Monthly Archives: November 2017

Karolinska Development will receive shares in Pharmanest AB

Karolinska

STOCKHOLM – November 9, 2017. Karolinska Development today announces that the company will receive 140,149 shares in Pharmanest AB. Furthermore, the company will receive 11,527 shares via KCIF Co-Investment Fund. In total, this corresponds to an ownership of 10,4 percent in Pharmanest. Pharmanest is one of the companies covered by Karolinska Development’s earn out-agreements. The transaction requires approval at the general meeting at Pharmanest.

Pharmanest develops a new and innovative treatment of pain in conjunction with gynaecological procedures, based on its unique technology platform SHACT. The company recently entered a license agreement with the pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter Plc. This agreement gives Gedeon Richter the right to commercialize Pharmanest’s SHACT technology in Europe, Latin America and other specific geographies.

Karolinska Development will receive 140,149 shares in Pharmanest. Moreover, Karolinska development will receive 11,527 shares via KCIF Co-Investment Fund KB, a holding company jointly owned by the European Investment Fund and Karolinska Development.

“The ownership in Pharmanest AB has a positive impact on our overall portfolio value and we look forward to following the company’s future development. This is yet another confirmation of the value in the earn-out agreements we have signed in conjunction with divestments”, says Viktor Drvota, CEO, Karolinska Development.
For further information, please contact:

Viktor Drvota, CEO, Karolinska Development AB
Phone: +46 73 982 52 02, e-mail: viktor.drvota@karolinskadevelopment.com

Christian Tange, CFO, Karolinska Development AB
Phone: +46 73 712 14 30, e-mail: christian.tange@karolinskadevelopment.com

TO THE EDITORS

About Karolinska Development AB
Karolinska Development AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) is a Nordic life sciences investment company. The company focuses on identifying breakthrough medical innovations in the Nordic region that are developed by entrepreneurs and leadership teams. The Company invests in the creation and growth of companies that advance these assets into commercial products that are designed to make a difference to patients’ lives while providing an attractive return on investment to shareholders.

Karolinska Development has access to world-class medical innovations at the Karolinska Institutet and other leading universities and research institutes in the Nordic region. The Company aims to build companies around scientists who are leaders in their fields, supported by experienced management teams and advisers, and co-funded by specialist international investors, to provide the greatest chance of success.

Karolinska Development has established a portfolio of nine companies targeting opportunities in innovative treatment for life-threatening or serious debilitating diseases.

The Company is led by an entrepreneurial team of investment professionals with a proven track record as company builders and with access to a strong global network.

For more information, please visit www.karolinskadevelopment.com

This information is information that Karolinska Development AB (publ) (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of Viktor Drvota, at 2.45 pm CET on 9 of November 2017. 

 

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Hostmaker raises $15M to fund global expansion

DN Capital

London’s number one Airbnb management service receives backing from existing investors DN Capital, Ventech and DSGCP, joined by Sansiri and Gaw Capital.

Hostmaker, London’s number one Airbnb management company, has announced $15M in Series B funding, taking the total raised since inception in 2014 to $25M. The new funding round is led by Sansiri, one of Thailand’s largest premium real estate developers and Gaw Capital – Hong Kong based global hospitality real estate investor. Hostmaker’s existing lead investors – DN Capital, Ventech and DSGCP, all backed the venture with an investment in the round.

Founded in 2014 by Airbnb ‘Superhost’ and entrepreneur Nakul Sharma, Hostmaker is a technology-driven hospitality management company that takes the hassle out of managing short-term rentals for homeowners. It offers a consistent, high-quality service, including housekeeping from five-star hotel trained staff, professional photography, daily pricing reviews to maximise earnings, guest relations and vetting, and interior design. It also facilitates property profile and listing across platforms including Airbnb, TripAdvisor and Booking.com.

As the largest VC-backed homestay hospitality management team in Europe, Hostmaker has so far carried out over 150,000 services across Europe, growing at a rate of 400 per cent year-on-year. It currently operates in London, Paris, Rome and Barcelona – four of the largest global markets for Airbnb.

The new funding round comes close on the heels of a Series A round of £5M that was raised just earlier this year. This new round of investment will support Hostmaker’s continued technology development in proprietary pricing and operations applications as well as growth and expansion beyond Europe, in particular building a presence in Asia to support property investors there.

