Topland and Criterion eye Dawnay Day properties

Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:04pm BST

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LONDON (Reuters) - Two of Britain's wealthiest private investors are poised to fight it out to buy the property assets of troubled financial services group Dawnay Day, the Sunday Times newspaper said.

Topland Group, founded by billionaire Sol Zakay, and Criterion Capital, headed by tycoon Asif Aziz, have submitted bids to buy a portfolio of British property companies that Dawnay Day has been forced to sell by administrators, the paper said, without citing sources.

Property services firm DTZ (DTZ.L) said on Friday it had been appointed by the administrators at two sets of Dawnay Day property firms to advise on the sale of 300 million pounds-worth of British commercial property.

None of the parties mentioned could be immediately reached for comment.

(Reporting by Mark Potter; Editing by Richard Hubbard)

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