Director dealings: Selling Simons at B&M and Draper Esprit

Arora's family investment vehicle and private equity backer Clayton, Dubilier & Rice together dumped £454.3m worth of shares in the discount chain, selling 125m shares in B&M at a price of 363.4p apiece.

The sale, which Citigroup confirmed on Friday morning, representing about 12.5% of the shares in issue, leaving the Arora family with a 15% stake and CD&R with 4.9%.

"SSA Investments' participation in the transaction will provide further liquidity in B&M, and the proceeds from the sale will be used to diversify the Arora's investment portfolio. SSA Investments remains B&M's largest shareholder and is committed to participating in B&M's exciting future growth prospects,” the FTSE 250 retailer said in a statement.

Cook, the CEO of Aim-listed venture capital firm Draper Esprit and two other senior directors sold a combined £0.93m of the group alongside a £100m placing to raise new investment funds.

Cook and chief operating officer Stuart Chapman each sold £359,342 worth of shares, while managing partner Brian Caulfield sold £213,367 all at a price of 324p.

"Much has been written about the uncertain future that British VC fundraising faces in the wake of Brexit," said Cook. "At Draper Esprit we believe our industry can find new investors and that the UK can continue to play a significant role in leading the wider European VC market."

He said the firm was "seeing increasing innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe, especially in enterprise software, digital hardware, consumer services and digital health", and funds will be used to continue investing in these areas, with 70% of capital reserved for scaling-up and increasing our stakes in existing portfolio companies through later rounds.

Top Director Buys

Spectris (SXS)
Director name: Williamson,Mark
Amount purchased: 15,000 @ 2,652.97p
Value: £397,944.95

Dalata Hotel Group (DAL)
Director name: McCann,Pat
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ € 5.19
Value: € 185,639.08

Cobham (COB)
Director name: Lockwood,David
Amount purchased: 44,578 @ 333.90p
Value: £148,845.05

E-therapeutics (ETX)
Director name: Medlicott,Steve
Amount purchased: 1,000,000 @ 6.00p
Value: £60,000.00

E-therapeutics (ETX)
Director name: Barlow,Raymond
Amount purchased: 830,000 @ 6.00p
Value: £49,800.00

Cobham (COB)
Director name: Hagee,Michael W
Amount purchased: 18,500 @ 133.70p
Value: £24,734.50

Games Workshop Group (GAW)
Director name: Rountree,Kevin
Amount purchased: 592 @ 955.50p
Value: £5,656.56

F&c Capital & Income Inv Trust (FCI)
Director name: Lewis,Jane
Amount purchased: 1,534 @ 324.00p
Value: £4,970.16

Norman Broadbent (NBB)
Director name: Brennan,Mike
Amount purchased: 25,000 @ 15.00p
Value: £3,750.00

Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE)
Director name: Anderson,Mark
Amount purchased: 7 @ 2,130.00p
Value: £149.10

Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE)
Director name: Sharma,Ami
Amount purchased: 7 @ 2,130.00p
Value: £149.10

Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE)
Director name: Thomson,K
Amount purchased: 7 @ 2,130.00p
Value: £149.10

Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE)
Director name: Sharma,Rakesh
Amount purchased: 7 @ 2,130.00p
Value: £149.10

Top Director Sells

Draper Esprit (GROW)
Director name: Cook,Simon Christopher
Amount sold: 110,908 @ 324.00p
Value: £359,341.92

Draper Esprit (GROW)
Director name: Chapman,Stuart Malcolm
Amount sold: 110,908 @ 324.00p
Value: £359,341.92

3i Group (III)
Director name: Wilson,Julia
Amount sold: 30,694 @ 918.79p
Value: £282,013.27

3i Group (III)
Director name: Dunn,Kevin
Amount sold: 28,670 @ 918.79p
Value: £263,416.97

Schroders (SDR)
Director name: Dobson,Michael W R
Amount sold: 4,496 @ 3,169.00p
Value: £142,478.24

Paypoint (PAY)
Director name: Taylor,Dominic
Amount sold: 8,656 @ 943.00p
Value: £81,626.08

Paypoint (PAY)
Director name: Watkin-Rees,Tim
Amount sold: 6,110 @ 943.00p
Value: £57,617.30

Londonmetric Property (LMP)
Director name: Vaughan,Patrick
Amount sold: 15,500 @ 168.75p
Value: £26,156.25

Strategic Minerals (SML)
Director name: McInally,Julien F
Amount sold: 1,000,000 @ 2.40p
Value: £24,000.00

Strategic Minerals (SML)
Director name: McInally,Julien F
Amount sold: 637,505 @ 2.40p
Value: £15,300.12

Strategic Minerals (SML)
Director name: McInally,Julien F
Amount sold: 500,000 @ 2.40p
Value: £12,000.00

Paypoint (PAY)
Director name: Marchant,Jon
Amount sold: 891 @ 943.00p
Value: £8,402.13

Paypoint (PAY)
Director name: Wilde,Katy
Amount sold: 728 @ 943.00p
Value: £6,865.04

Paypoint (PAY)
Director name: Alcraft,Lewis
Amount sold: 503 @ 943.00p
Value: £4,743.29

Paypoint (PAY)
Director name: Court,Susan
Amount sold: 367 @ 943.00p
Value: £3,460.81