Monthly Archives: February 2020

Hg invests in smartTrade Technologies

HG Capital

Hg invests in smartTrade Technologies to accelerate its growth as a global leader in multi-asset electronic trading solutions

Hg’s support will help continue innovation and R&D, strengthening smartTrade’s position as one of the most technologically advanced players in the industry

Hg, Europe’s leading software investor, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire stakes from Keensight Capital and Pléiade Venture in smartTrade Technologies (“smartTrade”), a leader in multi-asset electronic trading solutions, headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, France.  David VINCENT, CEO & co-Founder, and the smartTrade management team will remain invested in the business alongside Hg.

smartTrade is a managed services and hosted software provider for trading desks and a global leader in this sector. smartTrade’s liquidity management solutions enable financial institutions to develop and run high-performance trading platforms throughout the world. The business has expanded rapidly in recent years and today has a global client base, with subsidiaries around the world, including in London, Geneva, Milan, New York, Tokyo and Singapore.

Hg has been investing in Capital Markets and Wealth and Asset Management technology for almost 20 years and has known the smartTrade team since 2015. During this time Hg has recognised smartTrade as a truly innovative business, which has developed leading, modular solutions (LiquidityFX and smartFI), used by sell-side and buy-side market participants. With an exceptional leadership team, smartTrade has achieved industry-leading technology credentials supported by well-run operations, with continued potential for growth, making it a compelling fit with Hg’s expertise and capabilities.

Hg’s investment will be made from the Mercury 2 Fund and represents the firm’s 7th investment in technology businesses serving the Capital Markets and Wealth and Asset Management sectors, including previous investments such as Ullink, a global multi-asset trading technology software provider (Paris); and more recently FE fundinfo, the global fund data and technology leader (London and Zurich).

David VINCENT, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at smartTrade Technologies, said: “The success of our business is based on continued innovation and technological advancement, putting R&D at the heart of our business. Welcoming Hg, a real expert in software and technology in this sector, creates a truly compelling offering. I am personally very excited about the prospects of the business. Keensight Capital and Pléiade Venture have played a decisive role in our growth to date, and we are grateful of their involvement. Now, with Hg’s support, alongside the smartTrade team, I am committed to further developing a great service for our customers, as they look to modernise their own systems.”

This proposed investment is subject to French workers’ council consultations and customary clearances. The terms of the transaction are not disclosed. Hg was advised on the investment by White & Case, Deloitte and Bryan, Garnier & Co. smartTrade was advised by Arma Partners and Hoche Partners.

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Kinnevik: Year-End Release 2019

Kinnevik

”2019 was characterized by strong performance in our large listed companies and high activity in our portfolio including new and follow-on investments in exciting growth companies. We ended the year with a strong balance sheet providing us with the foundation needed to execute on our strategy”

Georgi Ganev, CEO of Kinnevik

2019: A YEAR OF PIVOTING OUR PORTFOLIO TOWARDS GROWTH

  • Doubled down on our healthcare strategy by investing SEK 2.0bn into Livongo, Babylon, Cedar and VillageMD
  • Built leadership position in Nordic online groceries by investing SEK 1.2bn into MatHem and Kolonial
  • Distributed our entire SEK 16.5bn shareholding in Millicom to our shareholders, corresponding to SEK 60 per share
  • Monetized a 5% stake in Zalando generating gross proceeds of SEK 5.9bn, with our retained shareholding amounting to SEK 30.8bn per end of 2019
  • Amended our shareholder remuneration policy, ceasing to pay ordinary cash dividends in favor of paying out excess capital generated by our investment activities in the form of extraordinary dividends
  • Full-year investments of SEK 4.6bn whereof SEK 1.6bn into two new growth companies and SEK 3.0bn in follow-on investments in the high-performing businesses of our unlisted and early growth portfolio, in line with our capital allocation framework
  • Full-year divestments of SEK 6.2bn, whereof SEK 5.9bn from Zalando and SEK 128m from Westwing

FINANCIAL POSITION

  • Net Asset Value of SEK 73.3bn (SEK 265 per share), down 1% in the quarter and up 31% in 2019, including dividends paid
  • Net debt position of SEK 0.9bn, corresponding to a leverage of 1.3% of Portfolio Value by the end of 2019

ORGANIZATION

  • Kinnevik has appointed Anna Stenberg as Chief People and Platform Officer, a new role in Kinnevik’s management team

A conference call will be held today at 10.00 CET to present the results. The presentation will be held in English and also be made available via audiocast on Kinnevik’s website, www.kinnevik.com.

Link to the audiocast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/p788udim

Those who wish to participate in the conference call are welcome to dial-in on the below numbers. To ensure that you are connected to the conference call, please dial in and register your attendance a few minutes before the conference call begins.

