Navitas Limited, a Perth-based company formerly named IBT Education and which offers services including English training, workforce education and pathway programs for universities, purchased the SAE Group for $289 million in mid-December 2010. Formal completion of the deal is not expected until the end of January after regulatory approvals are met.

Established in Sydney in the late 1970s, the SAE Group provides media technology training in 19 countries.

Blake Dawson acted for Navitas, with the Sydney corporate, media and European boutique firm Rodd Peters Lawyers and Minter Ellison acting for the SAE Group.

Perth-based Blake Dawson M&A partner Roger Davies headed his firm's team, with senior associate Matthew Rumpus and lawyer Justin Vyse assisting.

On the SAE side, Rodd Peters managing partner Rodd Peters led the team, with partner Douglas Linnette and senior lawyer Katrina Dunn also involved. Sydney-based partner Ron Forster and special counsel Michael Donovan from Minters also assisted.

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Goodwin Procter and London-based firm Ashurst also advised Navitas on American and European aspects of the transaction.

Navitas partly funded the purchase through a $100 million equity raising that was completed just after the deal.