Leading commercial law firm Thrings has advised Bath-based design-led gift and accessories retail company Wild & Wolf on its acquisition by D. C. Thomson & Company Limited, the Dundee-based media and consumer products group.
Led by company commercial partner Alex Pyatt and solicitor Sarah Ellis, Thrings worked closely with Wild & Wolf owners Jon and Nancy Cameron on all strategic and legal matters. Finance and tax advice was provided by Adrian Wood and Sarah Trainor of O’Hara Wood, which has offices in Bath and Melksham.
Wild & Wolf is a designer and manufacturer of award-winning products, spanning fashion brands such as Ted Baker and Orla Kiely to familiar favourites Scrabble, Mr Men and The Gruffalo. Its products are sold in boutique independent retailers such as Bloomsbury – whose flagship store is in the heart of Bath city centre – and large multiple retailers including John Lewis and Boots.
The completion of the acquisition for an undisclosed sum by D. C. Thomson & Company Limited – best known for producing The Sunday Post newspaper and The Beano and The Dandy comics – will enable Wild & Wolf to continue expanding its product and service offering to a wider customer base as well as securing a clear and exciting future for its staff.
Under the terms of the transaction, Jon Cameron will continue in his role as chief executive of Wild & Wolf.
Alex Pyatt, who is based at Thrings’ Bath offices in Queen Square, said: “This is a hugely exciting period for Wild & Wolf, a company whose products have been admired and enjoyed by so many people for so many years. We are very pleased to have safely negotiated the legal complexities and brought matters to a positive conclusion for all parties.
“The transaction is also a huge success story for Bath, with three established businesses working closely together to secure an outcome which will enable Wild & Wolf to offer its many customers even greater choice.”
Jon Cameron, who founded the company with Richard Barson in 2005, said: “The business has grown significantly in the last two to three years, particularly export sales which now represent around 40% of our business. The deal with D.C. Thomson & Company Limited gives us a solid financial foundation and infrastructure to access more markets around the world and continue our growth.
“Key to the success of this transaction has been working with professional advisers who not only share our values and focus on clients, but who are also based in the same city. More face-to-face contact has undoubtedly helped Thrings and O’Hara Wood gain a true understanding of our commercial aims and ambitions, which in turn, has enabled us to make key decisions more quickly.”
Adrian Wood added: “Over the last five years, O’Hara Wood has worked very closely with Wild & Wolf providing a range of professional services including audit, accountancy, corporate tax and business advice. We are delighted that both Jon and Nancy have been able to fulfil their ambitions with regard to the sale of the company.”
