B.p Marsh Regulatory News (BPM)

18 May 2007 07:01

B.P. Marsh & Partners PLC18 May 2007 Date: 18th May 2007 On behalf of: B.P. Marsh & Partners Plc ("B.P. Marsh" or "The Company") Embargoed until: 0700hrs B.P. Marsh & Partners Plc £5.5m Hyperion Insurance Group Limited Rights Issue B.P. Marsh & Partners Plc (AIM: BPM), a niche venture capital provider tofinancial services businesses, today announces that it has participated in a£5.5m rights issue of Hyperion Insurance Group Limited ("Hyperion"), one of theCompany's investee companies. Hyperion provides expertise in selected specialistinsurance and reinsurance fields. The rights issue, which was approved at an Extraordinary General Meeting on 19thApril, will be Hyperion's second fundraising since February 2006 when theinsurance group raised £5.1m and brought in a new shareholder, MurofoInvestments SLU, a Spanish Investment Company. B.P.Marsh took up its pro-rata proportion of the rights issue at a cost of£1,546,144 thereby retaining its 27.89% equity interest in Hyperion. This second round of funding comes after another successful year in relation totrading performance and will provide funding for start-ups as well as liquidityin the business. The rights issue will also provide an opportunity for the Groupto restructure internally thereby creating a solid platform for its next stageof growth. Brian Marsh OBE, Chairman of B.P. Marsh & Partners Plc, commented: "We are delighted to support Hyperion by participating in this fund raising.Hyperion has an excellent track record and an exciting future ahead of it. Thesefunds will enable the company to achieve its next phase of growth not onlythrough acquisition but also by allowing the company to restructure andconsolidate internally." Hyperion was last month awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise in InternationalTrade. - ends - For further information: B.P. Marsh & Partners Plc www.bpmarsh.co.uk Brian Marsh OBE +44 (0)20 7730 2626 Nominated Advisor Nabarro Wells & Co. Limited David Nabarro/Marc Cramsie +44 (0) 20 7710 7400 Redleaf Communications (PR to BP Marsh) Emma Kane/Tom Newman +44 (0)20 7822 0200 -ends- Notes to Editors: About Hyperion: Established in 1994 and headquartered in the City of London, the Hyperion Insurance Group was ranked as one of the UK's fastest growing private equitybacked companies in the 2007 Sunday Times Buyout Track 100, and 10th in the PostMagazine 2006 Top 25 City Brokers report. In April 2007 the Group was awarded aQueen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade. The Hyperion Insurance Group comprises 25 operations in 13 countries employingover 370 people, and operating through four distinct platforms - wholesale andretail broking, underwriting and reinsurance. About B.P. Marsh: B.P. Marsh's current portfolio contains eleven companies. More detaileddescriptions of the portfolio can be found at www.bpmarsh.co.uk. Over the past 16 years, the Company has assembled a management team withconsiderable experience both in the financial services sector and in managingprivate equity investments. Many of the directors have worked with each other inprevious roles, and all have worked with each other for at least five years. Prior to Brian Marsh OBE's involvement in the Company, he spent many years ininsurance broking and underwriting in Lloyd's as well as the London and overseasmarket. He has over 30 years' experience in building, buying and sellingfinancial services businesses, particularly in the insurance sector. Managing Director, Natasha Dunbar, has over 10 years' experience in thefinancial services industry. Having joined the Company in 1994 she was mademanaging director in March 2002. Natasha is responsible for the day to dayrunning of all operational aspects of the business and works closely with BrianMarsh in defining the strategic development of the Company. Francis de Zulueta is the Company's Development Director. With a wide-rangingknowledge of the financial services market, he seeks out, researches andevaluates potential new investments for BP Marsh. Following a 23-year brokingcareer with Willis Faber and Aon, among others, he took an active interest inthe mergers, acquisitions and venture capital business of Marsh McLennan. Jonathan Newman is the Group Director of Finance and has 9 years' experience inthe financial services industry. Jonathan advises investee companies throughseveral non-executive board appointments and evaluates new investmentopportunities. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange