# C_2015080EN.01002401.xml

| 7.3.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 80/24 |
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7.3.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 80/24

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7545 — Blackstone/Koala/Acenden/AMS)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 80/09)

| 1. | On 26 February 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the Blackstone Group L.P. (‘Blackstone’, USA) and Koala HoldCo, LLC (affiliated with TPG Global, LLC and TPG Special Situations Partners, LLC (collectively referred to as ‘TPG’, USA)) will acquire joint control of Acenden Ltd (‘Acenden’, UK) and AMS Decisions Advisers LLP (‘AMS’, UK) by way of purchase of shares. |
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1.

On 26 February 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the Blackstone Group L.P. (‘Blackstone’, USA) and Koala HoldCo, LLC (affiliated with TPG Global, LLC and TPG Special Situations Partners, LLC (collectively referred to as ‘TPG’, USA)) will acquire joint control of Acenden Ltd (‘Acenden’, UK) and AMS Decisions Advisers LLP (‘AMS’, UK) by way of purchase of shares.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   Blackstone: a global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services,
  —   TPG: a global private investment firm. The private investment funds of TPG invest in a variety of companies through acquisitions and corporate restructuring,
  —   Acenden: a provider of mortgage management and administration services for mortgage lenders in the UK and Ireland,
  —   AMS: a provider of mortgage management services for mortgage lenders in the UK. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   Blackstone: a global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services,

Blackstone

—   TPG: a global private investment firm. The private investment funds of TPG invest in a variety of companies through acquisitions and corporate restructuring,

TPG

—   Acenden: a provider of mortgage management and administration services for mortgage lenders in the UK and Ireland,

Acenden

—   AMS: a provider of mortgage management services for mortgage lenders in the UK.

AMS

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice.

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| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7545 — Blackstone/Koala/Acenden/AMS, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7545 — Blackstone/Koala/Acenden/AMS, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

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(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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