Lord of the Rings Deal
Lord of the Rings Deal
LOTR

CREDIT: THE SAUL ZAENTZ COMPANY

EXCELLENCE
"One Deal to rule them all"
Thomas Dey

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Syco
EXCELLENCE
"ACF's certainly got talent"
Ian Rosenblatt OBE

CREDIT: SYCO ENTERTAINMENT

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Bear Grylls
INTEGRITY
“You only get one chance
at life and you have to
grab it boldly”
Bear Grylls

CREDIT: BEAR GRYLLS VENTURES

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Paddington
INSIGHT
“Success doesn't come
to you, you go to it.”
Marva Collins

CREDIT: PADDINGTON AND COMPANY

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Shamrock Capital - Boardwalk Pictures credit
INSIGHT
“Stay true to yourself, never let
what somebody says distract
you from your goals.”
Michelle Obama

CREDIT: BOARDWALK PICTURES

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Pilgrim

CREDIT: PILGRIM STUDIOS

INSIGHT
“Success comes to
those who act!”
Henry David Thoreau

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Leftfield
INSIGHT
“The key to success is to
focus on goals not obstacles”
Unknown

CREDIT: LEFTFIELD ENTERTAINMENT

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Plimsoll Productions

CREDIT: PLIMSOLL PRODUCTIONS

INSIGHT
“Success is not final,
failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to
continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Love Productions

CREDIT: LOVE PRODUCTIONS

INTEGRITY
“ When something
is important enough,
you do it even if the odds
are not in your favour”
Elon Musk

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Top Gear
EXCELLENCE
“Success comes to
those who act”
Henry David Thoreau

CREDIT: TOP GEAR

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

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ACF sell Passion Distribution to The Tinopolis Grop

Dynamo - Magician Impossible

ACF Investment Bank is pleased to announce that Passion Distribution Limited has joined The Tinopolis Group. 

Thomas Dey, Chief Executive Officer, ACF Investment Bank, acted as lead Corporate Finance advisors to Passion Distribution Limited. Media law firm, Wiggin LLP led by Michael Brader acted as key legal advisor.

ACF are a leading international specialist advisory boutique that assists individuals and businesses wishing to maximise the value of people and intellectual property-based businesses.

ACF’S global track record in TV production and distribution is unrivalled and have advised on more than 30 deals in the sector including the sale of Jeremy Clarkson’s and Andy Wilman’s stake in Top Gear to BBC Worldwide, Left Bank Pictures to Sony Pictures, Carnival Films to NBC, 12 Yard Productions to ITV, Twenty Twenty Television to Shed Media and CPL to Red Arrow.

If you are considering selling, buying or raising finance, we have the expertise and track record to help you find the right solution.

For further information or to arrange a meeting please contact: Melissa Castelyn on + 44 (0) 207 467 9600 or Katherine Robbins on + 1 424 332 0450.


Passion Distribution is a leading international TV distribution company founded in 2008 by CEO, Sally Miles. This transaction will see Passion Distribution become the commercial driving force for Tinopolis’s distribution activities and further develop the group’s IP rights worldwide.

Passion Distribution distributes the content for a number of high profile networks including; Scripps Networks International, Sundance Channel, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), The Weather Channel and GSN.  Included amongst Passion’s high quality catalogue are hit shows such as Iron Men, Judge Gunn and Dynamo – Magician Impossible.

Passion Distribution also continues to grow within the digital market after completing a recent deal with BBC Worldwide for their global iPlayer service.


The Tinopolis Group is an international content producer and distributor. In the UK it is one of the largest independent television suppliers to major broadcasters and in the USA it produces television programmes for all of the high profile networks and cable operators. The group covers all genres including factual, entertainment, sport, drama and digital media.

The group brings together some of the most respected names in the TV production sector including; A. Smith & Co Productions Inc, Mentorn Media, BASE Productions Inc, Sunset + Vine, Pioneer Productions and Daybreak Pictures.

The Tinopolis Group is owned by leading european private equity firm Vitruvian Partners.


