Who dares skims: Andy McNab sells e-book firm to Tesco

By SCOTT REID
Published on 05/09/2012 00:00

ANDY McNab, the SAS soldier-turned-thriller writer, is set for a windfall after selling the e-book company he co-founded five years ago to supermarket chain Tesco.

The acquisition of Mobcast for £4.5 million will see the grocery giant bolster its own digital entertainment offering. It follows the purchase of film and television streaming specialist Blinkbox last year and personalised internet radio service WE7 in June.

Mobcast, which was set up by McNab and chief executive Tony Lynch in 2007, provides a platform for firms to sell e-books and currently works with mobile network operator Orange. Tesco already sells Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader among its line-up of consumer electronics products.

Michael Comish, chief executive of Tesco Digital Entertainment, said: “We want our customers to have the widest choice in digital entertainment.”