A London-listed marketing specialist backed by Lord Ashcroft, the former Conservative Party treasurer, will this week announce the purchase of a key digital partner to sporting properties including the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup. Sky News has learnt that Brave Bison, which trades on the junior AIM exchange and has a market capitalisation of just under £30m, is close to agreeing to buy Engage Digital Partners for just over £10m in a cash-and-stock deal. City sources said a transaction could be announced as soon as Monday morning. It will create a group with 350 staff in its UK offices in London and Manchester, as well as in Australia, India and Singapore. The deal will be the sixth acquisition for Brave Bison since brothers Oli and Theo Green took over the business in 2020. Brave Bison, which has seen its shares rise by nearly a fifth over the last year, counts LinkedIn and New Balance among its clients. Last year, it bought the podcaster and entrepreneur Steven Bartlett's social media and influencer agency, SocialChain. More from Money Harland & Wolff close to government-backed rescue deal with Navantia Hitachi: Hundreds of jobs secured at County Durham train factory after £500m deal Guardian signs controversial deal to sell The Observer to Tortoise Media In addition to Lord Ashcroft, it counts the hospitality entrepreneur Luke Johnson among its investors. The deal comes at a time when sports rights-owners are turning to data and newer forms of marketing to monetise their properties more effectively, with traditional commercial models being increasingly up-ended. Engage organises fan engagement campaigns across a number of sporting and entertainment properties, including Formula 1, Real Madrid and New Zealand Rugby. It is also a partner of the International Cricket Council, with which it worked on this year's T20 World Cup, when England lost to India in the semi-finals. Engage has been working on a potential sale of the business since the summer, having hired corporate financiers from KPMG to advise on talks with bidders. Adding it to Brave Bison will combine it with a group which already works with rights-holders including the Ryder, Cup, Australian Open tennis and Le Mans. Engage was founded by Gregg Oldfield, who led a management buyout from Endemol Sport in 2012. It describes itself as the largest independent agency in sport, and is similar in some respects to - albeit smaller than - Two Circles, which was sold to a private equity firm earlier this year. Mr Oldfield will lead the combined groups' sports and entertainment division. Brave Bison could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
Curious about bitcoin after it hit $100,000? Here’s what to know.Elle Macpherson reveals her shocking drug habit - after revealing she drank vodka 'every night' Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com READ MORE: Elle Macpherson looks as youthful as ever at 60 as she shows off her glowing complexion in New York By KATE DENNETT FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 23:44, 26 November 2024 | Updated: 23:59, 26 November 2024 e-mail View comments Elle Macpherson has confessed to using cocaine during her modelling years. The Australian supermodel, 60, speaks at length about her harrowing addiction and journey to getting sober in her memoir, Elle: Life, Lessons & Learning to Trust Yourself . In one chapter, she revealed how she would frequently get black-out drunk and drink 'shots of vodka' after putting her sons Cy, 21, and Flynn Busson, 26, to bed when they were younger. Now, Elle has admitted to previously using drugs during a shock confession on Wednesday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show. Elle said she took cocaine for weight loss - a common side effect of abusing the drug. Radio host Kyle Sandilands told her: 'I made the mistake, and I'm happy to admit it, that I thought I'd lose weight by having cocaine for ten years. Now, did I lose the weight? No, I didn't. I got the bloat.' Elle Macpherson has confessed to using cocaine during her modelling years In response, Elle admitted: 'I've done that!' Her remark came as she discussed why she controversially turned to holistic healing methods rather than chemotherapy after getting diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. 'It wasn't like there was a one size fits all golden bullet, golden nugget that you could just take and say, ''Okay, this is going to guarantee upper wellness at the end of it'',' she said. 'And so I think, and sometimes it's a combination, you know, it's not either-or, maybe it's a combination of things. 'People just have to go on a journey of research and find out what resonates with them and get as much advice as you can.' In her memoir, Elle - who was dubbed 'The Body' at 25 - detailed the depths of her addiction battle before giving up alcohol and getting sober in 2003. She shared how she would get black-out drunk from having 'shots of vodka' after putting her sons Cy and Flynn - who she shares with her ex Arpad 'Arki' Busson - to bed as children. 'My life looked amazing to everybody. On the outside I was doing a beautiful job but, deep down inside, I was really struggling,' she wrote in her book. While discussing her wellness journey in recent years, Elle revealed she has used cocaine as a way to try and lose weight - a common side effect of abusing the drug After giving birth to her youngest child, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl recalled feeling consumed by the desire to drink a bottle of champagne that was gifted to her. Despite receiving a warning from her two naturopaths that drinking too soon after giving birth would disrupt her hormones, Elle admitted that when left alone with Cy, all she 'could think about was that bottle of champagne in the ice bucket'. She then turned to vodka to relax in the evenings as she desperately tried to maintain her perfect image to the public. At the time, she was in a relationship with French financier Arki, who was often away during the week on business, leaving her to parent their two children by herself. Despite considering going to rehab, she told Arki she was fine and went back to work after Cy's birth to prove that motherhood hadn't slowed her down. 'I loved spending time with Arki and... I wanted to prove to him I would be his partner in fun and business while being the mother of his sons,' she wrote. 