Fighting fit: Barclay's buys into special effects

Barclays' private equity division has bought a majority stake in visual effects company The Mill, which won an Oscar for its work on the hit film Gladiator.

The holding, bought from US private equity firm Carlyle Group, values The Mill at 119 million.

The firm produces digital visual effects for brands such as Nike and Adidas as well as for films and TV shows, including Doctor Who and Primeval.

It opened its first office in London in 1990, and now has bases in New York and Los Angeles. The company reported revenues of 74.2m last year, and recently opened a joint venture in Singapore with British creative agency BBH.