Swarth Group is a private equity company,[1] owned by Israeli investor Shaul Shani.[2] In 2007, it purchased Israeli ECI Telecom for $ 1.24 billion.[3] The company headquarters are in Petah Tikva, Israel.[4] The company specialises in Telecoms. In 2008, it acquired a 16.44% share of GVT Holding, which owns GVT Holland, and itself owns 22.9% of Brazilian telecom firm Global Village Telecom. The stake was purchased from Nochi Dankner's Discount Investment Corporation Ltd..[5] In 2009 Swarth group sold its holding in GVT to Vivendi the deal reflects a 15.8% premium on the price paid for it by Swarth in 2008.[6]