Travers Smith LLP has advised new client Caledonia Investments plc on its acquisition of Cooke Optics (Cooke), the UK manufacturer of premium-end cinematography lenses for the film, television and advertising industries, in a transaction which values the business at £96.5m.
Founded as a lens manufacturer in 1886, Cooke has been at the centre of the filmmaking business for over a century. Headquartered in Leicester, it is led by Les Zellan (Chairman), Robert Howard (Chief Executive Officer) and Alan Merrills (Chief Operating Officer) and has c.130 full time employees.
Caledonia has acquired Cooke from Growth Capital Partners who acquired a majority stake in the business in September 2015. Cooke’s management team has reinvested alongside Caledonia.
The Travers Smith team was led by Private Equity Partners Ian Shawyer and Adam Orr who worked alongside Tax Partners Simon Skinner and Kathleen Russ, Senior Corporate Associate Katie McGarry and also included Corporate Associates Jess Kolhorn, Natasha Cheung and Tom Lloyd and Tax Associate Laura Jackson.