FFW acts on sale of BBC's outside broadcasts division

Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) has fended off competition from a range of other firms to advise the BBC on the sale of its outside broadcasts division to sports broadcaster Satellite Information Services (SIS).

The firm is on the BBC panel, which includes Linklaters and Olswang. FFW corporate partner Andrew Blankfield advised the BBC on the deal, assisted by corporate solicitor Carlton Durrant, while Olswang partner Mark?Bertram?picked up the lead role for SIS.

The BBC is a longstanding client of FFW. The firm acted on the sale of BBC Technology in 2004 and last year advised BBC Worldwide on its partnership with production house Left Bank Productions.

Mark Tugwell, director of BBC Outside Broadcasts, said: "It's time for our business to flourish under new ownership, without the constraints of BBC ownership."

The outside broadcasts division of the BBC operates the equipment to broadcast live events such as Wimbledon and the Olympics.