INTERNATIONAL business services group Grass Roots Group Holdings, which has an office in Wainwright Road,Worcester and counts the likes of BMW and Microsoft as clients, has been snapped up by Nasdaq-listed Blackhawk Network in a £90m cash deal.

Grass Roots is a provider of employee and customer engagement services and operates from offices in Europe, America and Asia. Blackhawk, a prepaid and payments network, says the £90m deal will broaden the global capabilities of its incentives and engagement.

Executive chairman Bill Tauscher added: "The acquisition of Grass Roots complements the existing client portfolio of Blackhawk's incentives business, and enhances solutions for customers requiring global reward and incentive platforms and products. We will also offer new products and capabilities to Grass Roots' clients."

Grass Roots chief executive Richard Bandell, added: "We are excited to be a part of Blackhawk. Joining Grass Roots with Blackhawk and its industry-leading incentive solutions and prepaid product capabilities allows us to enjoy new scale and scope advantages. We are confident that our customers and partners will benefit greatly from the partnership."

The deal is subject to completion of certain filings with and approval by Germany's Bundeskartellamt (the Federal Cartel Office). Grass Roots operates from two offices in Tring, as well as additional bases in Aylesbury, Fleet, Teddington, London, Bath and Worcester. The group reported turnover of £283m in the year ended, December 31,2015, according to Companies House records.