The private equity consortium offering €7.6bn in cash for VNU will today take a big step towards acquiring the Dutch business information group following a decision by the deal's most outspoken critic to tender his company's shares.

The move by Eric Knight, managing director of Knight Vinke asset management, to tender its 1.2 per cent stake to the €29.50-a-share offer is likely to prove crucial to determining the destiny of VNU, which has been under fire from main shareholders since July last year.