On the investment, Nakul Sharma, Hostmaker founder and CEO, said:
“Having raised an investment round just a few months ago, we were very much focusing on delivering a great service to our customers and establishing our leading position. However, we’ve always welcomed a conversation with strategic investors who believe in our global vision of creating a new experiential brand in the fast-growing homestay category. Sansiri approached us with an exciting proposition to take our brand to Asia which was always on our roadmap. Along with Gaw Capital’s Asian roots and global footprint, it felt like the right moment to accelerate our expansion in the East.”

Nenad Marovac, Managing Partner from DN Capital, commented: “‘We are very excited to be backing the team at Hostmaker on this new phase of growth as the business consolidates its position as the leading European homestay hospitality services company and begins to explore exciting opportunities in Asia.”

Srettha Thavisin, from lead investor Sansiri said:
“The home sharing market is at an all-time high with 150M people using Airbnb globally. Property management businesses that support the home sharing industry are growing at a similar speed and we are excited to work with Hostmaker, who are leading the charge in Europe by providing the highest quality service out there.”

About Hostmaker
Launched in July 2014, Hostmaker is a technology-driven hospitality management company that takes the hassle out of managing short-term rentals for homeowners by offering a consistent, high-quality service. Growing at a rate of 400% YOY, Hostmaker is currently operational in London, Paris, Rome and Barcelona – four of the largest global markets for Airbnb and supports over 1,000 homeowners. The founder, Nakul Sharma has worked at the world’s largest international hotel chains, including Starwood Hotels and InterContinental Hotels Group. Nakul is also an avid Airbnb host and traveller.

Hostmaker’s deep industry and market expertise alongside proprietary pricing technology, in-house interior design and 5-star hotel trained operations team help uplift income for homeowners by as much as 50%. Hostmaker has been named #20 among the top 100 UK start-ups and one of Forbes’ 5 fastest-growing British businesses to watch, alongside winning the Serviced Apartment Award for best short-term rental operator in 2017. https://hostmaker.com/

About DN Capital
DN Capital is a leading early stage and growth capital investor focused on Seed, Series A and select series B investments in marketplaces, digital health, fintech, SaaS, digital media, e-commerce, mobile applications and software companies. The firm was founded in 2000 and has operations in London, Berlin and Silicon Valley. DN Capital’s previous funds are top performers and the firm is one of the lead investors in companies such as Endeca (sold to Oracle), Shazam (one of the world’s leading mobile apps), Auto1 (world’s largest used car marketplace), Purplebricks (IPO London) and Quandoo (sold to Recruit). The professionals at DN Capital bring over 75 years of private equity & venture capital experience to their investments, and actively work with portfolio companies to steward their growth through the various stages of development. Additional information about the firm and its portfolio companies can be found at http://www.dncapital.com.

For further information
Kanira Shah
Investor Relations
DN Capital
Kanira@dncapital.com

 

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Norvestor lists Crayon Group Holding ASA

Norvestor

Crayon Group Holding ASA (“Crayon” or the “Company”, OSE ticker code “CRAYON”), a leading IT advisory firm in software and digital transformation services, announced on 6 November 2017 a successful completion of its initial public offering (“IPO”) through a private placement of shares and secondary sale of shares. The offer price of NOK 15.50 per share implies a market capitalization of Crayon of approximately NOK 1,157 million. Trading in the share will commence today on Oslo Stock Exchange.

Norvestor Holding I AS, majority owned by Norvestor VI L.P. (“Norvestor”), has sold 15,191,990 shares in the secondary sale and will remain the largest shareholder in Crayon with an ownership of approximately 22% following the private placement subject to a lock-up period of six months from the listing date.

The Managers (as defined below) have over-allotted 6,290,000 shares, representing approximately 15% of the number of shares issued and sold in the offering before over-allotments.  Norvestor Holding I AS1 and certain minority shareholders have granted the Managers a greenshoe option, exercisable by DNB Markets as stabilization manager within 30 days from the first day of trading of the Company’s shares on Oslo Børs, to cover any short position resulting from the over-allotments in the offering.

Torgrim Takle, CEO of Crayon, commented:

“I am very proud of the strong growth the Crayon team has demonstrated over a long period of time and the successful development from being a Norwegian licensing provider to having global ambitions and becoming a Valued go-to-market partner for global software vendors. I am also very excited about the future of Crayon–we have invested in global xpansion, and we are now set to reap the benefits as the expansion markets mature. We look forward to offering new shareholders the opportunity to invest in Crayon’s growth.”

