London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Ex-Daily Mail chief is Ascential to buyout firm's WGSN bid

Ex-Daily Mail chief is Ascential to buyout firm's WGSN bid

Paul Zwillenberg, who stepped down as CEO of Daily Mail & General Trust last year, is working with BC Partners on its interest in Ascential's consumer data unit.
A former chief executive of the Daily Mail’s parent company has been enlisted to advise a private equity bidder for the consumer data provider WGSN.

Sky News has learnt that Paul Zwillenberg, who stepped down as CEO of Daily Mail & General Trust last autumn, is working with the buyout firm on its interest in the business, which is owned by the FTSE-250 media group Ascential.

Mr Zwillenberg is working alongside Elizabeth Deeming, a former executive at Stylus Media Group and News Corporation, on the deal.

City sources said Ascential had asked for initial offers for WGSN, which supplies data on fashion trends to the industry, this week.

The business is understood to be valued at more than £700m, with Apax Partners, another buyout firm, among the rival bidders to BC Partners.

Neither Mr Zwillenberg nor Ms Deeming is expected to have an ongoing role in the WGSN business if BC's bid is successful, according to people close to the situation.

Nevertheless, his involvement as an adviser is intriguing given his prominent role in steering the Daily Mail's publisher through its delisting from the London stock market in 2021.

Under Mr Zwillenberg, who ran DMGT for six years, it diversified into a range of digital ventures including the online car-buying platform Cazoo.

During his tenure, the company generated eye-catching returns to shareholders, and he remains an adviser to it.

BC Partners declined to comment, while Mr Zwillenberg could not be reached for comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×