Dial-in numbers:
UK: +44 3333 000 804
SE: +46 8 566 426 51
US: +1 631 913 1422

Confirmation code: 83196960#

This information is information that Kinnevik AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08.00 CET on 6 February 2020.

For further information, visit www.kinnevik.com or contact:

Torun Litzén, Director Corporate Communications

Phone +46 (0)70 762 00 50
Email press@kinnevik.com

Kinnevik is an industry focused investment company with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our purpose is to make people’s lives better by providing more and better choice. In partnership with talented founders and management teams we build challenger businesses that use disruptive technology to address material, everyday consumer needs. As active owners, we believe in delivering both shareholder and social value by building long-term sustainable businesses that contribute positively to society. We invest in Europe, with a focus on the Nordics, the US, and selectively in other markets. Kinnevik was founded in 1936 by the Stenbeck, Klingspor and von Horn families. Kinnevik’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm’s list for large cap companies under the ticker codes KINV A and KINV B.

 

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Changes in Ratos management group

Ratos

Peter Wallin, CFO of Ratos, will until August 2020 assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of the Ratos company HENT. Jonas Ågrup will during the same period work as acting CFO of Ratos. Christian Johansson Gebauer has been appointed new Head of Business Area Construction & Services and Joakim Twetman as new Head of Business Area Industry. Ratos management group which will comprise of:

Jonas Wiström, CEO
Jonas Ågrup, Acting CFO
Helene Gustafsson, Head of IR and Press
Christian Johansson Gebauer, Head of Business Area Construction & Services
Anders Slettengren, Head of Business Area Consumer & Technology
Magnus Stephensen, General Counsel
Joakim Twetman, Head of Business Area Industry

“I’m delighted that Peter Wallin, who brings extensive experience from various positions at Skanska, has agreed to take on the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of the Ratos company HENT. HENT represents a significant part of Ratos net sales. The company has had high growth in recent years but has been forced to make large project write downs in a number of projects which has affected the results during 2018 and 2019. I am convinced that Peter will be an important person in the company’s ongoing work to establish the structure and processes needed for HENT to increase profitability by providing close support to the company’s management,” says Jonas Wiström, CEO of Ratos.

While Peter Wallin serves as Executive Chairman of the Board of HENT, he will be replaced as CFO of Ratos by Jonas Ågrup. Jonas most recently comes from the role of CFO at Munters. Previous positions include, among others, CFO at ÅF.

All the above changes will take effect from 10 February 2020.

For further information, please contact:
Jonas Wiström, CEO, Ratos, +46 8 700 17 00
Helene Gustafsson, Head of IR and Press, Ratos, +46 8 700 17 98

About Ratos:
Ratos is a corporate group consisting of 12 companies divided into three business areas: Consumer & Technology, Construction & Services and Industry. In total, the companies have SEK 38 billion in sales and EBITA of SEK 1.8 billion. Our business concept is to develop medium-sized companies with headquarters in the Nordic region that are or have the potential to become market-leading. We make it possible for independent medium-sized companies to excel by being part of something larger. A focus on people and leadership, culture and values are key components of Ratos. Everything we do is based on our core values: Simplicity, Speed in Execution and It’s All About People.

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DIF Capital Partners sells portfolio of UK PPP assets

DIF

DIF Infrastructure III (“DIF III”) and DIF Infrastructure IV (“DIF IV”) are pleased to announce the sale of their stakes in a portfolio of eight UK PPP assets to Equitix, a UK-based infrastructure fund manager.

The portfolio includes significant stakes in the following operational PPP projects: North Kent Police Headquarters, Worcester Library & History Centre, Yorkshire Housing, Grove Village Housing, Stanhope Housing, Leeds Streetlighting, Newcastle & North Tyneside Streetlighting and Stoke Streetlighting.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits, said: “This transaction represents a good result from an efficient process for both DIF III and DIF IV. The sale of these assets continues our strategy of selling optimised assets from our more mature funds.”

DIF was advised by Herbert Smith Freehills (legal).

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF is an independent infrastructure fund manager, with €6.0 billion of assets under management across eight closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF Infrastructure funds target equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, utilities and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams.
  • DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in the energy, transportation and telecom sectors with mid-term contracted income streams.

DIF has a team of over 135 professionals, based in nine offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

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

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JenaValve Technology Closes $50 Million Financing

GIMV

IRVINE, Calif. (February 5, 2020) – JenaValve Technology, Inc., developer and manufacturer of the
JenaValve Pericardial Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) System for the treatment of
aortic valve disease, announces that it has raised $50 million in an equity financing led by Bain Capital
Life Sciences. Additional participants in the financing included existing investors Andera Partners, Gimv,
Legend Capital, NeoMed Management, RMM, Valiance Life Sciences and VI Partners. The Company
also announces the appointment of Andrew Hack, MD, PhD, Managing Director of Bain Capital, to the
JenaValve Board of Directors.

