What do you get when you mix a man who wrote songs for Elvis, £3m, and a mysterious set of Chinese-owned offshore companies?
The answer: A company called Gate Ventures which is in a joint venture with Ensygnia…which has close business contacts with the BBC.
Ensygnia’s customers include Visa Europe, PlayJam, O2, Waitrose, and BBC Worldwide. Ensygnia is the start-up in residence at BBC Worldwide and is collaborating with BBC Worldwide on a number of initiatives including the online BBC Shop, which currently has around 4 million users per annum, and its new flagship product BBC Store.
Dr Johnny Hon, Chairman of Gate Ventures PLC, said:
“The Board of Gate is very excited to make our first investment in the e-commerce space through Ensygnia. We believe that Ensygnia’s Onescan technology is a game changer as its platform can be easily adapted unlike many others in the market, which puts Ensygnia in a great position. Ensygnia has won important accounts for Onescan since its launch in March 2014, including the recent contract with BBC Worldwide.
On listing, Gate Ventures revealed in its prospectus that it had 10 shareholders, all of whom held exactly 8.75 per cent of its shares each. No beneficial owner was named for any of the investors. All but two of these stakes were owned by high net worth Chinese investors who had invested through specially constructed British Virgin Island shell companies, a person familiar with the listing said. The remaining two shells were owned by associates of Mr Morrow.
The BBC, losing the faith and trust of the British Public?
Panama Papers reveal offshore secrets of China’s red nobility
Disclosures show how havens such as British Virgin Islands hide links between big business and relatives of top politicians…
…and the BBC.
GUIDO UPDATE BBC’s pension fund £84 million in Bermuda : The BBCPF 2013 accounts… page 16 and it is disclosed that the BBC invested £84 million: with Nephila Capital Ltd a Bermuda domiciled company.
That was 2013, BBC_Pension_Trust_Voting_disclosure_2015 shows at first glance
TWO Bermuda based funds
TWO Cayman Islands based funds
Plus all the Green and tech firms they are always banging on about
..And no fracking companies
…bit odd isn’t it ?
– “Blackrock Investment Management Ltd was appointed to manage a renewable income fund;” BBCPF report_and_accounts_2015 (which also mentions their Tesla Motors holding, who they advertise a lot )
The Mr Morrow mentioned is Geoff Morrow, Chairman of Gate Ventures PLC
Gate Ventures has a £2.6 million investment in Infinity Creative Media Limited 21 July 2015
Infinity is a UK based television production studio of which Lord Michael Grade, a former Chairman of the BBC, is Chairman.
“Ensygnia is the company behind the breakthrough Onescan secure mobile transaction platform and its patented process for the confidential exchange of personal and financial information.”