In Brief: Squire Patton Boggs and Mazars; KPMG

YORKSHIRE advisors have worked on the acquisition of software business DirectSmile by US leader in digital printing, EFI.

The cross border deal was advised on by the Leeds offices of both Squire Patton Boggs and Mazars. The Squire Patton Boggs Leeds team was led by corporate partner Paul Mann and corporate associate Jitesh Lad alongside taxation partner Peter Morley. From Mazars, Rob Burton, director in the corporate finance team led the advice. The transaction involved input from the Berlin and San Francisco offices of Squires and assistance from the Mazars Berlin office.

Based in Berlin, DirectSmile invented image personalisation in 2001 and today makes media personalisation and automation software that streamlines sophisticated marketing and production tasks for corporations, agencies and printing companies. DirectSmile’s technologies extend EFI’s offerings and will give customers expanded, fully integrated capabilities with data-driven digital print, web, e-mail, social media and mobile marketing workflows.

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THE Leeds office of KPMG has advised on the management buyout of software firm Tharstern.

The Lancashire-based business specialises in supplying the printing industry and has 40 staff and revenues of £4m.

The deal, backed by Mobeus Equity Partners, was led by managing director Keith McMurtrie, technical director Antony Lord and sales director Lee Ward who have bought the business from Richard and Jannine Bannister.

Christian Mayo, Rick Stark and Cassie Ivel from KPMG’s corporate finance team in Leeds and Helen Ridge and Andrew Phillips from from Pinsent Masons in Manchester advised the vendor. 

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