Private Equity Groups Emerge as Reed Business Information Suitors

Permira is latest on growing list of potential bidders.

By Jason Fell
03/07/2008

It appears there may be another possible bidder for Reed Elsevier’s Reed Business Information.

International private equity firm Permira has emerged as a potential suitor for the trade magazine publisher, according to a report in the London Times. Permira joins a growing list of potential suitors, including Providence Equity Partners, Cinven and Apax Partners. Apax owns Incisive Media and recently acquired Emap’s b-to-b group for $2 billion through a partnership with the Guardian Media Group. Apax and Incisive also bought U.S.-based ALM last year for $630 million.

Last month, Reed Elsevier announced its planned divestiture of RBI as part of the company’s preliminary financial results statement for 2007.

Industry observers put an RBI sale at about $2-2.5 billion. Other suitors could include Court Square Ventures (formerly Citigroup Venture Capital) and Bain & Company.