The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

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Informa's Rigby urges consortium to bid

29.07.08

The chief executive of media group Informa urged the private equity consortium eyeing his company to make a £2.15bn bid or walk away, "because he wants to go on holiday", reports the Guardian.

Peter Rigby's comment came as Informa, owner of publisher Taylor & Francis, announced a strong set of half-year figures likely to further whet the would-be buyer's appetite.

But Providence Equity, Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman, which made an informal approach at 506p a share last month, are rumoured to be having trouble raising the cash to finance their offer and take on Informa's £1.2bn of debt, according to the newspaper.

If any bid were to materialise, it would be the largest private equity deal since the credit crunch started to bite last summer. 

Guardian

Financial Informa Home Peter Rigby