LONDON – The Mill, a premier provider of moving image visual content for advertising, has been sold to Technicolor.
Harris Williams & Co. acted as the exclusive financial advisor to The Mill, a portfolio company of Equistone Partners Europe (Equistone). The transaction was led by Thierry Monjauze, Jonathan Organ and Mathew Tsui from Harris Williams & Co.’s Technology, Media & Telecom (TMT) Group in London.
“It has been a pleasure to work with the management team of The Mill for a second time,” said Thierry Monjauze, a managing director in the firm’s TMT Group. “The Mill has continued to demonstrate a track record of delivering creative excellence through the delivery of innovative digital content across the advertising sector. This transaction is a fantastic result for all parties including Technicolor, for whom this is a highly strategic acquisition, enabling them to draw upon The Mill’s expertise and to enhance its production services segment substantially.”
In announcing the transaction, Technicolor CEO Frederic Rose said, “In acquiring The Mill, we are delivering on our Drive 2020 strategic objective of enhancing our market position in visual effects while improving profitability and revenue growth concurrently with accelerating deployment of emerging technologies such as virtual reality. In The Mill, we have found a company which aligns with our focus on excellence in talent, technology and operational performance. It is a perfect fit.”
The acquisition reinforces Technicolor's portfolio, including MPC, Mr. X, and Mikros Image.
The Mill is consistently recognized by its clients and peers around the globe as the premier provider of moving image visual content for advertising. Founded in 1990 in London, The Mill rapidly established a reputation as a leader in combining cutting edge technology with talented artistry and now counts the world’s top brands, directors and advertising agencies amongst its clients. It has grown to over 800 employees across its studios in London, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago and is also one of the most awarded firms in its field, notably winning five Lions at the Cannes festival of Creativity in 2015.
Technicolor, a worldwide technology leader in the media and entertainment sector, is at the forefront of digital innovation. The company’s world class research and innovation laboratories enable it to lead the market in delivering advanced video services to content creators and distributors. Technicolor benefits from an extensive intellectual property portfolio focused on imaging and sound technologies, based on a thriving licensing business.