FRANKFURT, March 4 — American IT entrepreneur Michael Dell has agreed a deal to take a stake in the investment vehicle that private equity firm KKR is using to invest in German research firm GfK SE.

Dell built up a stake of just over 10 per cent in GfK via his MSD Capital fund, potentially throwing into doubt KKR’s plans to take over the German company together with GfK Verein.

KKR said in a statement late yesterday it has agreed to acquire around 3.7 million shares, equivalent to a 10.07 per cent stake in GfK from three shareholders. The three shareholders are funds managed by Michael Dell.

KKR will pay around €50 million (RM237 million) for a portion of the shares, while around 6.89 per cent of the shares will be exchanged for a stake in the investment vehicle through which KKR is investing in GFK, according to the statement.

The deal means KKR and GfK Verein have together passed the 75 per cent threshold they needed for the €43.50 per share offer for GfK to succeed.

The takeover values the German company at about €1.69 billion. — Reuters