“We are pleased to complete this financing led by new investor Bain Capital Life Sciences, a wellrespected name in healthcare, as well as strong participation from our existing venture investors,” said John Kilcoyne, JenaValve’s Chief Executive Officer. “This announcement comes on the heels of receiving Breakthrough Device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which
allows for priority review of our Align Clinical Trial for the treatment of symptomatic, severe aortic
regurgitation (AR) and AR-dominant mixed aortic valve disease. Our TAVR system is differentiated in
that no other transcatheter valve device has FDA approval for patients suffering from severe AR who are
at high risk for surgery, which we believe is a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity. This financing
supports our ongoing clinical program and plans to file for U.S. Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE)
approval in the second half of 2020.”

JenaValve is conducting a global multicenter clinical program for the treatment of patients with severe
AR and AR-dominant mixed aortic valve disease who are at high risk for surgery. Following completion
of the HDE portion of the trial, patient enrollment will continue in support of submitting a Premarket
Approval (PMA) application to the FDA under the Breakthrough Device program. The Company also
anticipates filing the JenaValve® for CE mark approval for both aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation in
the second half of 2020.

“We welcome Dr. Hack to our Board and look forward to Bain Capital’s contribution to governance and
strategy,” added Mr. Kilcoyne. “Andrew’s industry knowledge and experience, as well as his success as
an institutional investor and chief financial officer will add valuable perspectives to our Board.”
Dr. Hack commented, “I’m delighted to join the JenaValve Board as the Company works to gain approval
for a solution to a significant unmet medical need. JenaValve’s focus on advancing a breakthrough
technology with the ability to improve patient lives embodies the characteristics we seek at Bain Capital
Life Sciences. We are committed to providing both financial assistance and oversight in support of
JenaValve’s success.”

Dr. Hack has served as a Managing Director at Bain Capital Life Sciences since 2019. He previously
served as Chief Financial Officer of Editas Medicine (Nasdaq: EDIT) and as a healthcare portfolio
manager at Millennium Management. Prior to that, he was a securities analyst at a number of healthcarefocused hedge funds and investment banks. Dr. Hack received an MD and a PhD in molecular genetics
and cell biology from the University of Chicago.

About the JenaValve Transfemoral TAVR System
The JenaValve Pericardial TAVR System consists of a bioprosthesis comprised of a self-expanding nitinol
stent with a porcine pericardial valve manufactured using state-of-the-art tissue processing techniques.
The TAVR System is available in three sizes to treat a broad range of aortic annulus diameters.
The JenaValve Pericardial TAVR System is an investigational device, and is not available for sale in the
United States or internationally.

About Bain Capital Life Sciences
Bain Capital Life Sciences (www.baincapitallifesciences.com) pursues investments in biopharmaceutical,
specialty pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics and enabling life science technology companies
globally. The team focuses on companies that both drive medical innovation across the value chain and
enable that innovation to improve the lives of patients with unmet medical needs. Since 1984, Bain
Capital has developed global reach, deep expertise and a proven track record in life sciences industries
across its Private Equity, Credit, Public Equity and Venture business units. Bain Capital Life Sciences
builds on the differentiated skillset and enables the firm to pursue opportunities created by several longterm trends in healthcare.

About JenaValve
JenaValve Technology, Inc., with locations in Irvine, Calif., Leeds, U.K. and Munich, Germany, develops
and manufactures transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) systems to treat patients suffering from
aortic valve disease. The Company is in clinical development of its next-generation transfemoral TAVR
system in both the U.S. and CE mark countries for treating patients with aortic stenosis and/or aortic
regurgitation. In addition to Bain Capital Life Sciences, JenaValve is backed by European and Asian
investors, including Andera Partners (formerly Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners), Gimv
(Euronext: GIMB), Legend Capital, NeoMed Management, RMM, Valiance Life Sciences and VI
Partners. Additional information is available at www.jenavalve.com.

Investor and Media Contact:
Matt Clawson
W2Opure
(949) 370-8500
mclawson@w2ogroup.com

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Funds advised by Apax Partners and NB Renaissance Partners sell their stake in Engineering Group

Apax

5 February 2020

Rome — Feb. 5, 2020: Funds advised by Apax Partners (the “Apax Funds”) and NB Renaissance Partners (“NBRP”) today announced that they have agreed to sell their stake in Engineering Group, a leading IT services provider, to a consortium of Bain Capital Private Equity and different funds advised by NBRP.