Award winning TV programmes

Iron Men
Iron Men
Emmy Award Winning TV show - Last shot with Judge Gunn
Emmy Award Winning TV show - Last shot with Judge Gunn

“Thomas and his team have done a great job holding our hand through the process.   They understood what was important to us as a business and helped us identify key attributes in The Tinopolis Group which would ensure our own goals and ambitions are achieved for Passion going forward.  Without them we wouldn’t now have the opportunities we have ahead of us and on behalf of team Passion I am very grateful.”

Sally Miles, CEO, Passion Distribution

ACF provided Sally with advice and guidance during this exciting phase of Passion Distribution’s strategic development.  Passion Distribution brings an unparalleled ability to exploit content to the group and likewise Tinopolis is a great strategic fit, enabling Passion Distribution to further expand its distribution business using The Tinopolis Groups IP rights worldwide.”

ACF Investment Bank


5/5

What People Are Saying

“Since this was our first time working with an investment bank and raising capital for any of our businesses, I wasn’t sure what to expect. ACF has a great reputation and came highly recommended from several people that I hold in high regard. Overall, the experience working with Richard, Milos and Thomas was pure joy. They were the perfect partner for us, as they educated us as we were working through the process, they challenged us to think bigger about the scope and scale of our business, and they aggressively represented our business in the marketplace bringing multiple opportunities to us in a very challenging economic time. The partnership and guidance they provided was essential and they were extremely easy to work with. I only hope this is the first of many deals that we are able to execute together.”

Shawn Gee
Two One Five Entertainment

"ACF’s certainly got talent. Their team, led by the ever-tenacious Thomas Dey, delivered on their promises and introduced the perfect partners to achieve our goals."

Ian Rosenblatt OBE, Director
Syco Entertainment

"Given the complexities and importance of the rights at stake in our transaction, we interviewed several investment bank candidates at length before retaining ACF to guide our process.  We could not have chosen better!  ACF personnel were dedicated, creative, practical, responsive and deeply knowledgeable about the intricacies of the sales process. Over the months involved, Thomas, Richard, Tatiana and the rest of the ACF staff met with and worked skillfully and credibly with scores of potential buyers and with our own employees leading ultimately to a high value and very fair outcome benefitting both our company and the buyer. They have our deep respect and gratitude for a job so well accomplished"

Marty Glick, COO
The Saul Zaentz Company

“At this stage of 72’s development, there are great advantages and opportunities of joining forces with Fremantle. Their extensive international infrastructure and expertise will provide 72 Films with the platform to have our work seen across the world. We know and like their excellent team. And they offer us not only fantastic support but complete creative freedom so we can continue to work in the same way.

It’s been a real pleasure working with Thomas Dey and the whole team at ACF. They are brilliant at what they do. And alongside Matisse it’s been an incredible team behind this deal.”

Mark Raphael, David Glover, Founders and Chief Executive Officers
72 Films

“This exciting new deal between Broke and Bones and Netflix marks an exciting period of content creation, demonstrating the strong relationship between market leading creatives and the streaming platforms. ACF brokered the deal using our strong track record, experience and access in the UK and USA scripted markets. Premium content continues to lead the market with strong deals that ACF have closed including advising Mammoth Screen on sale to ITV, Neal Street to All3Media, Left Bank Pictures to Sony, Thinkfactory to ITV, Paddington Bear to Studio Canal, New Pictures to All3Media, and Carnival Pictures to NBC Universal.”

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"It has been an incredible journey for Delbert and I to get to the stage where we can build out our adventure shows under our own Studio. We stand on the shoulders of many giants, the ACF team have been incredible guides through the process - at its heart this is about building the ultimate home of adventure programming worldwide."

Bear Grylls & Delbert Shoopman
The Natural Studios

"Critical Content has been a leading player in the unscripted space for the last decade, led by a first class team. Media continues to dominate the deal landscape, with content leading the pack. What a great start to 2022! Congratulations to the whole team."

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"Boardwalk Pictures are one of the preeminent producers of premium content and this partnership with Shamrock secures Boardwalks positioning as a leading player in this market. Shamrock’s deep understanding and experience in the content space makes them great partners for Andrew and the team at Boardwalk. I look forward to seeing the growth and future success of this partnership."

RIchard Gray, Managing Director
ACF Investment Bank