Apax Partners Midmarket, Fortino Capital and Vodafone have announced an agreement to merge Melita and Vodafone Malta.
The transaction combines Vodafone Malta, a mobile operator with a 4G mobile network covering 99% of the Maltese population, with Melita, Malta’s cable, broadband and pay TV provider, with a network covering 99% of Maltese households. Melita offers a range of content and superfast broadband download speeds of up to 250Mbps.
The combined company’s mobile and enterprise business will operate under the Vodafone brand, distribute a wide range of services including Vodafone’s global portfolio of products and services and benefit from access to Vodafone’s expertise in mobile and fixed operations worldwide.
At completion, the current shareholders of Melita will own 51% of the combined company and Vodafone Europe BV, the current shareholder of Vodafone Malta, will own the remaining 49%. The transaction values Vodafone Malta at an enterprise value of €208 million.
The Melita shareholders intend to appoint the current CEO of Melita, Harald Rösch, as CEO of the combined company and Vodafone intends to appoint the current CFO of Vodafone Malta, Caroline Farrugia, as CFO. Vodafone will announce a new role for Amanda Nelson, the current CEO of Vodafone Malta, in due course.
The transaction is conditional on approval from the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority and is expected to close in the second half of the 2017 calendar year.
Melita was sold by GMT to Apax France and Fortino Capital in 2016. It lists UPC as one of its former owners.
