Maples and Calder Dublin is advising on the only take-private share deal of 2009 in the Irish market and the first share take-private under the 2005 Prospectus Directive. A team led by Jennifer Caldwell, partner and head of corporate at Maples and Calder Dublin, is advising LearnVantage on its proposed take-private of active e-learning company ThirdForce, the shares of which are listed on both the AIM and IEX markets. LearnVantage is proposing to complete a take-private of ThirdForce, which as a result will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of LearnVantage. Brendan O'Sullivan, the CEO of LearnVantage, described the transaction structure as "innovative" and one that "provides shareholders with choice to either realise certainty of value now or to participate in the future growth of ThirdForce."

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