20:20 Mobile is expected to receive a £15m cash injection from parent company Doughty Hanson this week, after pressure from the company’s debt holders. It is a much smaller amount than originally expected, and the sum will do little to alleviate the debt hanging over the distributor. Sources close to 20:20 Mobile said that the liquidity would help with day-to-day trading. It has also been reported in the City that a further £15m in the form of a credit facility has been made available to 20:20 Mobile to help with trading. The backdrop to the injection of new funds is the long-awaited restructuring of the business, and the proposed debt-for-equity swap between Doughty Hanson and the debt syndicate. The idea would be that the syndicate, which funded Doughty Hanson’s £347m acquisition of 20:20 and Dextra in August 2006 from John Caudwell, would be willing to write off some of the debt in exchange for a stake in the business. The syndicate has been suitably convinced by 20:20’s management, led by CEO Meinie Oldersma (pictured) and finance chief Nick Smith, but is awaiting news from the private equity company about the restructure. No-one from 20:20 Mobile was available to comment as Mobile went to press.
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