- Bonnier News poised to become majority owner of Irish media group after partnership expansion
- Deal under review by regulators, with new leadership and board structure upcoming
- Business Post Group cites significant financial recovery and growth prospects
Swedish publisher Bonnier News is set to become the majority owner of Business Post Group, in a deal that will leave founder Enda O’Coineen with a significant minority stake through his Kilcullen Family Office.
The transaction marks a further step in a relationship that began in 2023, when Bonnier took a minority equity position in the Irish company. It still requires approval from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and from Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan, as is standard for media ownership changes.
Business Post Group said the move would strengthen a long-standing partnership and underline confidence in the company’s growth prospects. The change also comes as Mark Beard joins as chief executive, with a new board structure expected to reflect the revised shareholder balance.
O’Coineen bought the Sunday Business Post from Key Capital in 2018 and has since expanded the business into a broader media and professional services group. Alongside the newspaper business, the group now includes the market research firm Red C and the events business iQuest. Last year, it also agreed with University College Cork to acquire the Irish Management Institute, adding education and training to its portfolio.
The company said it has grown five-fold since O’Coineen acquired Post Publications Ltd and formed the wider Business Post Group in 2018, when it reported revenues of €7.5 million and was loss-making. The group now describes itself as a profitable €40 million business.
O’Coineen said Bonnier had been an “outstanding partner” and said he was proud of what had been achieved over the past decade. He said he looked forward to continuing to support the group as a long-term shareholder.
Anders Eriksson, chief executive of Bonnier News, said the Irish business had established itself as an innovative and diversified media and professional services group. He said Bonnier was keen to deepen the partnership and help drive the next phase of growth by drawing on experience from the 14 European markets in which it operates.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.independent.ie/business/swedish-media-giant-bonnier-news-to-take-majority-control-of-business-post-group/a/157462214.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/04/05/business-post-lost-29m-in-2023-but-ceo-points-to-return-of-profits-since-then/ – In 2023, Business Post Group reported a loss of €2.9 million. However, CEO Enda O’Coineen indicated that the company has since returned to profitability, with revenues increasing by 14% to €23.1 million from €20.3 million in the previous year. The group is optimistic about its financial recovery and future growth prospects.
- https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/04/05/business-post-lost-29m-in-2023-but-ceo-points-to-return-of-profits-since-then/ – In 2023, Business Post Group reported a loss of €2.9 million. However, CEO Enda O’Coineen indicated that the company has since returned to profitability, with revenues increasing by 14% to €23.1 million from €20.3 million in the previous year. The group is optimistic about its financial recovery and future growth prospects.
- https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/04/05/business-post-lost-29m-in-2023-but-ceo-points-to-return-of-profits-since-then/ – In 2023, Business Post Group reported a loss of €2.9 million. However, CEO Enda O’Coineen indicated that the company has since returned to profitability, with revenues increasing by 14% to €23.1 million from €20.3 million in the previous year. The group is optimistic about its financial recovery and future growth prospects.
- https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/04/05/business-post-lost-29m-in-2023-but-ceo-points-to-return-of-profits-since-then/ – In 2023, Business Post Group reported a loss of €2.9 million. However, CEO Enda O’Coineen indicated that the company has since returned to profitability, with revenues increasing by 14% to €23.1 million from €20.3 million in the previous year. The group is optimistic about its financial recovery and future growth prospects.
- https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/04/05/business-post-lost-29m-in-2023-but-ceo-points-to-return-of-profits-since-then/ – In 2023, Business Post Group reported a loss of €2.9 million. However, CEO Enda O’Coineen indicated that the company has since returned to profitability, with revenues increasing by 14% to €23.1 million from €20.3 million in the previous year. The group is optimistic about its financial recovery and future growth prospects.
- https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/04/05/business-post-lost-29m-in-2023-but-ceo-points-to-return-of-profits-since-then/ – In 2023, Business Post Group reported a loss of €2.9 million. However, CEO Enda O’Coineen indicated that the company has since returned to profitability, with revenues increasing by 14% to €23.1 million from €20.3 million in the previous year. The group is optimistic about its financial recovery and future growth prospects.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article reports on a recent development involving Bonnier News and Business Post Group. A press release from Arthur Cox LLP dated 9 July 2023 indicates that Bonnier News Business AB made a strategic minority investment in Business Post Group at that time. ([arthurcox.com](https://www.arthurcox.com/arthur-cox-advises-bonnier-news-business-ab-on-its-investment-in-business-post-group/?utm_source=openai)) The Independent article does not specify the date of the press release it references, making it challenging to determine the exact freshness of the information. However, the lack of earlier reports on this specific majority ownership suggests that the news is relatively recent. The absence of earlier versions with differing figures, dates, or quotes further supports this assessment.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Enda O’Coineen and Anders Eriksson. A Reed Smith advisory note from 2023 mentions that O’Coineen will remain the significant shareholder and that Bonnier News will take two seats on Business Post’s board. ([reedsmith.com](https://www.reedsmith.com/news/reed-smith-business-post-group-strategic-minority-stake-sale-bonnier-news/?utm_source=openai)) However, the specific quotes in The Independent article do not appear verbatim in the available sources, making independent verification challenging. The lack of earlier appearances of these exact quotes raises concerns about their authenticity.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The Independent is a reputable news outlet. The Reed Smith advisory note from 2023 provides context about the relationship between Bonnier News and Business Post Group. ([reedsmith.com](https://www.reedsmith.com/news/reed-smith-business-post-group-strategic-minority-stake-sale-bonnier-news/?utm_source=openai)) However, the Reed Smith note is dated 2023, and the specific details about the majority ownership are not present in the available sources, which raises questions about the timeliness and completeness of the information.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The reported acquisition aligns with known business activities of both companies. Bonnier News has a history of expanding its media holdings, as evidenced by its previous majority ownership of Børsen in Denmark. ([bonnier.com](https://www.bonnier.com/en/news/bonnier-remains-majority-owner-of-borsen-jp-politikens-hus-acquires-49-9-percent/?utm_source=openai)) The financial growth of Business Post Group, as reported in The Independent article, is consistent with the company’s expansion efforts. However, the lack of independent verification of the majority ownership claim slightly diminishes the overall plausibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article reports on a significant development involving Bonnier News and Business Post Group. While the information is plausible and aligns with known business activities, the lack of independent verification and the absence of earlier reports on the majority ownership raise concerns about the freshness and accuracy of the information. The Reed Smith advisory note from 2023 provides some context but does not confirm the majority ownership reported in The Independent article. Given these factors, the overall confidence in the accuracy of the information is medium.
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