An audio visual and event technology company, which has undertaken projects for the United Nations, UK Government and West End productions, has secured a £13.75m investment from BGF.
Blue-i Group, founded in 2002 by Lee Bradshaw and Stevie Warne, provides AV, set and stage asset hire, as well as technical and project management services, for the live events and theatre industries.
BGF’s investment will fuel Blue-i’s recruitment plans to expand its technical teams and accelerate a capital investment programme to support European sales growth.
The deal was led by Chris Boyes and James Baker, investors in BGF’s Yorkshire team.
As part of the investment, Stuart Warriner, former lead M&A partner at PWC in Yorkshire, will join as non-executive chair. Warriner was appointed through BGF’s Talent Network – one of the largest groups of board-level non-executives in the UK and Ireland.
Chris Boyes said “Blue-i Group has established itself as an industry-leader, building an impeccable reputation for the quality of service it delivers to its clients across the live events and theatre sectors.
“The team are creative and technical in equal measure and their talent and drive is evident in the business’ performance to date. Lee and Stevie have outlined an impressive growth strategy and we look forward to working in partnership to achieve our combined ambitions.”
A team from Schofield Sweeney provided legal advice to BGF: Steven Millward, Jess Fielden and Shaun Parsons (Corporate), John Feaster (Tax), Annie Gray (Employment) and Howard Jenkins (Commercial Property). The Tax Advisory Partnership (Russ Cahill and Toyan Williams) provided tax advice. Corporate Finance advice to Blue-i Group was provided by TLP (Paul Land) and legal advice by Dahren Naidoo at Freeths.