Headquartered in Rome, Engineering is a leading IT services provider focused on digital transformation with more than 11,000 professionals in 65 locations across the world. The company designs, develops and manages innovative IT solutions for business areas where digitalisation is having the biggest impact.

In 2016 the Apax Funds alongside NBRP, the founder Michele Cinaglia and key senior managers acquired Engineering in a take private transaction which saw the business delist from the Milan Stock Exchange. Since then, Apax and NBRP have worked closely with the management team to deliver strong organic growth and execute an accretive M&A strategy. During the Apax Funds and NBRP’s four-year tenure, both revenue and EBITDA grew by +11% CAGR, reaching €1.3bn and €160m respectively, and the number of employees increased by c.3,000, reaching c.11,000. Over this period, the company completed 19 acquisitions both in Italy and abroad, acting as a consolidation platform in a fragmented market, with a track record of successful integration and expansion of its portfolio of proprietary solutions.

Gabriele Cipparrone, a Partner at Apax Partners, said: “Engineering has a leading position in the Italian IT Services market. Four years ago we saw the opportunity to leverage our significant expertise in IT Services to help Engineering accelerate growth. The company has delivered on its potential through a focus on organic and acquisitive growth. We would like to thank the CEO Paolo Pandozy and his team for the strong partnership and all they have achieved. We wish them all the best in the future.”

Paolo Pandozy, CEO of Engineering Group, said: “We would like to thank Apax Partners and NBRP for their insights and support over the years. Together, we have accelerated Engineering’s growth through investments in R&D and in innovation, as well as strategic acquisitions, which strengthened our leadership position in the Italian IT Services market.”

Michele Cinaglia, Founder of Engineering, said: “I am proud of what Engineering has achieved during the Apax Funds and NBRP’s ownership. I would like to thank them for their guidance and expertise over the last four years. We look forward to our continued success with NBRP and welcome Bain Capital Private Equity.”

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals.

The Apax Funds and NBRP’s selling funds were advised by Rothschild & Co (financial adviser), Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and BonelliErede (legal advisers) and PwC (tax adviser).

About Apax Partners

Apax Partners is a leading global private equity advisory firm. Over its more than 40-year history, Apax Partners has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of c.$50 billion. The Apax Funds invest in companies across four global sectors of Tech & Telco, Services, Healthcare, and Consumer. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. For more information see: www.apax.com.

About Engineering Group

With around 11,000 professionals in 65 locations, the Engineering Group designs, develops and manages innovative solutions for the business areas where digitalization is having the biggest impact. Through its activities, the Group contributes to modernizing the world in which we live and work, combining specialist competences in next-generation technologies, technological infrastructures organized in a single hybrid multicloud and the capability to interpret new business models. With significant investments in R&D, Engineering plays a leading role in research, by coordinating national and international projects thanks to its team of 420 researchers and data scientists and a network of academic partners and universities throughout Europe. One of the group’s key strategic assets is its employees’ know-how, to whose training it has dedicated a multidisciplinary School which has provided more than 21,000 days of training during the last year. Learn more: www.eng.it.

Apax Media Contacts 

Global Media: Andrew Kenny, Apax | +44 20 7 872 6371 | andrew.kenny@apax.com

IT Media: Giovanni Sanfelice, Tancredi Group | +39 366 111 5525 |

giovanni@tancredigroup.com

USA Media: Todd Fogarty, Kekst CNC | +1 212-521 4854 | todd.fogarty@kekstcnc.com

UK Media: Matthew Goodman / James Madsen, Greenbrook | +44 20 7952 2000 | apax@greenbrookpr.com

Notes to Editors 

London-headquartered Apax Partners (www.apax.com), and Paris-headquartered Apax Partners (www.apax.fr) had a shared history but are separate, independent private equity firms.

 

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CapMan Infra invests in Nydalen Energi, the provider of environmentally friendly district heating and cooling in the fast growing Nydalen area in Oslo, Norway

CapMan Infra press release
5 February 2020 at 09.15 a.m. CET

CapMan Infra invests in Nydalen Energi, the provider of environmentally friendly district heating and cooling in the fast growing Nydalen area in Oslo, Norway  

CapMan Infra has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the shares in Nydalen Energi AS (“Nydalen Energi”) from Avantor AS (“Avantor”). The company is the concession holder for district heating in the growing Nydalen area and has a highly attractive green production footprint for heating and cooling. The acquisition marks the CapMan Nordic Infrastructure I fund’s first core energy investment.

