Jesper Lien new CEO of Plantasjen Group

Ratos

Jesper Lien has been appointed as the new CEO of Plantasjen Group (“Plantasjen”) and will assume the role on 22 August 2022. Jesper most recently served as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the company.  He has an extensive track record with broad experience from various senior positions at Nordic and European retail companies, including CEO of Coop Denmark and CCO of B&Q, the UK’s largest DIY chain.

“Plantasjen is in an exciting phase, and I am delighted that Jesper Lien has agreed to lead the company’s continued development. With his solid background in senior retail positions, Plantasjen is gaining an experienced CEO with a strong operational know-how,” says Anders Slettengren, Chairman of the Board of Plantasjen and President Business Area Consumer at Ratos.

“I’m very much looking forward to leading Plantasjen on its continued journey of growth. I am pleased to humbly accept this role as the company’s new CEO. Plantasjen’s vision is to be the most inspiring Nordic garden centre. This entails offering inspiration, expertise and tools to succeed in a growing life, ensuring customers choose us over the competition. We have made good progress, and I am optimistic about Plantasjen’s future. Now I look forward to shifting up a gear together with my colleagues,” says Jesper Lien, incoming CEO of Plantasjen.

Current CEO Nina Jönsson will be moving on to new challenges outside the Ratos Group.

“We would like to thank Nina Jönsson for her time as CEO of Plantasjen as well as the seven years she spent as CEO of various companies in the Ratos Group. She is a strong leader who has improved profitability while maintaining a focus on customers and employees. We wish her all the best in the future,” says Jonas Wiström, President and CEO of Ratos.

About Plantasjen
Plantasjen is the Nordic region’s leading retailer of plants and gardening accessories, with more than 128 stores in Norway, Sweden and Finland as well as online sales. The company has approximately 2,400 employees and sales of approximately SEK 4.5 billion for the rolling 12-month period ending 30 June 2022. Ratos acquired Plantasjen in 2016.

For further information, please contact
Anders Slettengren, Chairman of the Board of Plantasjen and President Business Area Consumer, Ratos, +46 72 589 89 00
Jesper Lien, incoming CEO, Plantasjen, +45 51 593 601
Josefine Uppling, VP Communication, Ratos, +46 76 114 54 21

About Ratos
Ratos is a business group consisting of 15 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer and Industry. In total 2021, the companies have approximately SEK 26 billion in net sales. Our business concept is to own and develop companies that are or can become market leaders. We have a distinct corporate culture and strategy – everything we do is based on our core values: Simplicity, Speed in execution and It’s All About People. We enable independent companies to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas.

Categories: People

Aurora Capital Partners Completes Sale of VLS Environmental Solutions, a leading sustainability solutions and ESG-focused waste services company in North America, to I Squared Capital

Aurora Capital

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Aurora Capital Partners (“Aurora”), a leading middle-market private equity firm, announced today the closing of its previously announced sale of VLS Environmental Solutions (“VLS” or the “Company”) to I Squared Capital (“I Squared”), a leading global infrastructure investment manager. VLS provides mission-critical, customized waste and specialty cleaning and repair services to a variety of highly regulated industries in North America. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

VLS operates two principal segments: non-hazardous industrial waste handling, treatment, and sustainable disposal, as well as rail and marine specialty cleaning and repair. As one of the only nationwide providers of ESG-friendly industrial waste solutions, the Company’s sustainable disposal solutions are especially attractive for customers with zero-waste-to-landfill initiatives. The Company offers a comprehensive set of waste management solutions that process industrial non-hazardous waste to create alternative engineered fuels for industrial processes, fuel for waste-to-energy generation, treated wastewater, and landfill solidification.

“It has been exciting to work alongside the VLS team and help transform the Company from a Southeast-focused provider to a leading ESG-focused environmental solutions platform with nationwide scale and a broad-based environmental services offering,” said Matthew Laycock, Partner at Aurora. “VLS has grown tremendously since our partnership in 2017, including the completion of nine acquisitions to support our buy and build strategy, and there is significant runway to continue this strong performance across its business lines. We wish the Company, its management and its new partners continued success.”

“The entire VLS organization, led by John Magee, has done an excellent job leading the business through this phase of growth, and we appreciate their efforts throughout our partnership. They locked arms with us on Aurora’s Strategy & Operations Program and expanded across all areas of their platform: geographic reach, customer service offerings, and internal talent,” said Andrew Wilson, Partner at Aurora. “Given its unique service offering and strong customer value proposition, VLS is well-positioned to continue its growth within the broader environmental services industry.”

“Aurora has been an incredible partner to the leadership team at VLS, providing guidance and expertise to support the Company in achieving our growth objectives,” said John Magee, President and CEO of VLS. “We are thrilled to partner with the I Squared team and believe they are the right next owner to help drive the continued expansion of our market-leading environmental services platform.”

