Monthly Archives: December 2018

CVC Fund VII agrees to acquire 30% stake in Cosan Lubes Investments Limited

CVC Funds’ first investment in Latin America to help leading manufacturer and distributor of specialty lubricants with international expansion

CVC Capital Partners Fund VII today signed an agreement to acquire a 30% stake in Cosan Lubes Investments Limited (“Moove”), a leading Latin American manufacturer and distributor of specialty lubricants, from Cosan, one of the largest and most successful Brazilian conglomerates with assets in the energy and logistics sectors, all leaders in their respective industries. Cosan will remain the majority shareholder with a 70% stake following the closing of the transaction.

Moove is the sole manufacturer of Mobil-branded specialty lubricants in Brazil and has the exclusive rights to commercialize products in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. Within Latin America, Moove sells via a network of exclusive distributors and directly to large industrial groups and OEMs. Since 2012, Moove initiated an expansion plan into Europe and now distributes mainly Mobil-branded specialty lubricants focused on industrial clients in the UK, France, Spain and Portugal.

Jean-Marc Etlin, Partner overseeing CVC’s private equity activities across Latin America based in São Paulo commented: “The partnership with Cosan presents a great opportunity for CVC Funds to invest for the first time in Latin America. We are looking forward to working closely with the excellent management teams of Cosan and Moove, leveraging our expertise and our global network to expand its footprint internationally.”

The transaction is subject to the customary approval process by the relevant regulatory authorities. Closing is expected in the first quarter of 2019.

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Gryphon Investors to Acquire RegEd, Inc.

Gryphon Investors

San Francisco, CA – December 20, 2018 —

 Gryphon Investors (“Gryphon”), a San Francisco-based middle-market private equity firm, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire RegEd, Inc. (“RegEd” or “the Company”), the leading provider of compliance and regulatory management services for insurance companies, broker-dealers, banks, and other financial services companies. Founder and CEO John Schobel and other members of RegEd’s management team, as well as current majority owner Falfurrias Capital Partners, will retain an equity ownership in the Company. Mark Schlageter, Gryphon Executive Advisory Board Member and former Thomson Reuters Chief Customer Officer, will be the Chairman of RegEd. The transaction closed on December 20, 2018 and financial terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, RegEd provides SaaS-based enterprise solutions through a suite of over 25 separate software modules to more than 200 blue-chip customers, including 80% of the top 25 financial services firms. RegEd’s comprehensive suite of compliance automation, regulatory change management, and licensing and registration software solutions is focused on the broker-dealer, insurance, and banking end markets, and has broader corporate compliance applications as well.

Alex Earls, Partner and head of the Business Services Group at Gryphon, said, “RegEd is a strong fit with our ongoing initiative focused on investing in market leading businesses within the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (“GRC”) sector. John Schobel and his management team have built a high-quality business and we are excited to partner with them to support the Company’s continued growth both organically and through acquisitions.”

Mr. Schlageter, who has partnered with Gryphon since 2017 and is a recognized expert in GRC SaaS, added, “RegEd has consistently proven that it drives discernible value with its customers via technological approaches to compliance that are cutting edge. RegEd’s mission critical workflow-embedded solutions provide customers a positive ROI, resulting in high levels of customer stickiness and a strong platform for future innovation and growth. I very much look forward to working with John Schobel and his team.”

Mr. Schobel stated, “We are very excited for RegEd’s next phase. Gryphon has a demonstrated legacy of partnering with its portfolio companies to help them successfully achieve their next stage of growth. With nearly 20 years of creating solutions to help our clients manage compliance, mitigate risk, and drive efficiency in their operations, we know there is an even greater opportunity to serve our clients and industry. Gryphon is the ideal partner to help us achieve that vision.”

Evercore and Baird served as financial advisors to Gryphon and Raymond James acted as the exclusive financial advisor to RegEd. Morrison & Foerster, LLP acted as the legal advisor to Gryphon and McGuire Woods acted as the legal advisor to RegEd.

