MAM
Britain’s Daily Mail to buy Telegraph Media Group for £500m
LONDON: The Daily Mail owner has barged back onto Britain’s media chessboard, striking a $654m deal to buy rival The Telegraph after months of political wrangling, failed bids and a swirl of foreign ownership fears.
Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) said it had clinched an agreement with RedBird IMI, the US–UAE consortium that had been circling the Telegraph Media Group for two years. The deal values the group at £500m ($654m) and finally ends a long spell of limbo for the storied newspaper.
The move comes barely a week after US investor RedBird Capital Partners abruptly ditched its own takeover plans, reigniting uncertainty around the Telegraph’s fate and prolonging a saga punctuated by government pushback and merger law hurdles.
DMGT, which also owns Metro and the i Paper, will enter an exclusivity period to iron out the final terms, something all parties said they “expect to happen quickly”. The company said the takeover would provide “much-needed certainty and confidence” for the paper’s staff and allow it to accelerate the Telegraph’s international expansion, with its sights trained firmly on the US.
RedBird IMI, created by RedBird Capital and Abu Dhabi’s International Media Investments, had originally agreed its own £500m deal for the group in late 2023. But the UK government, spooked by Abu Dhabi’s censorship record and eager to shield press freedoms, forced a resale and tightened laws to stop foreign state-linked players from owning British newspapers.
The May attempt would have handed RedBird a majority stake and IMI 15 per cent, another plan sunk under scrutiny from rights advocates and MPs over links to China’s sovereign wealth fund. RedBird IMI said it worked “swiftly” with DMGT to hammer out the new settlement, which will be submitted to the secretary of state in the coming days.
Founded in 1855, the Telegraph was bought by Frederick and David Barclay in 2004 for £665m. Lloyds Bank seized the paper in 2023 to recover the brothers’ debts, triggering a high-stakes auction that drew interest from hedge-fund manager Paul Marshall, owner of right-leaning channel GB News.
Now, after two years of political drama, failed suitors and regulatory interventions, the Telegraph finally has a buyer, and DMGT has fired the latest shot in Britain’s bruising newspaper wars. The industry will be watching closely, because this one promises fireworks.
Brands
RR Kabel expands FMEG portfolio with kitchen appliances and air coolers
Company forays into mixers, cooktops and hand blenders under RR Signature brand.
MUMBAI: RR Kabel has just cooked up something new and it’s not just another wire. The leading wires and cables manufacturer has announced a significant expansion of its Fast-Moving Electrical Goods (FMEG) portfolio by entering the kitchen appliances segment and strengthening its air coolers range under the premium RR Signature brand. The company has introduced Mixer Grinders, Electric Cooktops (both Induction and Infra-Red variants), and Hand Blenders. These products mark RR Kabel’s strategic foray into everyday kitchen essentials, allowing it to reach deeper into Indian households beyond traditional electrical categories.
The Induction and Infra-Red Cooktops are seeing particularly strong demand amid global developments affecting LPG pricing and supply. Consumers are increasingly shifting to electric cooking for its energy efficiency, precise control, and safety features. RR Signature is reinforcing its ‘Aapke Kaam Ki Baat’ promise with best-in-class warranties across the range.
The company also plans to introduce additional kitchen appliance categories in FY26-27. In parallel, it has expanded its Air Cooler portfolio with new Industrial (Semi-Commercial) models featuring higher tank capacities and superior air throw, catering to both commercial users and households seeking powerful cooling during intensifying summers.
RR Kabel executive director Mahhesh Kabra said, “Our expansion into kitchen appliances allows us to connect with consumers at more touchpoints in their daily lives, while our expanded air cooler range addresses the rising need for effective cooling solutions. These launches reflect our continued focus on quality, innovation, and market relevance.”
By stepping into kitchen appliances and enhancing its cooling solutions, RR Kabel is wiring itself more deeply into Indian homes proving that even a cables company knows how to heat things up in the kitchen and keep things cool elsewhere. The move positions the brand for broader growth as it evolves from wires to a more complete home solutions player.
