Dechert, DLA Piper sign off Moonpig takeover deal

The deal is being held up as important for the UK online retail sector.

Digital photo printer PhotoBox paid for its acquisition with a combination of cash, which was funded by bank debt and private ­equity, and shares. The two entities will now form a ­single, merged company.

Dechert, led by London corporate partner Graham Defries, advised PhotoBox on the acquisition, and also on the debt and equity financing for the deal.
UK private equity fund Insight Venture Partners led the equity financing and was advised by Dewey & LeBoeuf, with US-based private equity partner Ilan Nissan and London private equity partner Russell van Praagh heading the firm’s team.

Other private equity firms to provide financing were Greenspring Associates and Quilvest.

DLA Piper advised Matrix Property, the corporate vehicle of the chief backers of Moonpig.com, and Nick Jenkins, founder and chairman of the online company. Following the transaction, ­Jenkins will stay on at the company as an adviser.

DLA Piper’s team on the deal was led by UK corporate head Charles Severs, with help from corporate partner Edward Griffiths and corporate associates Mark Chivers and Richard Hughes.