The City heavyweight who negotiated the proposed £18.5bn takeover of Sky is to try to neutralise his critics with a series of meetings early in the new year.
Martin Gilbert, Sky’s deputy chairman, will present the £10.75p-a-share offer to top shareholders after agreeing a deal with 21st Century Fox last week.
The New York-based giant, whose empire spans the 20th Century Fox film studio and Fox News, is offering to buy the 61% of Sky it does not already own for £11.7bn.
The acquisition, which has been pitched at a 40% premium to the prevailing share price before the deal was unveiled, could take a year or more to complete. It will have to be approved by competition watchdogs.
The culture secretary Karen Bradley is expected to refer the deal to the media regulator. Several Labour MPs have called for Ofcom to conduct a full investigation amid concerns the tie-up could reduce plurality.
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Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp, owner of The Sunday Times, is co-chairman of 21st Century Fox with his son Lachlan. His other son, James, is chief executive of 21st Century Fox and chairman of Sky.
Some smaller investors, including the fund managers Royal London and Jupiter, have declared the bid too low. But its largest shareholders are said to be “sanguine” about the price.