Henning Vold, Partner in Norvestor Equity AS, commented:

“Norvestor sponsored the delisting of Crayon in 2012 to back an ambitious growth plan. From a Nordic base,the Company has established a global position in 21 countries and is an important partner for the large software vendors. Significant investments in both capabilities and geographical expansion have enabled Crayon to increase revenue significantly since Norvestor became majority owner in January 2012. Since the delisting, the Company has delivered c.30% revenue CAGR with an LTM revenue as of 30 June 2017 of c.NOK 6.5 billion.

The IPO is a natural next step in the Company’s development and marks the beginning of a new phase in which the Company is set to harvest from investments made. The IPO will help the Company to secure a broader, long-term shareholder base, and we look forward to inviting new shareholders to join Norvestor as owners. In addition, the listing will provide access to the capital markets and enhance Crayon’s visibility among potential partners.”

Carnegie AS and DNB Markets, a part of DNB Bank ASA, acted as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners in the IPO; Danske Bank A/S, Norwegian branch acted as Joint Bookrunner and SpareBank 1 Markets AS acted as Joint Lead Manager (together referred to as the “Managers”). Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS acted as Norwegian legal counsel to the Company. Advokatfirm aet BA-HR DA actedas Norwegian legal counsel to the Managers.

For further information:

Henning Vold, Partner, Norvestor Equity

Telephone: +47 908 79 581

Email: henning.vold@norvestor.com

Rebecca Schau, Investor Relations Manager, Norvestor Equity

Telephone: +47 959 29 314

Email: rebecca.schau@norvestor.com

Torgrim Takle, CEO Crayon Group Holding ASA

Telephone: +47 951 40782

Email: torgrim.takle@crayon.com

Crayon Group Holding ASA was founded in 2002 and listed on Oslo Børs following the merger with Inmeta in 2011 until completion of the voluntary offer for the shares in the Company by Norvestor in After the delisting, Crayon has focused on international expansion. From 2014 -2016 Crayon invested approximately NOK 280 million in expanding globally and developing its IP solutions, and now the Company is set to harvest the benefits as expansion markets matures. At the same time, EBITDA from the core markets in the Nordics is at record high. The Company is now present across 21 countries worldwide with headquarters in Oslo, Norway. As of 30 June 2017, Crayon had 1,079 employees.

Read more at www.crayon.com

Norvestor Equity is a leading private equity company focusing on lower mid-market buyouts in the Nordic region. The team has worked together since 1991 making it one of the most experienced private equity teams in Norway, having executed 66 investments with 261 follow-on M&A transactions, in addition to executing 44 exits including 14 IPOs. Norvestor focuses on investment opportunities in growth companies, making platform investments principally in Norway and Sweden, with potential to achieve a leading Nordic or international position either through organic growth, through acquisitions or by expanding into new countries. Funds advised by Norvestor are currently invested in the following portfolio companies; Johnson Metall, Sentech (formerly Advantec Sensing), Apsis, Aptilo, Cegal, Marine Aluminium, Crayon, Robust, iSurvey, Future Production, Nomor, PG Flow Solutions, Roadworks, Permascand, 4Service, HydraWell, Eneas, Presserv, Nordic Camping & Resort,READ Cased Hole, IT Gården, NetNordic and Wexus.

Read more at www.norvestor.com

 

 

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Unigestion Direct Opportunities invests in cyber insurance company Ascent Underwriting

Unigestion

Unigestion has made an investment in leading cyber insurance company Ascent Underwriting, representing the third direct private equity investment this year, and the sixth in total, from Unigestion’s Direct Opportunities 2015 (UDO 2015) fund.

Ascent is the leading cyber insurance and specialty focused Managing General Agent in the Lloyds of London market. Unigestion made the investment alongside Preservation Capital Partners, the financial services focused private equity firm with a broad network and extensive experience in the insurance sector. The investment, which is subject to regulatory approval, will allow Ascent to further strengthen its presence in the fast growing cyber insurance market and support its ambition to enter complementary product lines through acquisitions.

This latest deal comes just after Unigestion invested in TeamSport, the UK’s largest indoor go-karting operator, together with Duke Street, in October of this year. TeamSport has achieved impressive growth in recent years, through a combination of like-for-like sales improvements, new site openings and enhanced performance from acquired tracks, underpinned by the company’s superior customer experience. Unigestion will benefit from Duke Street’s experience with similar roll-outs in the UK leisure sector (including, amongst others, Wagamama). Under Duke Street and Unigestion’s ownership, TeamSport will continue to strengthen its position in the fragmented UK market, but also look to expand in continental Europe.

