軟銀入股美國明星經紀及時尚公司
SoftBank, the Japanese technology group, has invested $250m in WME-IMG, which represents stars ranging from actor Ben Affleck to tennis player Serena Williams, in a deal that values the entertainment, sports and fashion company at $5.5bn.
日本科技集團軟銀(SoftBank)以2.5億美元入股娛樂、運動及時尚公司威廉•莫里斯奮進-IMG(WME-IMG)，對該公司估值55億美元。從演員本•阿弗萊克(Ben Affleck)到網球選手小威廉姆斯(Serena Williams)，這家公司爲衆多明星提供經紀服務。
The deal will be announced on Wednesday, according to people familiar with the matter, and represents a steep increase in the value of WME-IMG over the past two years. The companies declined to comment.
知情人士表示，該交易將於週三公佈，表明過去兩年裏威廉•莫里斯奮進-IMG(WME-IMG)的價值獲得顯著提升。交易雙方都拒絕置評。
In 2014 WME, run by Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, completed the $2.4bn acquisition of IMG, the sports and fashion marketing company, and secured a second round of investment from Silver Lake. The private equity firm first bought into WME in 2012, paying $200m for a 31 per cent stake.
2014年，阿里•伊曼紐爾(Ari Emanuel)和帕特里克•懷特塞爾(Patrick Whitesell)經營的威廉•莫里斯奮進(WME)以24億美元收購了運動與時尚營銷公司IMG，並從銀湖(Silver Lake)獲得了第二輪融資。這傢俬人股本公司最早是在2012年入股威廉•莫里斯奮進的，以2億美元收購了其31%的股份。
Silver Lake is the majority shareholder in WME-IMG. Stakes held by the firm and other WME-IMG investors will be diluted following the SoftBank investment.
目前，銀湖是威廉•莫里斯奮進的多數股東。軟銀入股之後，這家公司和威廉•莫里斯奮進-IMG的其他股東所持股份將被稀釋。
The SoftBank funds will be used for potential investments, joint ventures and acquisitions as WME-IMG looks to increase its global footprint, people close to the situation said.
知情人士表示，威廉•莫里斯奮進-IMG正考慮擴大全球足跡，來自軟銀的資金將用於潛在投資、合資企業和收購交易。
The acquisition of IMG gave WME a leading position in fashion: it owns one of the industry’s largest modelling agencies and produces fashion weeks in New York, Berlin, Shenzhen and Toronto. It also owns or commercially represents several leading golf and tennis tournaments, including the Championships at Wimbledon.
收購IMG使威廉•莫里斯奮進在時尚界獲得了領先地位：擁有業內最大的模特經紀機構之一，並在紐約、柏林、深圳和多倫多舉辦時裝週活動。該公司也擁有（或在商業上代表）幾大高爾夫球和網球公開賽，包括溫布爾登網球錦標賽。
However, Mr Emanuel and Mr Whitesell, WME-IMG’s co-chief executives, are known to be keen to bolster the company’s portfolio of assets, building on the network of talent and events they have assembled.
然而，身爲威廉•莫里斯奮進-IMG聯合CEO的伊曼紐爾和懷特塞爾據悉非常希望加強公司的資產組合，進一步發展他們打造的人才和大型活動網絡。
In 2015, the company added Professional Bull Riders to its roster and formed a joint venture with Turner, the Time Warner-owned television group, to operate an “eSports” league. It also bought the Miss Universe pageant from Donald Trump, the Republican presidential hopeful.
2015年，該公司把職業騎牛大賽(Professional Bull Riders)活動收入囊中，並與時代華納(Time Warner)旗下的電視公司特納(Turner)組建了一家合資公司，運營一項“電子競技”聯盟活動。該公司還從共和黨總統候選人角逐者唐納德•特朗普(Donald Trump)手中買下了“環球小姐”(Miss Universe)大賽活動的舉辦權。
WME-IMG represents entertainment stars ranging from Larry David and Martin Scorsese to Justin Timberlake and Charlize Theron. It has expanded beyond its roots as William Morris, Hollywood’s most venerable talent agency, using its heft with top talent to enter businesses in marketing and branding.
威廉•莫里斯奮進-IMG代表的娛樂明星陣容龐大，從拉里•大衛(Larry David)和馬丁•斯科塞斯(Martin Scorsese)到賈斯汀•廷伯雷克(Justin Timberlake)和查理茲•塞隆(Charlize Theron)。該公司已超越了其作爲好萊塢最受尊敬的人才經紀公司威廉•莫里斯(William Morris)的根基，利用其明星實力進入營銷與品牌管理領域。
