Tinopolis regains control from Vitruvian

Production and distribution group Tinopolis has taken full control of the company after buying back the stake held by private equity investor Vitruvian.

Ron Jones

Vitruvian invested in Tinopolis in 2008, overseeing the company’s growth into a major player in the UK with interests in the US.

Tinopolis’s portfolio of production companies includes global sports producer Sunset+Vine, Mentorn Media, Firecracker, Pioneer, Tinopolis Cymru and the recently launched Thunderclap Media.

Drama producers include Daybreak Pictures and Fiction Factory, as well as A Smith & Co and Magical Elves in the US, while it acquired sales arm Passion in 2012.

Arwel Rees, CEO of Tinopolis Group, said the “time is right for Tinopolis to take back full control to steer the group into its next growth phase.”

He added: “We have a hugely successful business with a strong and diverse portfolio of production companies and programmes, and I am incredibly excited about what we can achieve over the coming years.”

Ron Jones, exec chairman at Tinopolis, said: “Now, once again, we are a private company owned by its management in both countries [US and UK], optimistic for the future and determined to provide our people with new challenges and opportunities.”

Ben Johnson, partner at Vitruvian, said Tinopolis’s turnover had increased threefold since the equity firm’s investment, with the US becoming the company’s largest revenue market.

“The Vitruvian team would like to thank the Tinopolis management for the strong partnership and wish them every success for the next stage as a company entirely owned by the management and founders.”

Earlier this year Tinopolis hired David Mortimer from NBCUniversal as its director of content, responsible for the UK arm’s content direction and performance and working with the US to develop a transatlantic strategy.