Finally, earlier this year Unigestion completed an investment in Eduko, a nursery school platform seeking to consolidate the UK’s early years education space. Together with its operating partner, Playground Nurseries, Unigestion is supporting management in its vision to offer a high quality educational experience focused on the millennial parent.

UDO 2015 is Unigestion’s EUR 255 million direct private equity fund, which is backed by established limited partners in the UK, continental Europe and Asia. In addition, certain limited partners have the ability to provide significant additional capital to UDO portfolio companies.

Federico Schiffrin, Partner at Unigestion based in New York, commented:

“Our latest investments validate our vision of finding unique opportunities in the small and middle markets sourced by investors locally in Europe, the US and Asia, and partnering with leading specialist teams with deep knowledge and networks in their respective markets.”

Pieter-Jan Frederix, Principal at Unigestion based in London, commented:

“Although operating in different industries, the fund’s recent investments share the same characteristics as other companies in the UDO portfolio. We always look to invest in businesses that benefit from long term trends, offer a product or service with proven appeal and provide downside protection, either through the cash flow profile of the company, the defensive nature of the end market, or the type of investment security. As the sole institutional co-underwriter in each of these transactions, we worked closely together with our investment partners and management teams throughout the process and we look forward to continuing these relationships as the companies enter their next stage of growth and development.”

-ENDS-

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Lynn Pattinson
Head of Corporate Communication, Media & Branding
lpattinson@unigestion.com
Tel: +41 (0) 22 704 44 57

Alex Hogan
Communication Manager
ahogan@unigestion.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7529 5243
Mob: +44 (0)7469 890 614

Read more about Unigestion

S

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Musti ja Mirri acquires VetZoo – expands online platform

eqt

Pet specialty retailer Musti ja Mirri today announces the acquisition of VetZoo, Sweden’s leading online retailer of pet supplies. The add-on accelerates Musti ja Mirri’s multi-channel strategy and manifests its position as the leading pet specialty retailer in the Nordics.

EQT Mid Market acquired Musti ja Mirri in December 2014 with a mission to support its Nordic expansion and multi-channel platform development. Since then, Musti ja Mirri has had a strong organic growth into Norway, and into Sweden through the franchise acquisition of the pet stores Arken Zoo and Djurmagazinet, Trimmis grooming salons and the veterinary chain Vettris.

Today, Musti ja Mirri operates a network of 250 pet specialty stores in Finland, Sweden and Norway – offering a wide range of pet supplies, accessories, foods and adjacent pet related services.

VetZoo, founded in 2010, is a leading pure-play online retail platform for pet supplies with operations in Sweden and Norway with sales exceeding EUR 13 million and an annual growth rate close to 100%. The acquisition of VetZoo will further strengthen Musti ja Mirri’s online offering and is yet another step in EQT Mid Market’s strategy in creating the leading pan-Nordic pet specialty retail group across channels.

“We have known VetZoo for years and are impressed by what the founder Lars Martin and the team have developed in a relatively short time frame. The company will complement Musti ja Mirri’s existing business and is a great addition to the company’s focused multi-channel strategy. As a result of the acquisition, Musti ja Mirri’s total sales within e-commerce will double, from 7% to 14%, with the ambition to reach 20% in a few years”, says Johan Dettel, Partner and Investment Advisor to EQT Mid Market.

David Rönnberg, CEO at Musti ja Mirri comments: “With VetZoo, we will scale up our e-commerce offering which will be a natural complement to the 250 physical stores. Our clients want a full-service, single provider to accommodate the needs of their pets and with VetZoo, we will be able to respond to this demand. And not the least, the add-on strengthens Musti ja Mirri’s already leading position as the number one pet speciality retailer in the Nordics.”

VetZoo will continue to operate under its current brand. The management team will reinvest into the combined group, demonstrating their commitment to the strategic direction of VetZoo, now under Musti ja Mirri’s ownership.

”We are excited about joining forces with Musti ja Mirri and EQT and I look forward to continue the growth journey of VetZoo. We will now be in a broader context and work together in a very interesting market segment. VetZoo and Musti ja Mirri are a great match with our strong online development complemented with Musti ja Mirri’s extensive product knowledge and assortment”, says Lars Martin Norviit, founder and CEO of VetZoo.

