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Simpson Thacher represented Apax Partners LLP and Guardian Media Group plc on the block trade sale by Guardian Media Group plc and certain entities indirectly wholly owned by Apax Europe VII of their remaining stakes in Ascential plc (“Ascential”), being an aggregate of 92,968,360 ordinary shares. The sale, which was effected by way of an accelerated book build, raised gross sale proceeds of £267.7 million in aggregate. Settlement took place on March 9, 2017.

Goldman Sachs International and Merrill Lynch International acted as joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners, with Deutsche Bank AG and Numis Securities Limited also acting as joint bookrunners. Simpson Thacher previously advised Ascential and Apax Partners LLP in connection with Ascential’s initial public offering and its admission to the London Stock Exchange.

The London-based Simpson Thacher team included Derek Baird, Charles Leeming, Patrick Scott and Rebecca Jack (U.K. Corporate); and Nicholas Shaw and Noam Katz (U.S. Corporate). Elvinger Hoss Prussen provided Luxembourg legal advice to the Apax funds.