The boards at Hansa and Ocean Wilsons have reached a preliminary agreement on a possible combination deal.

Under the deal, the UK investment firm, Hansa, would acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the investment holding company, Ocean Wilsons.

If finalised, the combination of the two would create an investment company with net total assets of over £900m under a simplified group structure, with a diversified, global portfolio of investment funds, direct equities and private assets.

The agreement follows the successful sale of Ocean Wilson’s 56% interest in Wilson Sons and the firm has been actively engaged in assessing strategic options to maximise shareholder value.

Chair at Hansa, Jonathan Davie, stated that the deal would represent a "significant milestone in the firm's history.

He said: "Hansa first invested in Ocean Wilsons in 1958, and over the period since its initial investment, Ocean Wilsons has delivered attractive total returns for Hansa shareholders.

"The sale of Wilson Sons has provided the opportunity for the Possible Combination which, if it were to proceed, would enable Hansa to generate an uplift in the carrying value of Ocean Wilsons by reporting it at net asset value, and create a simplified investment proposition for Hansa shareholders with increased scale that we believe will broaden the appeal of Hansa."

Chair at Oceans Wilsons, Caroline Foulger, added: "Having assessed the strategic options available to us to maximise shareholder value, the independent directors of Ocean Wilsons have concluded that the possible combination with Hansa is in the best long-term interests of Ocean Wilsons and its shareholders who are seeking to continue to gain exposure to its diversified portfolio of global public and private investments."

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