Blue Sparkle Acquires Barclays ishare for 3B GBP

Blue Sparkle, a UK affiliate of CVC Capital Partners, agreed to acquire the ishares business of Barclays for 3 billion GBP. The transaction will be financed with debt and equity. After the completion of the transaction, the ishares business will remain an asset management firm and the company will also retain its securities lending business. The deal is expected to close in the 3rd quarter of 2009. Deutchse Bank advised Blue Sparkle; Lazard, JPMorgan Cazenove, and William Fry advised Barclays ishare business.