finance HMT lead on fundraising
HMT LLP led by partner Andrew Thomson and supported by directors Peter Wear and Holly Bedford-Bell and senior manager Julia Carruthers, advised Channel Mum, the UK’s first parenting Youtube community founded by successful entrepreneur Siobhan Freegard, on its recent equity fundraising with NVM Private Equity
Siobhan Freegard, the founder and managing director of Channel Mum, is a highly successful entrepreneur who founded in 2000 the UK’s biggest parenting website, Netmums. In 2011, HMT advised Freegard and the other shareholders of Netmums on the disposal of the business to the number one publisher of women websites worldwide, Aufeminin.
Freegard created Channel Mum after leaving Netmums in 2014 by gathering together a group of 10 well known vloggers to share their experiences of motherhood. The Youtube community has around 11,000 subscribers and generates about one million monthly site visits.
Channel Mum’s aim is to build on the popularity of online parenting
communities with its trendy video-based proposition, and the Youtube community has already posted over 40,000 advice videos since their launch in 2015.
HMT has been Freegard’s corporate finance adviser since the disposal of Netmums and has helped Channel Mum raise a first round of investment last year. In 2015, giant broadcaster ITV invested an undisclosed sum into the business which was a strategic marketing move as the broadcaster wanted to enter the online advertising market.
ITV and Freegard have recently been joined by private equity firm NVM who invested £2m into Channel Mum to support its growth. Channel Mum plans to use the funding to almost double
its staff from seven to 12 and create 10,000 new videos.
Freegard, commented on the transaction: “Video is the future of communication, and in NVM, HMT have found an investment partner which sees this as clearly as we do. Now through this new partnership – and the continued support of ITV – we are building the UK’s most trusted brand for modern parents. HMT’s advice, guidance and strategic counsel has been invaluable in ensuring we can pursue this most exciting of opportunities.”
David Rolfe, partner at NVM, commented: “In Siobhan and her team we see a real passion and energy to succeed and with their track record we have total confidence in them to do it again.
HMT ran a professional process and were on hand throughout to assist all parties in ultimately enabling Channel Mum to achieve their goal.”
Andrew Thomson commented: “We are delighted to have advised Siobhan on her second fundraising for Channel Mum. With Siobhan and her team’s strong digital credentials, ITV’s support and NVM’s investment, the business has an exciting future. We look forward to continue working with them.”
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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – NOVEMBER 2016
businessmag.co.uk
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