedly said it was keeping an open mind about its relationship with the company.
“The group’s policy is not to comment on its individual shareholders nor on its interactions with them,” MultiChoice said in an earlier statement.
“The company remains committed to acting in the best interests of all shareholders and to create sustainable long-term shareholder value.”
Groupe Canal+ SA is a French film and TV studio and distributor which owns the Canal+ French TV channels.
These channels span movies, sports, series, and news and have produced popular films such as The Straight Story, Mulholland Dr, and Inland Empire. Groupe Canal+ has been expanding into Africa, including the acquisition of Nigerian production company ROK Studios.
Vivendi previously tried to acquire MultiChoice Africa, but the multi-million-dollar offer was rejected.
The company is now stocking up on MultiChoice shares, which industry players speculate may indicate that Canal+ is planning to acquire MultiChoice.
MultiChoice is Africa’s leading entertainment company and operates four platforms – DStv, GOtv, Showmax, and DStv Now.
It has approximately 14 million subscribers across 50 countries, with a particularly dominant position in South Africa.
MultiChoice serves Canal+ SA’s African ambitions perfectly and explains why it is investing in the company.
MultiChoice said that it had filed the required notice with the Takeover Regulation Panel in South Africa.
The Takeover Regulation Panel, which reports to the Minister of Trade and Industry, oversees the country’s takeover regulations.
Its mandate is to regulate mergers and acquisitions and protect minority shareholders by ensuring that such shareholders will have access to important information during transactions.
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