The award in the Deal of the Year category is presented for the outstanding telecom transaction, be it a merger, acquisition, IPO, debt funding or private placement, involving a telecom company in or from the Middle East North Region during 2012 – 2013. Deals were evaluated based on their size, impact and market outlook.
Batelco Group was presented with this coveted award for its acquisition of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), Monaco and Islands Division. Batelco Group recently completed the acquisition of CWC’s interest in Dhiraagu in the Maldives, Sure in Channel Islands and Isle of Man and CWC’s operations in Falkland Islands, St Helena, Ascension and Diego Garcia (SADG). Batelco also acquired 25% shareholding in Compagnie Monégasque de Communications SAM (CMC), which holds CWC’s 55%, interest in Monaco Telecom.
“TMT Finance is much respected internationally due to its provision of specialist news, research and high end networking events for senior executives from the telecom and finance industry. We are therefore delighted and proud to be recognised by them for our Group’s acquisition of CWC’s M&I Division,” Batelco Group CEO Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa said.
“We are also pleased that Batelco Group financial advisers on this acquisition, Houlihan Lokey, Citi and BNP Paribas were also recognised for their support.”
TMT Finance Managing Director Dominic Lowndes said that Batelco was the natural choice for this year’s award due to the scale and opportunity presented by their CWC acquisition.
“Batelco Group has transformed from being essentially a Middle Eastern regional company to become a global enterprise with the scale and diversification of their operations increasing significantly from operating in 6 geographies to 16.”
The Deal of the Year award was accepted by Batelco Group General Counsel Bernadette Baynie and Batelco Group Director Mergers and Acquisitions Ian Kelly, who represented Batelco on the occasion.