Boston, MA -- (SBWire) -- 03/12/2012 --C.W. Downer & Co., a leading global middle-market investment bank, is pleased to announce that Arena Group has completed a successful fundraising totaling £16.5m. The private equity firm MML Capital Partners made a substantial minority investment, alongside the specialist sports fund, Sports Investment Partners (SIP).

Arena Group is a leading event overlay design and solutions company, creating temporary venues for prestigious sporting and live events across the globe. The company is headquartered in the UK with bases in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Malaysia, Portugal, Singapore and Spain. Arena provides temporary structures, seating, hospitality boxes, scaffolding, and event management services for prestigious international events such as the Wimbledon Championships, as well as The Open and the Ryder Cup.

Arena Group CEO, Greg Lawless, said of the investment, “It gives us great flexibility at a time when we are looking to expand beyond our current bases to reach new opportunities in the Far East.”

Philip Smith, Managing Director of C.W. Downer & Co., commented, “We are particularly pleased to have finalised this fund-raise against the background of a tough financing environment, particularly in the run-up to the year-end and its aftermath. The company is now well poised for international growth, where we see some excellent opportunities for further development.”

The investment in Arena is a first for SIP, whose chairman is Sir Martin Broughton, the former chairman of Liverpool FC and current chairman of British Airways. Matthew Wheeler, a partner with SIP and former professional cricketer with Northants CCC, will become Chairman of Arena. Over the past 10 years, Wheeler has shepherded six private equity-backed sports and media businesses from initial investment through to successful exits.

MML Capital is a significant independent private equity firm in London of long standing. The MML investment was led by Bal Johal and Luke Jones. Bal Johal joins the Arena board and commented, “In Arena we quickly recognised an essential and high quality service, led by a strong management team in a fast growing sector. The way the deal has been structured with SIP’s support and involvement makes this a very exciting opportunity.”

The C.W. Downer & Co. team assisting Arena Group with the capital raise included Philip Smith (Managing Director, Dublin), Ashley Rountree (Managing Director & Partner, Paris), Nicolas Vienot (Associate, Paris), Jennifer O’Shea (Analyst, Dublin), and Ivana Mastilovic (Analyst, Paris).

About C.W. Downer & Co.
C.W. Downer & Co. is an independent, global investment bank offering middle-market clients a high level of personal attention coupled with 35 years of international execution experience. We provide insight, not just information. We generate value, not just transactions. With eight fully integrated offices on four continents, we consistently identify the most appropriate strategic buyer and uncover “hidden” acquisition targets. C.W. Downer & Co. delivers the reach of a bulge-bracket investment bank with the senior level focus of a boutique. For more information, visit http://www.cwdowner.com.

For Further Information:

Ashley Rountree, Managing Director & Partner
arountree@cwdowner.com

Philip Smith, Managing Director
psmith@cwdowner.com

Patti Allan, Marketing Director
pallan@cwdowner.com
C.W. Downer & Co.
+1 617 482 6200