Travers Smith LLP has advised the Cambridge Education Group (CEG), backed by long-standing client Bridgepoint, on the separation and subsequent sale of its CATS Colleges division (CATS) to Bright Scholar.
CATS is an international school network focused primarily on international students with a globally integrated platform of campuses in the UK, North America and China. It comprises seven campuses in Cambridge, London, Canterbury, Shanghai and Boston, an arts school in Cambridge as well as ten international languages schools. It has a diverse mix of students across 80 nationalities.
Travers Smith previously advised Bridgepoint on its acquisition of CEG in 2013. Following the sale of CATS, Bridgepoint retains the University Pathways and Digital businesses of CEG.
The Travers Smith team was led by Head of Private Equity and Financial Sponsors Paul Dolman, assisted by Private Equity and Financial Sponsors Senior Associate Tom Hartwright and Associates Sally Hirst, Matt Powrie and Tom Lloyd. Tax advice was provided by Head of Tax Simon Skinner, assisted by Associate Tom Margesson. The team also included Finance Partner Barry Newman.
A Travers Smith team, led by Private Equity and Financial Sponsors Partner Edmund Reed and assisted by Private Equity and Financial Sponsors Associate Robert Coward, separately advised management.
Bright Scholar were advised by White & Case LLP (Tom Matthews).