Insurance Broker Eggar Forrester Gets New Backing. Why Minority Investment Is Becoming More Attractive
Minority Broker Partnerships has invested in London-based insurance broker Eggar Forrester Insurance, giving the business access to new capital while allowing its existing management to remain in control.
The structure is significant because it offers an alternative to a full takeover. Instead of selling the business outright, Eggar Forrester can bring in outside investment while preserving its independence and existing leadership.
For MBP, the attraction is relatively clear. Insurance brokers can generate recurring commission income and maintain long-term client relationships, making established firms potentially attractive investment targets.
Kennedys advised MBP on the transaction. Lawyers involved in deals like this would typically negotiate shareholder and investment agreements, carry out due diligence and decide what rights a minority investor should receive without effectively taking control of the business. Because insurance is regulated, FCA requirements may also become relevant.
The deal reflects a wider question in professional services: how can smaller firms access outside capital without giving up the independence that made them valuable in the first place?
Simmons & Simmons advises on Panasonic carve-out
Midas Atlantic Partners and the Najafi Companies are acquiring Panasonic Industry’s European Power and Battery Control Solutions business, with Simmons & Simmons and TMI Associates advising the buyers on the transaction.
The deal will transfer control of Panasonic Industry’s operations in Germany and Slovakia to the two investment firms. It is expected to complete in February 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.
The deal is a carve-out, meaning the buyers are acquiring a specific part of Panasonic Industry’s business rather than the company as a whole. This can make a deal more complicated because the business being sold may still rely on its parent company for employees, contracts, systems and other services.
This was particularly important in this transaction because the business operates across Japan, Germany and Slovakia. The legal teams therefore had to coordinate the separation of the business across three countries while making sure it could operate independently from Panasonic from day one after completion.
For Simmons & Simmons, the transaction involved advising on the European M&A aspects of the carve-out, working alongside TMI Associates to navigate the different legal and commercial considerations across the jurisdictions involved.
Australia targets Big Tech with new news levy
Australia has passed legislation that will make major technology companies pay millions of dollars if they fail to reach commercial agreements with local news organisations. The News Bargaining Incentive will impose a 2.5% levy, effectively a charge on advertising revenue, on companies including Google, Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn unless they reach agreements with at least eight publishers.
The move reflects how much the way we consume news has changed. People are no longer relying on traditional television channels to keep up with the latest headlines. Instead, news is increasingly consumed through platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. News organisations have adapted to this shift, but Australia is now asking whether the platforms benefiting from that content should contribute more to the industry producing it.
The UK faces a related challenge as traditional broadcasters compete with global streaming platforms. If Australia’s approach proves successful, other governments may look to it as a way of making Big Tech contribute to their domestic media industries.