2024-08-29 19:47:38
The owner of United Group is betting on a new strategy – it will look for buyers of individual assets, not a purchase in the remaining 7 countries
It is 99% certain that Nova TV is not for sale – Dragan Sholak, the owner of United Group, which owns Nova TV and Vivacom in our country, told the journalists personally.
The Serbian tycoon made a surprise appearance in the TV newsroom on Thursday, journalists present at the meeting told “24 Chasa”. It lasted about half an hour.
Sholak explained that he was satisfied with the ratings and the quality of the production, as well as with the independence of the information provided by the media. He supported the team by saying that he relies on the people who work in television. With a smile, he said that politicians no longer call him.
According to him, the telecommunications company “Vivacom” will almost certainly also remain part of the United Group, unless a fantastic financial offer appears.
A month ago, it became clear that the majority shareholder in United Group – the British group BC Partners, has started a procedure to sell the company. Non-binding offers were expected by the end of July, and the deal was valued at around 8 billion euros. The entire United Group business, which includes media and telecoms in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Greece and Bulgaria, has been put up for sale.
According to several independent sources, BC Partners’ strategy has changed and will seek to sell individual assets rather than the entire business.
About a month ago, among the potential buyers, the names of the investment funds Warburg Pincus and Apax Partners were mentioned. From Europe, there was interest from Telekom Austria and Orange, as well as from Iliad – owned by the French billionaire Xavier Niel.
Saudi Arabia-based STC Group, operating under the Saudi Telecom brand, was said to be one of the most interested buyers. The Saudis already have business with United Group after their subsidiary TAWAL last year acquired telecommunications towers in Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia.
Warburg Pincus and Apax Partners, as well as Telekom Austria and Orange, are interested in individual assets rather than buying the entire United Group, people familiar with the deal said. Especially since the Austrians are the owners of A1 Bulgaria and there is no way to acquire another mobile operator. Their interest is more focused on Serbia and Slovenia.
Therefore, BC Partners is now looking at several options, including the sale of individual assets. For example, in Greece, Nova telecom is valued at 2 billion euros, reports the Greek publication Ekathimerini.