Golden Brick Silk Road Equity Investment Fund NKr10.5 billion acquisition of Opera Software

Overview:

• Chinese consortium Golden Brick Silk Road Equity Investment Fund attempted to acquire Norwegian software company Opera for a total consideration of NKr10.5 billion.
• A new, significantly smaller transaction for some Opera products and services was pursued instead.
• The original deal - which needed the approval of both the US Committee on Foreign Investment and China - failed to obtain regulatory acceptance in time.
• Golden Brick is owned by Chinese groups Qihoo 360, Beijing Kunlun Tech, and Golden Brick Silk Road Fund Management.
• Morgan Stanley had been acting as financial adviser for Opera.
• The deal was first announced in February, 2016.

Kurt Stumpo - Journalist