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NPM Capital sells stake in bedding company Auping

NPM Capital

Dutch private equity firm Wadinko acquired the shares in Deventer-based bed manufacturer Koninklijke Auping from NPM Capital in early November 2017. NPM Capital had been a shareholder in Koninklijke Auping since 1986.

In partnering with Wadinko, Koninklijke Auping will be able to further increase its presence and expand its operations in growth markets in the Benelux region, Germany and Scandinavia.

Sustainable business and production

In the Netherlands, the name ‘Auping’ is virtually synonymous with a good night’s sleep – a credit to the high quality, supreme comfort and stunning, contemporary designs of Auping’s box springs, beds and mattresses.
The success of the company – which was issued a Dutch Royal Warrant of Appointment in 1988 – can be attributed to its more than 125 years of expertise, coupled with the latest advances in technology, ergonomics and design.

Koninklijke Auping has been the recipient of numerous awards and certificates over the decades for its quality, reliability and design. Besides its stated objective of ‘working on tomorrow’s ultimate sleeping comfort with passion and curiosity’, Auping also aims to be a leading presence in sustainable business and production. The company believes that an inspiring and stimulating work environment plays an important role in the organisation’s talent for innovation and is committed to building a sustainable relationship with the built and natural environments. The company has embraced the cradle-to-cradle principle with this objective in mind, which should allow it to transition to fully circular production processes by 2020.

NPM Capital’s Managing Director, Bart Coopmans, is happy with Wadinko as Auping’s new shareholder: ‘Our journey with Auping over these past decades has been very successful. The company has grown immensely and has an excellent market position: the Auping Plaza concept has been implemented internationally and the e-commerce platform provides customers with online options to meet their requirements as far as sleeping comfort is concerned. With Wadinko as its new shareholder, Auping is ready for the next stage in its growth trajectory.’


More information about Wadinko and Auping

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Acquisition of Career Partner Group

oakleycapital

Acquisition of Career Partner Group

Oakley Capital Private Equity III (“Fund III”) has agreed to aquire Apollo Global Germany GmbH (“Career Partner Group”), from its current shareholder Apollo Education Group Inc. Fund III, together with a number of underlying Fund III investors, will hold a 79% stake in the business. Fund III will be partnering with CEO Dr. Sven Schütt and his management team, who will be investing in the new structure.

Career Partner Group is a leading provider of private higher education and personnel development in Germany. Operating principally under the brand of International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef (IUBH), the business currently has over 13,500 students enrolled in four types of program: traditional on-campus universities, online university degree courses, dual studies (an alternative to traditional apprenticeships) and corporate training. Fund III will seek to support the continued development of the business particularly in the online university and dual studies segments, both of which are high-growth sectors in Germany.

The business generated revenues of €61.5 million and reported EBITDA of €10.3 million for the year ended 31 August 2017. The transaction is partly funded by a unitranche debt facility from BlueBay. Fund III will invest €85 million in the business. Completion is subject to approval by the Federal Cartel Office, and is anticipated to be on December 31, 2017.

Sven Schütt, CEO, Career Partner Group commented:

“On behalf of the management team and employees of Career Partner Group, we look forward to having Oakley as our new partner.  The business has flourished under the ownership of Apollo and we are very grateful for their support.  There are also many exciting opportunities ahead of us as the market for online education further develops in Germany.”

Peter Dubens, Managing Partner, Oakley Capital commented:

“We are delighted to be building on our expertise in the sector with another investment in education. CPG is a dynamic and high-growth business that has been a leader in the delivery of online higher education in Germany and is set to continue on that path with Oakley as a partner.”

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Termination of sale of 3i’s stake in ACR

3i Group plc (“3i”) notes that ACR Capital Holdings Pte. Ltd (“ACR”) has today announced that the proposed acquisition of ACR by Shenzhen Qianhai Financial Holdings Co. Ltd. and Shenzhen Investment Holdings Co. Ltd will not be proceeding.

The book value methodology used to value 3i’s stake in ACR did not change as a result of the implementation agreement being signed in October 2016, and at 30 June 2017 it was valued at £131m.

Over the past year, ACR has continued to successfully execute on its original strategy, pursuing profitable growth opportunities while simultaneously de-risking and rebalancing its portfolio, and further strengthening its business franchise and brand. These measures have resulted in significant improvement in ACR’s underwriting and financial performance, with its business tracking ahead of plan across all key metrics.