District energy is a fast-growing industry in Norway, backed by the ambitious climate targets set by the Norwegian government. Nydalen Energi and Avantor have been frontrunners in developing sustainable heating and cooling solutions within the capital city of Oslo. The concession area of the company is located in Nydalen, where during the last 25 years, Avantor has developed more than 600,000 m2 of property, transforming it into an attractive place to live, work and study in. Today Nydalen is a growing district with ~25,000 workplaces, ~10,000 students and ~3,500 residents. Nydalen Energi is the sole provider of district heating and cooling in the area, and has a green production footprint with ~90% of heating and 100% of cooling volumes produced with renewable energy sources, such as thermal energy, biofuels and hydropower.

“Norway has strong and attractive regulation in place to promote the use of district heating. We share this vision and believe that environmentally friendly district heating and cooling can play an important role in reducing the CO2 footprint of properties and thereby promoting greener societies. We find that the growing demand for district energy in Norway is underpinned by strong support from both landlords, tenants, as well as authorities, and find Nydalen Energi to be an attractive platform for entering the Norwegian market. We believe the company’s existing and future customers will benefit from CapMan Infra’s commitment to further develop the cost efficient and reliable heating and cooling infrastructure in the area,” says Ville Poukka, Managing Partner at CapMan Infra.

“In parallel with our real estate development in Nydalen, Avantor has for nearly 20 years developed Nydalen Energi to be a supplier of sustainable district heating and cooling in the area. We are proud of what we have achieved with Nydalen Energi and look forward to remain as a customer of the company and continue our focus on property development in the area,” says Øystein Thorup, CEO of Avantor AS.

CapMan Infra’s investment focus is core and core+ infrastructure assets in the energy, transportation and telecom sectors in the Nordics.

SEB Corporate Finance acted as the financial advisor and Simonsen Vogt Wiig as the legal advisor to CapMan Infra in the transaction. EY Corporate Finance acted as the financial advisor and Thommessen as the legal advisor to Avantor in the transaction.

The transaction is expected to close by end of February 2020 and is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

For further information, please contact:

Pekko Haaksluoto, Senior Investment Manager, CapMan Infra, tel: +358 40 584 6031

Øystein Thorup, CEO, Avantor AS, tel: +47 958 43 834

About CapMan
CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset expert with an active approach to value creation. We offer a wide selection of investment products and services. As one of the Nordic private equity pioneers, we have developed hundreds of companies and real estate assets and created substantial value in these businesses and assets over the past 30 years. With over €3 billion in assets under management, our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions to investors. We have a broad presence in the unlisted market through our local and specialised teams. Our investment strategies cover Private Equity, Real Estate and Infra. We also have a growing service business that includes procurement services, fundraising advisory, and analysis, reporting and wealth management services. Altogether, CapMan employs 140 people in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, London and Luxembourg. www.capman.com

About Avantor

Avantor is a leading property developer who currently owns approximately 250,000m2 commercial property, mostly located in the Nydalen region in Oslo, but also in Kristiansand and Tønsberg. Since the early 1990s, Avantor has had an integral role in transforming Nydalen from being an industrial cluster to a highly attractive area for businesses, households and students, and has over the period developed more than 600,000m2 in the district. Avantor’s focus on sustainability has been an important part of the development of Nydalen, and with this in mind, Nydalen Energi was established in 2002 in order to provide the growing district with green heating and cooling. Avantor’s main office is located in Nydalen, where approximately 40 people are employed. www.avantor.no

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Ardian supports the expansion of the Alsatis Group in France and the United States

Ardian

Paris, February 4, 2020 – Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, today announces its investment in the Alsatis Group, as part of a fundraising in connection with the group’s capital restructuring.

Founded by Vincent Sabathier in 2004 in Toulouse, Alsatis is a French national IP network operator, integrator and Internet access provider specializing in “white spot” (unserved areas) or “grey spot” (areas with inferior service measured by low access speeds) markets not covered by traditional telecom operators.

The company operates in three segments:
– network design, deployment and operation for local communities;
– delivery of very high-speed broadband (triple play) for private individuals;
– supply of IP services (very high-speed broadband & network, telephony, cybersecurity and cloud) to businesses.

This €5 million investment will boost the Alsatis Group’s French market position and support robust growth in its domestic market and the US. It also aims to conduct targeted external growth deals in France to complete and expand the Group’s value proposition.

Vincent Sabathier, Alsatis Group founder, said: “We were looking for a partner to boost our expansion and with Ardian we have found a player capable of supporting us in various locations, in a shared approach to value creation. This underpins our goal of transforming the Alsatis Group into a major market player, with growth fueled by innovation and international development.”

Alexis Saada, Managing Director at Ardian Growth, added: “Vincent Sabathier and his team have shown their ability to create an innovative leader in a highly competitive segment while laying the foundations for major international expansion to the United States. This deal illustrates our support for unique high-growth companies.”

