Exclusive-SIX Group CEO rules out Allfunds bid amid M&A hunt

LONDON (Reuters) -SIX Group has ruled out making a bid for fund distribution group Allfunds after studying an acquisition, and will instead consider other deals that can expand its data business or give it access to new asset classes, its CEO Jos Dijsselhof told Reuters.

"We don't think that's something for us," Dijsselhof said in an interview on Wednesday when asked about Allfunds. "We've also had a look at it, but not our cup of tea."

Dijsselhof said SIX is in contact with private equity firms, including Allfunds largest shareholder Hellman & Friedman, as it scans the market for possible acquisitions.

The comments come two months after Reuters reported that SIX, the operator of the Swiss and Spanish stock exchanges, was in the early stages of exploring a takeover of Amsterdam-listed Allfunds.

(Reporting by Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro in London. Editing by Anousha Sakoui and Elaine Hardcastle.)

By Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro