China Oceanwide and IDG Capital Announce Agreement to Acquire IDG

BOSTON & BEIJING -Friday, January 20th 2017 [ ME NewsWire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co., Ltd. ("China Oceanwide") and IDG Capital announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire International Data Group, Inc. (“IDG”), including its subsidiaries International Data Corporation (“IDC”), IDG Communications, and IDG Ventures, and that they have received clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) for the transaction. Upon closure of the transaction, China Oceanwide will become the controlling shareholder of IDG’s operating businesses, including IDC and IDG Communications, while IDG Capital will become the controlling shareholder of the IDG venture business. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close within the first quarter of 2017.

IDG is the leading global media, market research and venture company that engages the most influential technology vendors and buyers. IDG operates in 97 countries around the world.

China Oceanwide is a privately held, multi-billion dollar international conglomerate founded by Chairman Zhiqiang Lu. Headquartered in Beijing, China Oceanwide's well-established and diversified businesses include operations in financial services, real estate assets, media, technology and strategic investment, with more than 12,000 employees globally.

IDG Capital is an independently operated investment management partnership, with IDG as one of many limited partners. Formed in 1993 as China’s first technology venture investment firm, IDG Capital was ranked China’s top VC firm for 2016 by Zero2IPO Group.

IDG will continue to be headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and managed by its current team. Kirk Campbell will continue as President and CEO of IDC, and Michael Friedenberg will continue as CEO of IDG Communications. A new board of directors will be appointed after the close of the transaction.

“In an effort to carry on the legacy of late founder and chairman Pat McGovern, we have been focused on determining the optimal future balance between what’s best for IDG and Pat’s mission for the McGovern Foundation,” said Walter Boyd, Chairman of IDG. “We believe China Oceanwide and IDG Capital will provide the right financial, strategic and cultural fit to take IDG to greater heights.”

“Pat made 130 trips to China over his career, and together with longstanding IDG executive Hugo Shong they established IDG’s media, market research and venture capital businesses in China,” continued Boyd. “We are happy to announce, and I believe Pat would be delighted to know, that China Oceanwide and IDG Capital are willing partners who will continue to invest in IDG’s business and drive growth across all three of IDG’s diverse and valuable assets – IDC, IDG Communications and the IDG Ventures portfolios.”

“IDG is a natural extension for China Oceanwide’s international portfolio expansion,” said Chairman Zhiqiang Lu of China Oceanwide. “As a world leader in market research and insights, a publisher of many of the tech industry’s most established media brands, and a successful venture investor, IDG’s strong global brand and profile make for an attractive strategic investment for us. We plan to support IDG’s current management team as they implement their business plans, providing them with the autonomy, financial support and commercial resources that can support IDG’s growth and expansion and further enhance its leading position in the market.”

"Pat was not only a great boss, but also a mentor to me for over 22 years," said Hugo Shong, Founding General Partner of IDG Capital. "IDG’s culture is at the core of its success, and its strength has always been rooted in the talent and dedication of its people. Our focus going forward will be on investing in the company and its people for growth over the long term, as we carry the flag for Pat’s legacy for many years to come.”

IDG's founder and leader, Patrick J. McGovern, passed away March 2014. His legacy and philanthropic vision will continue with the McGovern Foundation, a new foundation that will be funded by the proceeds from this transaction. This foundation will support neuroscience and IT for the benefit of humanity.

In 2000, Patrick J. McGovern and Lore Harp McGovern donated US$350 million to MIT to set up the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, with a long-term mission to understand the human brain in health and disease. In 2011, Patrick J. McGovern and Lore Harp McGovern also reached agreement with Peking University, Tsinghua University and Beijing Normal University, donating US$10 million to each university to set up IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research in China.

Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as financial advisor, and Foley Hoag LLP and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP acted as legal advisors to IDG. Citigroup acted as financial advisor, and Ropes & Gray LLP and Covington & Burling LLP acted as legal advisors to China Oceanwide. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP acted as legal advisor to IDG Capital.

About International Data Group, Inc.

International Data Group, Inc., founded in 1964, is the leading media, market research and venture company that engages the most influential technology vendors and buyers. The company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

In 1980, IDG became the first U.S. publisher to enter the China market, with the launch of China Computerworld, a China-U.S. joint venture. Today IDG China has more than 60 joint-venture magazines, newspapers and web sites for the computer, electronics, telecommunications, fashion and consumer industries.

About IDG Communications

IDG Communications is the world’s largest media, data, and marketing services company whose mission is to help our global audience make the smartest technology purchasing decisions. Our premium brands, including CIO®, Computerworld®, PCWorld® and Macworld®, engage the most powerful audience of technology buyers providing essential guidance on the evolving technology landscape. Our global data intelligence platform activates purchasing intent, powering our clients’ success. IDG Marketing Services creates custom content with marketing impact across video, mobile, social and digital. We execute complex campaigns that fulfill marketers’ global ambitions seamlessly with consistency that delivers results and wins awards. Visit IDG.com for more information. IDG is the #1 tech media company in the world, per comScore.*

*Source: comScore Media Metrix, Desktop Unique Visitors, Worldwide, February 2016

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com.

About China Oceanwide

China Oceanwide is a privately held multi-billion dollar international conglomerate founded by Chairman Zhiqiang Lu. Headquartered in Beijing, China, China Oceanwide's well-established and diversified businesses include operations in financial services, real estate assets, media, technology and strategic investment, with more than 12,000 employees globally.

China Oceanwide is the controlling shareholder of the Shenzhen-listed Oceanwide Holdings Co., Ltd. and Minsheng Holdings Co. Ltd.; the Hong Kong-listed China Oceanwide Holdings Limited; the privately-held Minsheng Securities, Minsheng Trust, and Asia-Pacific Property & Casualty Insurance; and it is the single largest shareholder of Australia-listed CuDECO Ltd. China Oceanwide also is a significant investor in Shanghai-listed China Minsheng Bank. In the United States, China Oceanwide has real estate investments in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Hawaii.

About IDG Capital

Founded in 1993, IDG Capital, a pioneer US venture capital firm entering into China, is now the leading venture capital firm in China, with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Silicon Valley and Boston. IDG Capital invests in a wide range of industry sectors, including the Internet, wireless communications, consumer products, franchise services, new media, entertainment, education, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. Since its establishment, IDG Capital has invested in more than 500 outstanding companies in China. The company has also successfully exited from over 120 investments by mergers and acquisitions or by IPOs in the U.S., Hong Kong and China, including companies such as Baidu, Tencent, Sohu, Ctrip, SouFun, Qihoo 360, Xiaomi, Meitu, Creditease, HomeInns, Huazhu Hotels Group, and more. In 2005, IDG Capital partnered with Accel Partners to launch a series of IDG Accel China Growth and Capital funds. IDG Capital launched IDG Venture Fund IV in 2014 and IDG Capital Fund III in 2016, respectively, in partnership with Breyer Capital.

Contacts

IDG
Josh London
Chief Marketing Officer
josh_london@idg.com
or
China Oceanwide & IDG Capital
Ogilvy Public Relations
Derek Mitchell
derek.mitchell@ogilvy.com
or
Judy Brennan
judy.brennan@ogilvy.com

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