ABOUT ALSATIS GROUP

Based in Toulouse, the Alsatis Group operates in the telecommunications sector in France and the United States through its subsidiaries Alsatis and Bloosurf.
It specializes in the design, deployment and operation of state-of-the-art IP networks, fiber optics and radio, and related services (very high-speed broadband, VoIP, cybersecurity, cloud) for local communities, businesses and private individuals.
The Alsatis Group was founded by aerospace engineers who instilled a strong technological culture. Its low-cost|fast-cycle approach and diversified teams guarantee flexibility and innovation in a fast-changing global sector. Alsatis Group was classified as an innovative company by BPI. Alsatis has integrated a French operational 4G-LTE solution, mainly in the Vendée region, and is now working on the transition to 5G, focusing on digital development in regions, IOT, Smart City and private LTE.
www.alsatis.com |www.bloosurf.com

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$96bn managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base.
Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.
Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 640 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of around 1,000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.
www.ardian.com

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

– Alsatis Group: Vincent Sabathier, Antoine Roussel, Nathalie Armand
– Ardian: Alexis Saada, Florian Dupont- Corporate Legal Advisor: Christelle Lapierre
– Corporate Finance Lead Advisor: NFinance (Maxime Dugast)

– Ardian Financial Auditor: Crowe HAF (Thomas Corbineau, Julien Latrubesse)
– Ardian Legal, Social, and Tax Auditor: PWC Corporate M&A (Eric Hickel)
– Legal Advisor to Ardian: Hogan Lovells (Stephane Huten, Ali Chegra, Léonie Bontoux)
– Tax Advisor to Ardian: Mamou & Boccara (Laurent Mamou)

PRESS CONTACTS

ARDIAN
Image 7
Anne-Charlotte Crea’h
Tel: 01 53 70 94 21
accreach@image7.fr
Flora Larger
Tel: 01 53 70 74 90
flarger@image7.fr
GROUPE ALSATIS
Nathalie Armand
09 70 24 74 61
Nathalie@groupe-alsatis.com
Giesberg & Mandin
Diane Loth
06 47 27 74 29
d.loth@giesbert-mandin.fr

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Accurate Background to acquire CareerBuilder Employment Screening, broadening reach and accelerating growth

Apax Digital

4 February 2020

Investment by the Apax Digital Fund to support transaction

Irvine, California, February 4, 2020: Accurate Background, a leading provider of compliant, automated workforce screening solutions, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire CareerBuilder Employment Screening (CBES) from CareerBuilder. The combined entity will operate under the Accurate Background brand and creates a uniquely positioned company focused on technology innovation, customer service, candidate experience, and delivery at scale. Through a strategic partnership agreement, CareerBuilder will continue to offer Accurate’s employment screening services to clients.

Accurate Background to acquire CareerBuilder Employment Screening, broadening reach and accelerating growth

The acquisition of CBES, which offers highly complementary background screening and drug-testing services and technology to employers in the U.S. and abroad, is expected to strengthen Accurate’s pre-and post-employment screening leadership and accelerate the company’s mission to deliver the most innovative and comprehensive screening services.

“We are excited to combine our two high-growth, innovation-focused background screening businesses to create an industry leader with significant scale in the U.S. and internationally,” said Dave Dickerson, Founder and CEO of Accurate. “Our teams have great mutual respect and share the same dedication to customers and commitment to products and services that dramatically simplify the background screening process. We also look forward to partnering with Apax Digital in this strategic transaction and welcome their insights and expertise as we move forward.”

“Accurate and CBES have highly aligned corporate cultures centered on innovation and customer service,” said Tim Dowd, President and COO of Accurate. “Importantly, the combined products and services are highly complementary and allow us to extend the value we bring to enterprise, mid-market and small business customers. We expect a seamless integration of our product offerings and teams that will allow us to deliver one of the most comprehensive offering in the industry to our customers around the world.”

Irina Novoselsky, CEO of CareerBuilder, said, “I’m proud of the investments we have made in this best-in-class solution and the significant growth that CBES has experienced. The strategic partnership with Accurate aligns with our approach to both own, and partner when appropriate, to deliver Hello to Hire solutions to our clients. This allows for increased investment in our core business of talent discovery and acquisition. I look forward to what we will be able to accomplish in a large and dynamic market and ultimately the impact we will make on the success of our clients.”

Marcelo Gigliani, Managing Partner of Apax Digital, said, “An increasingly competitive labor-market, a more complex regulatory environment, and a growing focus on risk management excellence, are driving employers’ strong demand for best-in-class technology solutions for enhanced screening services. We are eager to partner with Accurate in its acquisition of CareerBuilder Employment Screening and look forward to supporting the company in accelerating its customer service advantage, cutting-edge innovation, and international expansion efforts.”

