Betfair have acquired Portway Press Limited, which trades as Timeform. Timeform is a world-renowned brand publishing horseracing ratings, form guides and analysis. The company, founded by Phil Bull in 1948, is an essential source of reference for racing enthusiasts and is used daily by the sport’s professionals and punters. Operating from its Halifax base, Timeform … Continued

By J A McGrath Betfair, the betting industry’s most successful exchange, are to buy Timeform in an estimated £15m deal expected to be completed next week. The move to acquire Halifax-based Portway Press Ltd, which publishes Timeform and other related racing publications, by the company that has revolutionised betting in this country and beyond in … Continued

Towergate has completed its purchase of Paymentshield. Under the terms of the deal, Paymentshield will remain an independent business. It now becomes a sister company of Towergate Partnership, Europe’s largest independently owned insurance intermediary. This follows the management buy-in in 2004 led by Paymentshield’s chief executive offficer, Stuart Pender. The deal represents a successful exit … Continued

The contrasting fortunes of two recently concluded local management buy-outs (MBOs) couldn’t be greater. Around 100 senior managers at Tilney Investment Management, based in the Royal Liver Building, shared a reported £350m windfall with private equity backer Bridgepoint Capital two weeks ago when Germany’s Deutsche Bank acquired their firm. Tilney’s managers appear to have done … Continued