 

About RegEd
RegEd is the market-leading provider of RegTech enterprise solutions with relationships with hundreds of enterprise clients, including 80% of the top 25 financial services firms.

Established in 2000 by former regulators, the company is recognized for continuous regulatory technology innovation with solutions hallmarked by workflow-directed processes, data integration, regulatory intelligence, automated validations, business process automation, and compliance dashboards. The aggregate drives the highest levels of operational efficiency and enables our clients to cost-effectively comply with regulations and continuously mitigate risk.

Trusted by the nation’s top financial services firms, RegEd’s proven, holistic approach to RegTech meets firms where they are on the compliance and risk management continuum, scaling as their needs evolve and amplifying the value proposition delivered to clients. For more information, please visit www.reged.com.

About Gryphon Investors
Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading private equity firm focused on profitably growing and competitively enhancing middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management teams. The firm has managed over $4.5 billion of equity investments and capital since 1997. Gryphon targets making equity investments of $50 million to $200 million in portfolio companies with sales ranging from approximately $100 million to $500 million. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form strong partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon’s capital, specialized professional resources, and operational expertise.

Contacts

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TowerBrook Announces Acquisition of Orchid Underwriters from Gryphon Investors

NEW YORK and VERO BEACH, FL – December 20, 2018 – TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P. (“TowerBrook”), an international investment management firm, announced today that it has acquired Orchid Underwriters Agency, LLC (“Orchid”), a specialty underwriter of catastrophe exposed property insurance, from private equity firm Gryphon Investors. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Orchid President and CEO Brad Emmons will continue to lead Orchid, working alongside TowerBrook to continue the company’s growth. Gryphon will maintain a significant equity position in the company going forward.

Founded in 1998 and based in Vero Beach, FL, Orchid is a Managing General Agency (MGA)/Managing General Underwriter (MGU) providing specialty P&C insurance products to homeowners, high net worth individuals, and small businesses throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Orchid provides proprietary insurance solutions for “hard-to-place” risks to a growing, national network of retail agents and other strategic distribution partners. The company maintains several long-standing partnerships with high-quality insurance and reinsurance carriers that provide consistent and, in many cases, exclusive risk capacity to Orchid.

“We are thrilled to partner with TowerBrook and look forward to benefiting from its deep operational experience and strong network in the insurance industry,” said Brad Emmons, President and CEO of Orchid. “We have made significant strategic advancements under Gryphon’s ownership, and we now expect TowerBrook’s investment and guidance to further support future development as we continue to grow the platform organically through geographic and product expansion and pursue potential acquisitions. We look forward to the opportunities ahead as we work together to deliver greater value for our partner agents, carriers, and talented employees.”

TowerBrook’s investment in Orchid is the result of a targeted approach to the insurance services market focused on identifying attractive, resilient business models with consistent growth profiles. This acquisition aligns with TowerBrook’s investment strategy to back strong management teams operating in growth markets. TowerBrook will work with Orchid’s management team to develop organic and inorganic initiatives which further scale Orchid’s platform.

TowerBrook has a long history of investments in the insurance and financial services industry and a strong network in the sector, having partnered with companies such as Ironshore, Rewards Network, CapQuest, Hayfin, Fortiva, Validity Finance, and Ladder Capital.

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GLADSTONE INVESTMENT CORPORATION exits its investment in CAMBRIDGE SOUND MANAGEMENT

Gladstone

MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gladstone Investment Corporation (NASDAQ: GAIN) (“Gladstone Investment”) announced today the sale of its equity interest and the prepayment of its debt investment in Cambridge Sound Management, Inc. (“Cambridge Sound”) to Biamp Systems, a leader in professional audio/video solutions and a portfolio company of Highlander Partners, L.P. As a result of this transaction, Gladstone Investment realized a significant gain on its equity investment. Gladstone Investment acquired Cambridge Sound in partnership with Boston Harbor Capital in 2014.

Cambridge Sound, headquartered in Waltham, MA, is the world’s largest supplier of sound masking solutions. Cambridge Sound designs and manufactures next generation sound masking solutions to help companies create a more comfortable, secure, and productive workplace.

“Gladstone Investment has enjoyed a strong partnership with Cambridge Sound’s management team over the last several years. We are proud to have supported the business through a period of rapid growth, both organically and through acquisition,” said Erika Highland, Managing Director of Gladstone Investment.  “Christopher Calisi, CEO, and Meghann Ellis, CFO, and the entire management team have achieved outstanding results in both growing and transforming the business and we wish them continued success.”

“With the sale of Cambridge Sound and from inception in 2005, Gladstone Investment has exited 15 of its management supported buy-outs, generating significant net realized gains on these investments,” said David Dullum, President of Gladstone Investment. “Our strategy and capability as a buyout fund and our investment approach of realizing gains on equity, while generating strong current income during the investment period provides meaningful value to shareholders.”

Gladstone Investment Corporation is a publicly traded business development company that seeks to make secured debt and equity investments in lower middle market private businesses in the United States in connection with acquisitions, changes in control and recapitalizations. Additional information can be found at www.gladstoneinvestment.com.

For Investor Relations inquiries related to any of the monthly distribution-paying Gladstone family of funds, please visit www.gladstone.com.

Forward-looking Statements:

The statements in this press release regarding the longer-term prospects of Gladstone Investment and Cambridge Sound and its management team, and the ability of Gladstone Investment and Cambridge Sound to be successful in the future are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements inherently involve certain risks and uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Although these statements are based on Gladstone Investment’s current beliefs that are believed to be reasonable as of the date of this press release, a number of factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from these forward-looking statements, including those factors described from time to time in Gladstone Investment’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Gladstone Investment undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE:  Gladstone Investment Corporation

For further information: Gladstone Investment Corporation, 703-287-5810

Gladstone Investment Corporation logo

Source: Gladstone Investment Corporation

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H.I.G. Capital Invests in Norway Office Buildings

LONDON – December 20, 2018 – H.I.G. Capital, LLC (“H.I.G.”), a leading global private equity investment firm with over €26 billion of equity capital under management, announced today that one of its affiliates has recently completed three transactions in Norway, acquiring high quality office assets totaling c. 100,000 sqm. Terms were not disclosed.

H.I.G. continues to add to its sizable holdings of real estate assets across Europe, consisting of both equity as well as debt investments, with a particular focus on its target market of value-added small/midcap opportunities.

Riccardo Dallolio, Managing Director and Head of H.I.G. Europe Realty Partners in London, commented: “The Nordic real estate markets represent a key part of our European value-add strategy and we continue to actively look at opportunities in the small/midcap sector in these countries across the capital structure”.

Fredrik Steinum, Principal at H.I.G. Europe Realty Partners in London, added: “The transaction demonstrates our ability to leverage our strong network and track record across the Nordic markets to acquire high quality assets with significant value-add potential”.

About H.I.G. Capital
H.I.G. is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with over €26 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach:

  1. H.I.G.’s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.
  2. H.I.G.’s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. is also a leading CLO manager, through its WhiteHorse family of vehicles, and manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance.
  3. H.I.G.’s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices.

Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 300 companies worldwide. The firm’s current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of €28 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com.

* Based on total capital commitments managed by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates.

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The Carlyle Group Invests in Wakanow.com, One of West Africa’s Largest Online Travel Agencies

Carlyle

Lagos – Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) today announced that it has agreed to invest $40 million in Wakanow.com Limited (Wakanow), an online travel agency focused on West and East Africa, with principal operations in Nigeria. Equity came from Carlyle’s Sub-Saharan Africa fund and further financial details were not disclosed.