The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close by the first quarter of 2020. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction will be supported by an investment from the Apax Digital Fund, the technology-focused growth equity fund advised by global private equity advisory firm Apax Partners. In conjunction with the investment by the Apax Digital Fund, Marcelo Gigliani and David Evans will join the Board of Directors of Accurate Background.

Barclays and Stifel served as financial advisors to Accurate and the Apax Digital Fund. Latham & Watkins, LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett served as legal advisors to Accurate and the Apax Digital Fund, respectively.

About Accurate Background

Accurate Background is a trusted provider of automated workforce screening. U.S. and international clients across all industries, from emerging businesses to Fortune 500 companies, rely on their compliant solutions. Accurate Background is accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners and has been recognized by Inc. 5000, Deloitte Technology Fast 500, and the Workforce Hotlist. To learn more, visit accurate.com.

About CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder is a global technology company that provides end-to-end talent acquisition solutions to help employers find, hire and onboard great talent, and helps job seekers build new skills and progressive careers as the modern world of work changes. An industry disruptor for nearly 25 years, CareerBuilder is the only company that offers both software and services to cover every step of the Hello To Hire™ process, enabling its customers to free up valuable resources across their HR tech supply chain to drive their business forward. CareerBuilder operates in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia and is the largest provider of AI-powered hiring solutions serving the majority of the Fortune 500 across five specialized markets. CareerBuilder is majority-owned by funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board. For more information, visit careerbuilder.com for a great candidate experience and hiring.careerbuilder.com to learn more about our solutions for employers.

About Apax Digital

The Apax Digital Fund specializes in growth equity and buyout investments in high-growth enterprise software, consumer internet, and technology-enabled services companies worldwide. The Apax Digital team leverages Apax Partners’ deep tech investing expertise, global platform, and specialized operating experts, to enable technology companies and their management teams to accelerate the achievement of their full potential. For further information, please visit http://digital.apax.com.

Over its more than 40-year history, Apax Partners has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of c.$50 billion. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. For more information see: www.apax.com.

Notes to Editors: London-headquartered Apax Partners (www.apax.com) and Paris-headquartered Apax Partners (www.apax.fr) had a shared history but are separate, independent private equity firms.

Media contacts

For Accurate Background

Vikki Herrera
vikki@teamseismic.com
408.206.7009

For CareerBuilder

Lori Ruggiero
CareerBuilder@5WPR.com
917.584.2606

For Apax Digital / Apax Partners

Global Media: Andrew Kenny, Apax | +44 20 7 872 6371 | andrew.kenny@apax.com

U.S. Media: Todd Fogarty, Connor Moriarty, Kekst CNC | +1 212 521 4800 | Apax@kekstcnc.com

UK Media: Matthew Goodman / James Madsen, Greenbrook | +44 20 7952 2000 | apax@greenbrookpr.com

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NEW INVESTOR ROUND FOR CLS

Ardian

ARDIAN and IFREMER sell their shares to CNP, CNES remains a significant shareholder

Paris, February 3rd, 2020 – CLS, a company that develops solutions used to study and protect our planet and manage its resources sustainably, will benefit from renewed investment.

Ardian, a world leader in private investment, and Ifremer (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea), have officially announced the sale of their minority shareholding to CNP (Compagnie Nationale à Portefeuille), a Groupe Frère investment company. CNP thus acquires a majority stake in CLS, while the group’s founding institution, CNES, retains a significant minority interest.

CNES, Ardian, and Ifremer can be pleased with this outcome. With their support and the hard work of the teams at CLS, the company has pursued a robust development strategy over the last six years based on innovation, geographic expansion, five new acquisitions, and the creation of Kinéis, now Europe’s leading operator of a constellation of nanosatellites, bringing the group to 720 employees and nearly €135 million in turnover and doubling its profitability.

This European governance marks the start of a new chapter for CLS. Both CNES (now a 34% shareholder) and CNP (a 66% shareholder) are positioned for the long term and share the group’s vision and philosophy. Together, they will guide CLS in its development and help the company meet the ambitious challenges of putting the space sector to work for our planet.

The transaction was completed on January 30, 2020.

Christophe Vassal, Chief Executive, CLS : “I’d like to thank the Ardian, CNES, and Ifremer teams for their support. They have really been there for us, playing a major role in developing new expertise and supporting our international expansion. Their strategic and practical guidance has helped strengthen our leadership and broaden our portfolio of solutions. We are delighted to welcome CNP, an investor that shares our vision and corporate philosophy. CNP, together with CNES, will help us grow and take on new challenges for a sustainable planet.”