-Ends-

For further information, contact:

3i Group plc
Kathryn van der Kroft
Media enquiries
Tel: +44 20 7975 3021
Email: kathryn.vanderkroft@3i.com

Silvia Santoro
Investor enquiries
Tel: +44 20 7975 3258
Email: silvia.santoro@3i.com

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Partners Group leads unitranche financing of Laser Clinics Australia

Partners Group logo

Baar-Zug, Switzerland, 7 November 2017

Partners Group leads unitranche financing of Laser Clinics Australia

Partners Group, the global private markets investment manager, has invested in the unitranche financing of Australia-based cosmetic treatments specialist Laser Clinics Australia (“LCA” or “the Company”) on behalf of its clients. The transaction supports the acquisition of LCA by global investment firm KKR.

Established in 2008 with the opening of its first clinic in Sydney, LCA is today the leading provider of non-invasive aesthetic treatments in Australia, with a network of more than 80 clinics across the country. LCA offers a range of safe and affordable treatments, including laser hair reduction, cosmetic injectables, skin treatments and complementary products. The Company operates a franchise ownership model and counts on a dedicated team of franchisees, as well as around 135 experienced doctors and nurses who perform approximately 3 million treatments annually.

Edward Tong, Senior Vice President and Head of Private Debt Asia-Pacific at Partners Group, comments: “Since its inception, LCA has demonstrated the strength of its business model, growing from a single clinic to a market leader across five major Australian states. The franchise ownership model creates a strong alignment of interest between LCA and its franchisees and the Company has shown strong historical financial performance. We firmly believe LCA can further build on its success to-date and look forward to supporting the Company in its next phase of growth.”

Scott Essex, Partner and Co-Head of Private Debt at Partners Group, adds: “Private lenders are growing in their ability to support sponsor activity in the Asia-Pacific region and Partners Group is at the forefront of this effort to institutionalize the debt market. We are pleased to partner with KKR to provide unitranche financing as part of its acquisition of LCA and believe the transaction reflects our ability to provide a flexible financing solution to private equity sponsors.

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GPA Global partners with MW Luxury Packaging

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eqt

GPA Global today announced the signing of a 100% stake in MW Luxury Packaging, a leading provider of premium packaging solutions to the spirits, beverage and health & beauty industry with operations in the UK, the US, Mexico, China and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong-based GPA Global (“GPA”), an EQT Mid Market company, is a one-stop-shop premium packaging and display solutions provider with customers primarily within consumer electronics, mobile accessories and games & toys sectors. EQT Mid Market acquired GPA in March, 2017 with the mission to support the company’s continued growth and explore opportunities to expand the business into new customer verticals through synergistic acquisitions.

Founded in 1998, MW Luxury Packaging (“MW”) offers concept design, engineering, production management and distribution services. After combining the businesses, GPA’s strategy is to further strengthen MW’s supply chain and distribution capabilities, continue to develop the global clientele and capture cross-selling synergies to create a combined full-service platform.

“We are impressed by MW Luxury Packaging’s superior design capabilities and strong reputation in its core markets and industry segments. The partnership means that GPA can utilize and further develop MW’s well-established European customer network to build a strong global platform. The acquisition is an additional step in GPA’s future proofing process and EQT is excited to see the company now entering a new growth phase with accelerated development and a broadened product offering”, says Martin Mok, Partner at EQT Partners in Hong Kong, Investment Advisor to EQT Mid Market.

Tom Wang and Adam Melton, co-founders of GPA, jointly continue: “We are excited to work with MW Luxury Packaging to build a world-class premium packaging and interactive display solutions platform. With MW Luxury Packaging’s strong existing clientele in premium liquor and health and beauty, the transaction will allow GPA Global to become the leader in an expanded client segment, providing substantial cross-selling potential with our existing offerings. The strong design team as well as sales footprint in the UK, Europe and Americas also serves as a strong addition to our existing platform. We look forward to working closely together with MW Luxury Packaging and jointly develop GPA Global to the next level.”

The founder of MW, Anthony Dowler, who will become a shareholder in GPA and continue to develop the company’s growth strategy, concludes: “GPA Global offers an exciting business model with strong reputation and credibility across a number of markets and verticals. With an extensive sales, design, sourcing, manufacturing and distribution team in Asia, I believe GPA will provide MW with the platform to continue to expand its footprint with existing and new clients. We are confident that the partnership will bring on tremendous synergies and allow the combined business to serve our customers at a whole new level.

Link to the EQT Update on www.eqtpartners.com

 

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