Manolete Partners PLC

Acquiring and Funding Litigation

99% people around the world, I guess, won’t know who or what “Manolete” is, but will surely be intrigued enough by this interesting sounding word to be told. So, first let us have a look in the Wikipedia:

“… Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez (4 July 1917 – 29 August 1947), better known as Manolete, was a Spanish bullfighter.

He rose to prominence shortly after the Spanish Civil War and is considered by some to be the greatest bullfighter of all time. His style was sober and serious, with few concessions to the gallery, and he excelled at the ‘suerte de matar’—the kill. Manolete’s contribution to bullfighting included being able to stand very still while passing the bull close to his body and, rather than giving the passes separately, he was able to remain in one spot and link four or five consecutive passes together into compact series. He popularized a pass with the muleta called the “Manoletina,” which is normally given just before entering to kill with the sword. In addition to all of the major bullrings of Spain, he had very important triumphs in Plaza Mexico.

He died following a goring in the right upper leg as he killed the fifth bull of the day, the Miura bull Islero, an event that left Spain in a state of shock. Manolete received his fatal goring in the town of Linares…”

I have seen many well-known bullfighters in my long life… not that long though to be able to see Manolete! But I did go to Linares one day to see the bullring and the monument of Manolete erected in front of it.

Anyway: one day in 2009, an English businessman, Steven Cooklin, contacted me saying that he had seen some of my bullfighting paintings on the internet and liked them a lot. He was about to start a new company whose name had a connection to Spanish bullfighting, and would I be interested in selling his new company the right to use one of my paintings as his company logo for use on its website and on business cards ?

(This is the painting in question, with the title “Team Work”)

I must admit that I was amazed. I do get contacted for similar things, but never before had a company, above all an English one, used a bullfight painting as their logo. I thought the man was really brave, taking the risk to use such a controversial theme for his company name and logo. And of course, I was immensely curious to hear what the business was about, but at that point it was a secret…

We did the business, I sold him the original painting as well as the outright copyrights. Some would argue that I am an undignified mother, to sell my “babies” and their soul that way, but to me, it is simply a wonderful use of my artwork. It makes that “baby” really alive, interacting with many people and situations of life, somehow!

“Manolete Partners” was founded and the original painting is nowadays proudly hanging in the conference room of the company. From time to time the owner, Steven Cooklin, says hello and keeps me informed about the news concerning the company. And it is for me as if I would hear how “our” baby is growing. I know, it sounds a little bit exaggerated, but this is how I feel.

The last news I heard some days ago was wonderful: Manolete was getting more and more famous, probably acquiring as much notoriety as the original one! Here is some press coverage, first in RealDeal.eu

“Moulton invests in Manolete Partners

Jon Moulton has made a personal investment in Manolete Partners, a specialist in insolvency litigation.

The company works with insolvency practitioners wishing to pursue litigation on behalf of creditors. It buys potential claims from the practitioners and then funds and pursues the lawsuits. The proceeds from a successful case are then divided between Manolete and the company that sold the claim. The Financial Times reported that Moulton invested ….”

You can read the rest in Realdeals.eu.com, the article featuring by the way another of my bullfight paintings.

The news was also featured in the Financial Times in October 2012:

(Please click on the image above to be able to read the article.)

Well, I must say that I am immensely proud and happy about this news!

And apart from that, my only comment will be

“OLE, MANOLETE!”

but it says it all! Well, I have to say too, in relation to my concern about the use of the bullfight theme for a company, that at the end, the risk was worth it.

Thanks again, Steven, and everybody in Manolete, for letting me be part of your adventure and success!