Founded in 2009 in Nigeria, Wakanow is one of West Africa’s largest full-service online travel companies, providing its customers with a one-stop online booking portal for flights, hotels, holiday packages, and other travel services and ancillaries. Complementing their online offering, Wakanow also operates a network of traditional brick-and-mortar travel centres and has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, UAE and the UK.

Wakanow enjoys strong brand recognition and a scale advantages in its local markets. This investment adds to Carlyle’s experience in the online travel sector, where it has invested in companies such as C-trip, one of the major online travel agencies operating across China, the Latin American travel and tour operator CVC Brasil, and Vasco Turismo, one of the largest travel operations groups in Peru.

Obinna Ekezie, Co-Founder and CEO, Wakanow, said: “We are excited to partner with Carlyle as we continue to grow and expand in Africa and beyond. Carlyle’s global footprint and scale as well as its extensive experience and network in the online travel sector will help us to further develop our offerings and broaden our customer base.”

Idris Mohammed, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group, said: “Wakanow has experienced incredible growth since inception, disrupting the travel market and taking market share both online and offline. We believe that this strong growth trajectory will continue as Wakanow benefits from an expanding middle class across the continent in addition to increasing internet penetration and mobile connectivity, which is driving increased online traffic. We look forward to working with Wakanow’s management team to help them deliver on their vision for growth and expansion.”

Mayowa Ayodele, Chief Investment Officer, Platform Capital, one of Wakanow’s lead investors, said: “We are happy to partner with Carlyle and look forward to working together with them to strengthen Wakanow’s market position, accelerate innovation, deepen its systems and processes to realize the vision of a truly world class online travel agency with African roots.”

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Media contacts:

Wakanow
Obinna Ekezie
Tel: +234 (0) 803 725 2736
Obinna@wakanow.com

The Carlyle Group
Catherine Armstrong
Tel: +44 (0)20 7894 1632
Catherine.Armstrong@carlyle.com

About Wakanow

Wakanow Limited is Nigeria’s leading travel business with a strong presence in West Africa and an increasingly growing reach across the African continent. The company offers an increasing set of products to address the holiday making desires of the African consumer, while showcasing and offering the Africa holiday experience to the rest of the world. Its partnerships with key global players in the travel space make it a one-stop travel solution at a competitive price point. The company employs over a 100 people and operates offices in strategic locations across the continent.

About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global alternative asset manager with $212 billion of assets under management across 339 investment vehicles as of September 30, 2018. Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, many of whom are public pensions. Carlyle invests across four segments – Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Credit and Investment Solutions – in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and South America. Carlyle has expertise in various industries, including: aerospace, defense & government services, consumer & retail, energy, financial services, healthcare, industrial, real estate, technology & business services, telecommunications & media and transportation. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,625 people in 31 offices across six continents.

Web: www.carlyle.com 
Videos: www.youtube.com/onecarlyle  
Tweets: www.twitter.com/onecarlyle
Podcasts: www.carlyle.com/about-carlyle/market-commentary

About Carlyle Sub-Saharan Africa Fund (CSSAF)

Established in 2012, CSSAF and its affiliates, with $698 million of committed capital, have invested over $550 million to date across a variety of industries, including energy, financial services, TMT, retail, logistics, business services and mining services, and across a variety of geographies, including South Africa, Gabon, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. CSSAF makes buyout and growth capital investments in private and public companies from offices in Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria.

About Platform Capital

Platform Capital is a growth markets focused, sector agnostic, principal investments firm.

Platform deploys patient, value accretive capital alongside international and local value investors to create champion businesses with the ability for regional scale. The firm’s extensive on-the-ground relationships and real time market insights makes it a unique co-investment partner.

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The Carlyle Group and Explorer Investments Acquire Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort

Carlyle

Lisbon, Portugal – Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG), and Explorer Investments, an independent alternative asset management company in Portugal, today announced they have purchased Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort in Portugal.  Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Resort will continue to be managed by Ritz-Carlton, a Marriot Group company, who have run the resort since December 2003.

Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort, part of Quinta da Penha Longa, in Sintra, is one of the most iconic resorts in Portugal, with 194 rooms, a spa and a wellness centre as well as more than 3,000m2 conference and meeting facilities. The resort features a golf course, highlighted as one of the top 30 best golf courses in Europe, and designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. In addition to extensive meeting, sporting and leisure facilities, in 2018 Penha Longa became the first hotel in Portugal to have two restaurants awarded Michelin stars.

Peter Stoll, Managing Director for Carlyle European Realty advisory team, said: “Penha Longa is one of the best-known and most-established hotels in Portugal, and the hospitality sector in the country is experiencing a strong demand from both leisure and corporate travellers. We are excited to partner with Explorer Investments to develop the full potential of the resort.”

Pedro Seabra, Partner for Real Estate of Explorer, said: “The Explorer’s co-investing and asset management business in Real Estate and Hospitality is growing in a sustainable way, and we are very happy with the quality of this asset, which comprises state of the art hospitality and first-class real estate development, and the quality of our partner in this investment”.

CBRE acted as an advisor to the transaction. Carlyle and Explorer received additional support by Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho and Deloitte.

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About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global alternative asset manager with $212 billion of assets under management across 339 investment vehicles as of September 30, 2018. Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, many of whom are public pensions. Carlyle invests across four segments – Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Credit and Investment Solutions – in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and South America. Carlyle has expertise in various industries, including: aerospace, defense & government services, consumer & retail, energy, financial services, healthcare, industrial, real estate, technology & business services, telecommunications & media and transportation. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,625 people in 31 offices across six continents.

Web: www.carlyle.com
Videos: www.youtube.com/onecarlyle
Tweets: www.twitter.com/onecarlyle
Podcasts: www.carlyle.com/about-carlyle/market-commentary

About Carlyle Europe Realty

Carlyle Europe Realty (CER) is focuses on investments in a thematic and targeted way in real estate and real estate related assets and companies primarily in the United Kingdom, France and Germany, as well as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands pursuing an opportunistic investment and management strategy. The CER investment team is led by European real estate veteran Peter Stoll and a senior team that averages over 17 years of European principal investing experience. The CER investment team has an on-the-ground presence in key locations in the United Kingdom, France and Germany and a pan-European investment team based in London, as well as benefitting from the global resources of Carlyle.

About Explorer Investments

Founded in 2003, Explorer is the independent management company of alternative assets with the greatest experience and track record in Portugal. Explorer manages and advises funds with a total value in the region of € 1,500M, divided into three Business Areas: Private Equity, Growth Capital, Tourism and Real Estate. Explorer’s team is made up of more than 35 people, with complementary experience in investment banking, consulting, legal advice and industry. The investment track record of its team, its deep knowledge of Portuguese business fabric, its experience in contracting with public entities and its long-term relationships with banks, financial intermediaries and lawyers, gives Explorer a unique competitive advantage in the management of alternative assets in Portugal. Explorer has a relevant presence in the Portuguese real estate market since 2012, as investment adviser of the Discovery Property Fund, a Tourism oriented fund, with Gross assets in the region of € 950 M, and the recently created Explorer Real Estate I, focused on acquiring Commercial Real Estate in Lisbon, with a gross asset Value in the region of € 200 M.

Media contacts:

The Carlyle Group
Catherine Armstrong 
Tel: +44 (0) 207 894 1632 
Email: catherine.armstrong@carlyle.com

José Pedro Luís
939 743 133
jpl@cunhavaz.com 

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Cinven to acquire European web hosting provider, One.com

Cinven

International private equity firm, Cinven, today announces that the Sixth Cinven Fund has agreed to acquire One.com, a leading European supplier of web hosting services, for an undisclosed consideration.

Established in 2002 in Denmark, One.com is one of Europe’s leading providers of domain names and web hosting services to small to medium enterprises (‘SMEs’) and small-office home-offices (‘SOHOs’). One.com has 270 employees and serves more than 1 million customers, with a focus on Northern Europe.