'I would go out and drink, party and become sick again. It became a constant repeat: I was in a horrible downward spiral.' Elle also confessed to experiencing scary blackouts and turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism for her anxiety. In her memoir, Elle revealed how she would get black-out drunk and begin drinking 'shots of vodka' after putting her sons Cy, 21, and Flynn Busson, 26, to bed when they were younger Read More Elle Macpherson reveals depths of her alcohol addiction in new memoir 'Often I would drink after I put my children to bed. I would sit down by myself and have shots of vodka and then I'd write to-do lists and letters to my family. I would do he housework, listen to music until around 11pm, then go to bed and pass out,' she detailed. Those closest to Elle began to suspect something was wrong and her naturopaths - alternative practitioners who focus on healing - were among the first to suggest rehab. Once in rehab at a facility in Arizona, Elle recalled feeling 'humiliated and angry' to be grouped with those struggling with anorexia due to her thinness. Ultimately, she said the rehab was justified to classify her in that group as she realized she 'was somewhat controlling' her diet. While in rehab, she went by 'Mac' to keep a low profile because of her concerns about being recognized due to her fame. Elle gave up alcohol after her stint in rehab in 2003 and recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety. Overcoming her addiction to alcohol led her to adopt a more holistic approach in her life and when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. Elle, who is now in remission, brought her passion for spirituality to her newly-released memoir, sharing a little-known detail about her audiobook. Elle gave up alcohol after her stint in rehab in 2003 and has adopted a more holistic approach to her health since, recently celebrating 20 years of sobriety On The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Elle revealed how her boyfriend, musician Doyle Bramhall II, recorded music for each chapter of her audiobook to 'heal' listeners. 'We scored the audiobook, but now we're in the middle of putting a soundtrack out for the audiobook with the music he wrote for it,' she shared. 'Very unusual, but if anyone hasn't had the chance to check that out, it's really cool, he scored music that works with each chapter - for the beginning and end of the chapter - and it's all infused with healing music. 'It's underneath his guitar or piano or whatever he's playing, so when people listen to it, they are getting a benefit themselves for the reader.' Elle recently copped backlash for 'dangerously' promoting the holistic treatment she received during her battle with breast cancer. Elle went against the advice of 32 doctors by refusing chemotherapy after undergoing a lumpectomy for HER2 positive estrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma. She instead underwent eight months of intense therapy with doctors in Phoenix, Arizona, detailing how she took a more holistic route in her memoir. Can cancer be treated with holistic methods? Typical cancer treatment revolves around surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Cancer Research UK notes that some patients also use complementary therapies to feel better, ease the side effects of these treatments and improve quality of life. Aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage therapy, visualisation and yoga are among the most common examples, it said. Meanwhile, alternative therapies are typically used instead of medical treatment. Some examples include shark cartilage supplements, laetrile (a plant substance) and Gerson therapy, which involves following an organic vegetarian diet and undergoing up to five coffee enemas a day. There is no scientific or medical evidence that these therapies can cure cancer. Some might even be unsafe, trigger harmful side effects or interact with medical treatment, according to Cancer Research UK. Experts agree that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is both important in the prevention of cancer and during cancer treatment. Evidence shows it can help manage the stress and fatigue caused by the disease and treatment. Studies have also found people who get exercise during treatment not only deal better with side effects but also may live longer. International guidelines recommend patients stay active and get back to their normal activities as soon as possible. Kyle Sandilands Elle Macpherson Share or comment on this article: Elle Macpherson reveals her shocking drug habit - after revealing she drank vodka 'every night' e-mail Add comment
With nearly all of the votes counted, left-leaning Mr Milanovic won 49% while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the ruling conservative HDZ party, trailed far behind with 19%. Pre-election polls had predicted that the two would face off in the second round on January 12, as none of the eight presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote. Mr Milanovic thanked his supporters but warned that “this was just a first run”. “Let’s not be triumphant, let’s be realistic, firmly on the ground,” he said. “We must fight all over again. It’s not over till it’s over.” Mr Milanovic, the most popular politician in Croatia, has served as prime minister in the past. Populist in style, the 58-year-old has been a fierce critic of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and continuous sparring between the two has been a recent hallmark of Croatia’s political scene. Mr Plenkovic has sought to portray the vote as one about Croatia’s future in the EU and Nato. He has labelled Mr Milanovic “pro-Russian” and a threat to Croatia’s international standing. “The difference between him (Mr Primorac) and Milanovic is quite simple: Milanovic is leading us East, Primorac is leading us West,” he said. Though the presidency is largely ceremonial in Croatia, an elected president holds political authority and acts as the supreme commander of the military. Mr Milanovic has criticised the Nato and European Union support for Ukraine and has often insisted that Croatia should not take sides. He has said Croatia should stay away from global disputes, thought it is a member of both Nato and the EU. Mr Milanovic has also blocked Croatia’s participation in a Nato-led training mission for Ukraine, declaring that “no Croatian soldier will take part in somebody else’s war”. His main rival in the election, Mr Primorac, has stated that “Croatia’s place is in the West, not the East”. However, his bid for the presidency has been marred by a high-level corruption case that landed Croatia’s health minister in jail last month and which featured prominently in pre-election debates. Trailing a distant third in the pre-election polls is Marija Selak Raspudic, a conservative independent candidate. She has focused her election campaign on the economic troubles of ordinary citizens, corruption and issues such as population decline in the country of some 3.8 million. Sunday’s presidential election is Croatia’s third vote this year, following a snap parliamentary election in April and the European Parliament balloting in June.49ers QB Brock Purdy, DE Nick Bosa out for Week 12 game vs. Packers