Sources say PPF, recent buyer of Telenor’s SEE assets, is among the interested parties for United Group, a major cable and pay-TV operator in the Balkans.
Dutch-based cable and pay-TV operator United Group is to conduct meetings over the coming week with potential buyers, two sources familiar with the matter told BIRN, ahead of a reported auction in September.
Majority-owned by US private equity firm KKR, United Group is the largest cable company in Serbia and operates in Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia too, counting among its assets SBB, Telemach, Total TV, Sport Klub and regional N1 TV.
Two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the PPF Group of billionaire Czech businessman Petr Keller is among the suitors, with Reuters – also citing sources – reporting on August 1 that European private equity funds Cinven and BC Partners are also interested.
PPF bought the Central and Eastern Europe assets of Norwegian telecommunications giant Telenor in March.
A representative of PPF Group told BIRN: “We do not comment on market rumours.” United Group also said, “We do not comment on market speculations or rumours.” BIRN also contacted KKR but had received no reply by the time this article was published.
BIRN’s sources say United Group, founded in 2000, could fetch around 3 billion euros.
Among the companies up for grabs is the CNN-affiliated N1 TV, which broadcasts from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia. Known in the region for the professionalism of its journalism, N1 has frequently ruffled feathers among political elites, not least the Serbian government and President Aleksandar Vucic.
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