The Cinven TMT sector team identified One.com as a compelling investment opportunity based on its direct experience in HEG (formerly ‘Host Europe Group’), a leading European provider of hosting and domain services acquired by Cinven in August 2013. Cinven invested in HEG as a platform investment from which to successfully consolidate the fragmented European hosting market. Cinven ultimately sold HEG to US-listed strategic acquirer, GoDaddy Inc. in January 2017.

Cinven’s TMT sector team believes One.com is an attractive investment opportunity for the Sixth Cinven Fund given:

  • The mass hosting industry is growing steadily, driven by the structural increase in web-presence and usage of web applications amongst SMEs and SOHOs;
  • One.com has a well-recognised brand, a significant customer base which has been developed organically, and a scalable technology platform;
  • The business model is attractive and resilient due to its diversified customer base and subscription model, resulting in highly recurring revenues, earnings visibility and strong cash flow generation; and
  • There are opportunities to accelerate the growth of the business organically and through acquisition: Cinven’s strategy centres on helping One.com realise its growth potential drawing on its sector expertise and experience through its successful investment in HEG.

Thomas Railhac, Partner at Cinven, said:

“We are very excited to invest in One.com alongside Jacob. It is a high quality business with an attractive brand and scalable technology platform, operating in a market with structural growth drivers. This is a subsector we know well through Cinven’s successful investment in HEG in Fund 5, continuing to invest in both the organic growth story and targeted acquisitions.”

Jacob Jensen, founder and CEO of One.com, said:

“We have more than 15 years’ experience in web hosting services and are today one of the leading companies in Europe in the sector. The pride we have in our achievements to date is matched by our growth ambitions for the future and, in Cinven, we have a partner whose expertise in the sector and financial resources can support our compelling growth strategy.”

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DIF appoints two new Partners

DIF

Schiphol, 19 December 2018 – DIF is pleased to announce the appointment of Marko Kremer and Andrew Freeman to Partner. Their promotion from Managing Director is in response to their personal contributions to the success and growth of the firm.

Speaking on behalf of the existing Partners, Managing Partner Wim Blaasse said, “We are very pleased to welcome Marko and Andrew into the Partnership. Marko and Andrew have contributed strongly to the success of DIF and I am confident that they will continue to play leading roles in the further build out of the DIF platform.”

About Marko
Marko Kremer is Head of Australia. He leads the Sydney office and is responsible for the origination, execution and optimisation of transactions in Australia and New Zeeland. He joined DIF in 2008 as a member of the Origination Team in DIF’s Schiphol office in the Netherlands. In 2015 he moved to Australia to establish the Sydney office, which he has successfully built out to seven team members and completed the acquisition of nine assets in the region.

Prior to joining DIF, he was in the Leveraged Finance Team at ABN AMRO, responsible for originating, structuring and executing leveraged finance opportunities. Marko holds a master’s degree in Management Engineering from the University of Twente and is a CFA and CAIA charter holder.

About Andrew
Andrew Freeman is Head of Exits and Head of the UK office. He is responsible for leading, preparing and executing the exit of projects and Funds managed by DIF. This includes the landmark sale of the remaining 48 projects in DIF Infrastructure II, with a combined value of ca. €650 million, to APG in 2017. In addition, he is responsible for the management of the UK office. He joined DIF in 2011 as a member of the Origination Team, focused on the origination, execution and optimisation of transactions in the United Kingdom.

Prior to joining DIF, he was in the Infrastructure Team at PwC, responsible for advising on primary and secondary PPP transactions, with a focus on fund setups and exits, listings and valuations. Andrew holds a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from the University of Portsmouth and is registered as a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

About DIF

DIF is an independent infrastructure fund manager, with €5.6 billion of assets under management across seven closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, North America and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF Infrastructure V targets equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, regulated assets and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.
  • DIF Core Infrastructure Fund I targets equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in the energy, transportation and telecom sectors with mid-term contracted income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.

