Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 10, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleRedBird Capital seeks UK approval for acquiring The Telegraph, valued at £500M, with IMI as a minority investor. The deal aligns with UK foreign investment laws.
By Sam Tabahriti and Amy-Jo Crowley
LONDON (Reuters) -RedBird Capital Partners on Friday formally requested approval from the British government to proceed with its proposed acquisition of The Telegraph, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters and confirmed by the U.S.-based investment firm.
If approved, RedBird would take sole control of the broadsheet under a deal that values it at 500 million pounds ($667.50 million), with Abu Dhabi-backed IMI participating as a minority investor. IMI's stake will be capped at 15%, in line with UK legislation on foreign state-backed stakes.
Ownership of the Telegraph, a conservative-leaning newspaper, has been in flux since IMI initially acquired the newspaper and The Spectator magazine in 2023. The deal was later disrupted when the then government moved to ban foreign state investment in British newspapers, forcing a sale.
"This is an important step forward in the process as we look to end the uncertainty at the Telegraph," RedBird said in its internal statement.
"Our conviction in the potential of the Telegraph has never wavered, despite the tremendous challenges all journalism endeavours face in the wake of artificial intelligence, social media news consumption and the ongoing technological disintermediation that threatens all intellectual property based businesses."
A government source confirmed on Friday that it had received RedBird's request. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Public Interest Intervention Notice was issued in January 2024 when RedBird Capital and IMI initially sought joint control. The current government's decision to allow foreign state-owned investors to own up to 15% of UK newspaper publishers helped unlock the revised deal.
The move followed an outcry among some politicians over the independence of the media and whether foreign states would be able to buy political influence.
RedBird, founded in 2014, manages about $12 billion in assets globally. Its investments include AC Milan, Skydance Media and a pending merger with Paramount Global.
($1 = 0.7491 pounds)
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti and Amy-Jo Crowley; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
An acquisition is a corporate action in which one company purchases another company, gaining control over its assets and operations.
Foreign investment refers to the investment made by individuals or entities in assets or businesses located in another country.
A minority investor is an investor who holds a smaller percentage of shares in a company, typically less than 50%, and does not have control over company decisions.
Regulatory approval is crucial in acquisitions as it ensures that the deal complies with legal standards and does not harm competition or public interest.
Investment firms manage assets on behalf of clients, providing services such as investment advice, portfolio management, and facilitating transactions.
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