Gresham exits talent agency James Grant
PRIVATE Equity firm Gresham has successfully exited talent management agency James Grant Group.
Andy Marsh at the Manchester office of Gresham led the acquisition of the agency whose clients include TV stars Ant and Dec, Holly Willoughby and Clare Balding for £20.75m in 2009 from listed group Formation.
The new backer of James Grant is investment firm Metric Capital, which has acquired the business in partnership with James Grant’s management team led by chief executive Neil Rodford. Sources said the transaction is worth around £45m.
Under Gresham’s ownership James Grant strengthened the range of services it offered through several bolt-on acquisitions including North Manchester accountancy firm S Crowther and Co, whose clients included singer Mick Hucknall, rock group Simple Minds and comedians Alan Carr and Johnny Vegas.
James Grant was founded in 1984 by Peter Powell, the former Radio 1 disc jockey and his business partner Russ Lindsay.
It was acquired by Formation Group, which was previously headquartered in the Manchester suburb of Hale Barns, in a £30m deal in March 2008.