Caroline Pihan, Director, Ardian Expansion : “We are very proud to have helped space industry star CLS and its management team pursue their development strategy. What we’ve done reflects our ability to support international growth projects and—in the case of CLS—to do so alongside public players. I would like to thank CNES and Ifremer, which have done an outstanding job developing the company, and especially CNES, which will continue to support it in future projects.”

Antoine Seillan, Chief Financial Officer, CNES : “CNES is proud to have established CLS nearly 35 years ago and to have watched it become a world reference in satellite solutions for Earth observation. The partnership with Ardian and Ifremer has been tremendously successful, and I thank them for the strong ties we have forged. I welcome CNP and look forward to the next chapters in this ongoing success story. In the years to come, we will continue to support CLS, in particular in its areas of excellence such as Altimetry. Together, we will accompany the growth of Kinéis, our joint subsidiary and France’s leading operator of a constellation of nanosatellites that is the legacy and amplification of the Argos system, now equipped with unprecedented IoT capabilities.”

Xavier Le Clef, Co-CEO, Groupe Frère, CNP : “CLS’s technological expertise and the commitment of its historical shareholders have enabled the company to build solid leadership positions in the global Earth observation satellite ecosystem. Groupe Frère is particularly pleased to enter into this new partnership with CNES and the CLS management team and to support CLS over the long term in its continued growth and international efforts to protect the planet and its resources.”

Patrick Vincent, Assistant Managing Director, IFREMER : “We are proud to have helped CLS grow and use space to better understand, protect, and make sustainable use of our seas and oceans. I would like to thank CNES for joining us in creating this wonderful venture. Thanks again to CNES and to Ardian, who joined us in supporting its growth. We are leaving CLS but will reconnect with it around Kinéis. We are investing in a young company, a CLS subsidiary, that will write the future of the Argos system and in 2022 will launch the first constellation of nanosatellites dedicated to the Internet of Things. We have a promising future together, continuing to serve our planet.”

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$96bn managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base.
Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.
Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 640 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of around 1,000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.
www.ardian.com

LIST OF PARTIES INVOLVED

Ardian: Caroline Pihan, Arthur de Salins, Dominique Gaillard (Senior Advisor)
CLS: Christophe Vassal, Stéphanie Limouzin, Iva Colom Toro
CNES: Antoine Seillan, Jean Aussaguel
Ifremer: Patrick Vincent
CNP: Xavier Le Clef, Benoit Robertz, Gauthier Parisis, Gil BrihayeVDD
Finance: Alvarez & Marsal: Frédéric Steiner, Benoit Bestion, Amira el Hajem
Strategy: BCG: Benjamin Entraygues, Benjamin Sarfati, Constant Morez
Legal: BGB & Associés: Alexandre Gaudin, GCA: Damien Canali
Taxation: Delaby & Dorison: Emmanuel Delaby, Florian Tumoine
Labour MGG Legal: Marijke Granier-Guillemarre, Alexandra Frelat
Technology: Accenture Strategy & Octo: Sebastien Amichi, Romain Le Guen, Sylvain Fagnent
ESG: Indefi: Emmanuel Parmentier, Joanna Tirbakh

M&A
EdR: Arnaud Petit, Gregory Fradelizi, Raphael Compagnion, Laure Klein, Mohamed Rtel Bennani, Hamza El Abboubi

Lawyers
Latham & Watkins: Olivier du Mottay, Elise Pozzobon, Ketzia Chetrite
Latham & Watkins (financing): Lionel Dechmann
Sekri Valentin Zerrouk: Frank Sekri
FTPA: Sylvain Clerambourg, Alice Larrouy

Buyer’s counsel
M&A: Messier Maris & Associés (Jean-Marie Messier, Driss Mernissi), Wil Consulting (Jacques Ittah)
Finance: KPMG (Mohamed Macaigne)
Taxation: KPMG Avocats (Sophie Fournier-Dedoyard)
IT: KPMG (Josselin du Plessis)
Legal/Labour: Willkie Farr & Gallagher (Eduardo Fernandez, David Lambert, Marie Aubard)
Strategy: Bain & Company (Bernard Birchler, Cédric Bovy, Doris Galan)
Lawyers: Willkie Farr & Gallagher (Eduardo Fernandez, David Lambert, Philippe Grudé, Paul Lombard, Faustine Viala)

Management counsel
Callisto Finance: Vincent Ayme, Tancrede Caulliez
Sekri Valentin Zerrouk: Frank Sekri, Céline Raynal

PRESS CONTACTS

ARDIAN
Image 7
ANNE-CHARLOTTE CREAC’H
Tel : 01 53 70 94 21
accreach@image7.fr
FLORE LARGER
Tel : 01 53 70 74 90
flarger@image7.fr

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