PE firm Epiris in talks to buy Next 15 divisions - report

(Sharecast News) - Private equity firm Epiris is reportedly in talks to buy a sizeable chunk of marketing services firm Next 15. According to Sky News, Epiris - which owns the Big Table casual dining group and also counted auctioneer Bonhams among its recent investments - has approached Next 15 Group about a deal.

City sources told Sky on Monday that Epiris' offer included Next 15 subsidiaries MHP Communications, a leading financial public relations firm.

M Booth, a consumer marketing operation; Outcast, another PR agency; and Activate, a business-to-business demand generation specialist, were also said to form part of the deal perimeter.

Ares Management, the private credit giant, was understood to have been approached by Epiris to help finance its offer.

Sky said discussions between Epiris and Next 15 were ongoing, although insiders cautioned that a transaction was not certain to materialise.

Sky News reported the approach to Next 15 earlier this year, although the identity of the bidder was unclear at that stage.