DIF has a team of over 110 professionals, based in eight offices located in Schiphol (the Netherlands), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Sydney and Toronto. Please see www.dif.eu or further information on DIF.

For further information please contact:

Allard Ruijs, Partner
Email: a.ruijs@dif.eu

Categories: People

Waterlogic acquires Maestro Pressure Coolers and Cariad Cool Water in the UK

Castik Capital

Waterlogic, a leading global designer, manufacturer, distributor and service provider of purified drinking water dispensers, is pleased to announce the acquisitions of Maestro Pressure Coolers and Cariad Cool Water Ltd. in the UK.

Maestro Pressure Coolers is based in Plumstead, East London. Established in 1993, the company supplies both bottled and point-of-use water coolers to UK businesses. The acquisition of Maestro Pressure Coolers further strengthens Waterlogic’s market presence in the UK and adds additional product lines to an already comprehensive range of drinking water solutions.

Cariad Cool Water (formerly Princes Gate Cool Water) was founded in 2001 by Glyn and David Jones in Princes Gate, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. The company supplies bottled and point-of-use water coolers across Wales and the South West of England, with depots in Margam, Port Talbot and Narberth, Pembrokeshire. The acquisition of Cariad Cool Water establishes Waterlogic with a direct presence in Wales and allows for increased and more efficient customer growth and reach in this important market.

Glyn Jones, Owner, Cariad Cool Water, said, “As a family, we are proud to have built this business, and thankful for the loyal relationships we have enjoyed with our customers and employees. In Waterlogic, we have found the perfect company to continue the growth of the business for the future.”

Greg Pritchett, Managing Director, Waterlogic UK and Ireland, said, “The combination of national reach with local density will ensure we are able to continue serving our new and existing customers in the best possible way.”

 

The expansion of Waterlogic UK’s product portfolio and customer base significantly strengthens the company’s position as the total water solutions provider of point-of-use and under-counter dispensers, bottled water coolers and specialty hotel and hospitality solutions, and accelerates growth in the UK.

Waterlogic was acquired in January 2015 by funds managed by Castik Capital, the European private equity investor. Water Coolers Ltd and Cariad Cool Water are the most recent acquisitions as part of the company’s buy and build strategy since the acquisition by Castik, and following substantial acquisitions in the US, UK, Australia, Spain, France, Germany, CEE, and Scandinavia.

 

– ENDS –

Media Contact

Rosanna Turner, Group Marketing Communications Manager

rosanna.turner@waterlogic.com

About Waterlogic

Waterlogic is an innovative designer, manufacturer, distributor and operator of point-of-use (POU) drinking water purification and dispensing systems designed for environments such as offices, factories, hospitals, hotels, schools, restaurants and other workplaces. Founded in 1992, Waterlogic was one of the first companies to introduce POU systems to customers worldwide, and has been in the forefront of the POU market, promoting product design and quality, the application of new technologies and world class sales and service. Waterlogic has its own subsidiaries in many markets and an extensive and expanding independent global distribution network in place, reaching over 60 countries around the world. Waterlogic products are currently distributed in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and South Africa. Waterlogic’s leading markets are the US, Australia and Western Europe, in particular the UK, Scandinavia, Germany and France. More information can be found at www.waterlogic.com

About Castik

Castik Capital S.à r.l (“Castik”) manages investments in private equity. Castik is a European multistrategy investment manager, acquiring significant ownership positions in European private and public companies, where long-term value can be generated through active partnerships with management teams. Founded in 2014, Castik is based in Luxembourg and focuses on identifying and developing investment opportunities across Europe. The advisor to Castik is Castik Capital Partners GmbH, based in Munich. Investments are made by the Luxembourg-based fund, EPIC I SLP, the first fund managed by Castik, which had its final fund close of EUR 1bn in July 2015.

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