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GROWTH COMPANY INVESTOR NOVEMBER 2009
UIpausePEOPLE edited by Robert Tyerman
relishes filling the shoes of Lonrho’s
HandMade heroine
creator, the legendary ‘Tiny’ Rowland, and
says the AIM-quoted company, losing
money so far but debt-free and enjoying
L
ondon-based film producer buoyant turnover, is poised to thrive.
HandMade has snapped up the Its businesses range from agricultural
rights to certain children’s books and products distribution and commodities,
other assets of the Duchess of York, supplied to big-name Western store chains,
Sarah Ferguson. to airlines and luxury hotels in Mozambique
If rumours about Ferguson’s finances and elsewhere. Lonrho has launched a free
are true, then HandMade, which was port at Luba in Equatorial Guinea, and
first formed by the late Beatle George Lenigas says airports in Mali, Angola and
Harrison to save the Monty Python even Zimbabwe are set to take business
film Life of Brian, may, along with from the clogged airports in Johannesburg
many AIM-listed peers, be using and elsewhere in South Africa.
current conditions to swoop on a Today’s AIM-quoted company may still be
bargain. The terms are not being a far cry from the Lonrho of yesteryear, with
disclosed but the Duchess, who is interests ranging from mines to
joining HandMade’s board as a non- newspapers and battling with Fulham FC
executive director, has claimed it is a chairman Mohammed Al-Fayed and the
princely sum. Sultan of Brunei for control of Harrods. But
The assets changing hands include Lenigas, an entrepreneurial Australian
best-selling picture book Tea for Ruby, versed in corporate wheeler-dealing, says
the tale of a little redheaded girl who the name alone is opening doors for the
tries to perfect her manners in time for company all over the place.
tea with the Queen, and the Little Red HandMade hopes the Duchess of York’s stories will kick-start its new HandMade Kids division ‘Lonrho is going back to its roots,’ he
series, also featuring the adventures of declares, pointing to the company’s key
a ginger youth. The two parties have made into a TV series by the company’s developed by what we firmly believe stake in LonZim, a Zimbabwe-focused
also agreed to develop a documentary new HandMade Kids division. He voices will become a leading children’s investment concern that recently fought off
series, presented by ‘Fergie’, retracing high hopes for the exploitation of entertainment company.’ attempts by shareholder AMB Capital to
journeys of great women explorers, as associated merchandise. Ferguson’s 51 per cent-owned US forget central Africa and return cash to
well as for HandMade to license the ‘The launch of HandMade Kids brings business Hartmoor folded earlier this investors. Conference hotels, airlines and
Duchess’s ‘brand’ on goods and together several extremely well-regarded year. HandMade, whose shares had been specialist pharmaceuticals are in the mix,
services in North America. brands and children’s programming,’ suspended at 10.5p since June pending with a quotation on the Harare Stock
HandMade’s chief executive, David adds Ferguson. ‘I am pleased that Tea for the release of last year’s results, will Exchange under active consideration.
Ravden, says the two books are being Ruby and the Little Red series will be hope her luck improves.
Big game for
Baldwin on track centres and aeroplanes. RAM bought 49.9 Raggett
per cent of Train FX from aggressive and
E
x-stockbroker and corporate financier ill-fated digital concern Vision Media
Tim Baldwin claims it is full steam Group, which went into administration F
resh from bringing in tycoon’s son
Robert Hanson as chairman and
ahead for former AIM shell RAM earlier this year, and has an option to pick shareholder, Simon Raggett, boss of the
Investment Group, whose core asset, up the rest for shares. renamed niche investment bank Strand
software supplier Train FX, has won a £1 Hanson, is working on another coup for the
million contract with First Great Western firm, previously Strand Partners, which he
and is pitching with other rail operators and
‘Train FX could before
and colleagues bought out from its
rolling stock providers. Train FX has
long be contending
founders five months ago. ‘We are watching
software for interactive screens on board
for £20 million
Africa very closely,’ as well as Asia, said
trains that can tell their exact location, Raggett, speaking from a Nile cruise boat
give estimated arrival times, identify
worth of business
recently, as Strand plots to extend its reach
hazards, forecast the weather and carry
in the UK alone, with
in emerging markets.
news and advertisements.
European Union safety
Hanson, son of the late industrialist and
Already tried and tested on Midland trains merger king Lord Hanson, sold his 19.6 per
into London, Train FX is fixing a financing
rules enhancing its
cent stake in Hanson Westhouse, the AIM-
facility of £2 million to £4 million and is in
prospects on the
quoted investment group run by Bill Staple
advanced talks with rolling stock group
Continent as well’
(which is dropping the Hanson name), and
Angel Trains and operator First Great African hopes: Lonrho’s chairman David Lenigas left its advisory panel to chair Strand and
Western. The entrepreneurial Baldwin, take a 10 per cent stake. An investment
whose previous involvements have included Fans hope that RAM, which has been specialist since leaving his father’s
Pizza Express, health groups and natural seeking to raise between £500,000 and David’s African idyll conglomerate 12 years ago, Hanson has
resources, suggests Train FX could before £1 million at 8.5p, could reach break-even unparalleled connections in Asia and
long be contending for £20 million worth of during 2010. Among the company’s other elsewhere that, says Raggett, ‘bring us to
business in the UK alone, with European projects is a venture to raise ‘Monk’s D
avid Lenigas, executive chairman of
Africa-focused conglomerate Lonrho, the next step up’ and pave the way for the
Union safety rules enhancing its prospects Treasure’, buried on the bed of the River will have no truck with doomsters new push he plans.
on the Continent as well. Tay in Scotland since a shipwreck in 1650. predicting a succession of further woes ‘We have the buy side from China and the
He argues that the technology need not be An ever-optimistic Baldwin says its for the continent. Former boss of sell side from Africa’, opines Raggett. With
confined to railways, but could have far potential present value has been put at controversial Bangladesh coal play Asia Hanson in the chair, ‘we can do business
wider applications, including shopping £5 billion. Energy (now GCM), Lenigas clearly with the people we choose to’.
continued on page 30
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