Articles by David Hellier

777’s Football Empire Under Review After Lender Hires Moelis

Moelis & Co. has been hired to review 777 Partners LLC’s portfolio of football teams, people with knowledge of the matter said, raising fresh questions about the future of one of the sport’s biggest multiclub owners. The investment bank has …

Soccer Injuries Cost Top UK, European Clubs More Than £500M Annually: Howden

Footballers are getting injured more frequently across Europe’s top divisions, according to research from an international insurance broker, as the sport prepares for a period of intense fixture congestion. The number of injuries in Europe’s five biggest leagues rose 20% …

UK Broker Ardonagh Valued at $7.5B as Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Buys Stake

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has acquired a stake in Ardonagh Group in a transaction valuing the U.K. insurance broker at $7.5 billion. The sovereign fund joined as a new investor in Ardonagh alongside several other large global institutions, Ardonagh said …

Europe’s Soccer Clubs May Face $1B Bill if Coronavirus Forces Season Cancellation

If the coronavirus forces Europe’s soccer leagues to cancel the rest of the season, TV networks may be able to demand more than $1 billion in compensation. The move to suspend international games and competitions in England, Spain and Italy …

Insurance Executive and Partners Seek $52 M in Sale of U.K. Soccer Team Sunderland

Sunderland AFC’s owners are targeting a valuation of as much as 40 million pounds ($52 million) as they seek a buyer for the U.K. soccer team, people with knowledge of the matter said. Insurance entrepreneur Stewart Donald and his partners …

Broker Gallagher Loses $12.8M Poaching Lawsuit in London Against Ardonagh

Insurance broker Arthur J. Gallagher Group lost a 10 million-pound ($12.8 million) lawsuit against rival Ardonagh Group Ltd. in a case highlighted by racially charged comments that put a spotlight on the cutthroat world of London insurers. Judge Clive Freedman …

UK Financial Services Firms Fail to Improve Gender Pay Gap

Women working in the U.K.’s financial-services industry are seeing little improvement in their pay parity with male colleagues, according to the latest batch of disclosures as this year’s reporting season comes to a close. Businesses have until midnight in London …

UK’s GoCompare.com Attracts Interest From KKR, Other Private Equity Firms

GoCompare.com Group Plc attracted takeover interest from potential acquirers, including private equity firm KKR & Co., in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. The U.K. insurance comparison company and its board decided to stay independent after holding …

Insurance Entrepreneur Looks to Save Storied English Football Club

For the past 15 years, English insurance entrepreneur Stewart Donald has been steadily inching his way into soccer’s big leagues. He started helping out at his beloved third-tier Oxford United, then moved down the divisions with his full takeover of …

Some U.K. Professional Firms ‘Understate’ Gender Pay Gap as New Data Law Looms

U.K. politicians are demanding law and accounting firms revise figures on how male and female staff are remunerated amid criticism that their partnership structures let them understate the gender pay gap. British companies with more than 250 employees have until …