Houlihan Lokey served as lead financial advisor, Robert W. Baird served as co-financial advisor, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as legal advisor to Aurora Capital Partners. Jefferies LLC served as exclusive financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to I Squared Capital.

About Aurora Capital Partners
Aurora Capital Partners is a leading Los Angeles-based private equity firm with over $4.5 billion in assets under management. Founded in 1991, the firm focuses principally on control investments in middle-market companies with leading market positions, stable industry dynamics, attractive business model characteristics and actionable opportunities for growth in partnership with management. Aurora provides unique resources to its portfolio companies through its Strategy & Operations Program and its team of experienced operating advisors. Aurora’s investors include leading public and corporate pension funds, endowments and foundations active in private equity investing. For more information about Aurora Capital Partners, visit: www.auroracap.com.

About VLS Environmental Solutions
VLS’ Waste division provides customized waste processing solutions for non-hazardous industrial and commercial waste, including landfill diversion and sustainability programs, solidification of liquid waste, recycling, and wastewater treatment. The Company’s Railcar Cleaning division provides specialty cleaning services for difficult-to-clean products including chemicals, hardened materials and pressurized gases using the most environmentally friendly and safe processes in the industry. Also, the Company’s Marine division has state-of-the-art barge cleaning and repair facilities for a wide variety of petroleum and chemical solvents. Today, VLS has over 800 employees in 28 locations across the country. For more information about VLS, visit: www.vlses.com.

Contacts:

Aurora Capital Partners
ASC Advisors
Steve Bruce / Taylor Ingraham
+1 (203) 992-1230
sbruce@ascadvisors.com / tingraham@ascadvisors.com

SOURCE Aurora Capital Partners

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CVC Credit prices second new CLO in a month

CVC Capital Partners

CVC Credit is pleased to announce that it has priced Apidos XLI (41), a Collateralized Loan Obligation (“CLO”) fund totalling c.$500m, arranged by Société Générale. This is the fifth new issue CLO priced by CVC Credit’s transatlantic performing credit platform this year, which together have an aggregate value of over $2.4bn (c.€2.3bn).

Apidos XLI will increase CVC Credit’s global AUM to over $34 billion (€32 billion). The transaction has been structured with a five-year reinvestment period and was well received by both existing and new investors. As with previous Apidos funds, Apidos XLI is primarily comprised of broadly syndicated First Lien Senior Secured Loans.

Quotes

The successful pricing of Apidos XLI reflects our active pace of issuance across today’s global CLO markets and disciplined approach to investment.

Gretchen Bergstresser Partner and Global Head of Performing Credit at CVC Credit

Cary Ho, Partner and Global Head of CLO origination for Performing Credit at CVC Credit, said: “We are delighted to price our latest US CLO. We have continued to generate strong momentum and realise solid performance from our CLO issuance over the first half of 2022, even during a challenging market environment characterised by fluctuating spreads and increased market volatility.”

Gretchen Bergstresser, Partner and Global Head of Performing Credit at CVC Credit, added: “The successful pricing of Apidos XLI reflects our active pace of issuance across today’s global CLO markets and disciplined approach to investment. We appreciate the unwavering support shown by our investors and look forward to the exciting opportunities ahead for our global Performing Credit strategy.”

Categories: News

Guesty Raises $170 Million to Power the Next Generation of the Hospitality and Property Management Industry

Apax

The round will accelerate Guesty’s international business growth, fuel continued expansion into new verticals, and enhance its industry-leading property management technology and platform to meet the evolving needs of every type of hospitality operator

Guesty, the leading property management platform for the short-term rental and hospitality industry, today announced it has raised a $170 million funding round, led by the Apax Digital Funds, MSD Partners and Sixth Street Growth. Existing investors Viola Growth and Flashpoint also participated in the round. The Series E capital will be used to scale the company’s global operations to meet increasing demand, pioneer new solutions that support the growing needs of hospitality operators, secure key acquisitions, and expand into new business verticals to solidify Guesty’s position as the industry’s gold-standard property management platform.

“Despite an exceptionally challenging fundraising climate, the funding Guesty has raised is a vote of confidence in the travel and short-term rental ecosystem, and an endorsement of our pioneering technology and position as the market leaders of the hospitality and property management software sector,” said Guesty’s Co-founder & CEO, Amiad Soto. “As alternative accommodations surge in popularity, Guesty has come out a clear winner thanks to our commitment to prioritizing innovation and ability to help our customers become more successful. We thank our existing partners Apax – who are increasing their commitment to Guesty – and are excited to welcome aboard MSD Partners and Sixth Street, whose strong track records in our ecosystem make them ideal long-term partners. As we continue to expand globally and grow our market leadership, we look forward to providing hospitality managers with even more value in the coming months and years.”

Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, the short-term rental (STR) industry has grown exponentially, with travelers spending more than $200 billion on STR accommodations in 2021 alone. As the ways consumers choose to live, work, socialize and travel continue to shift, the lines between traditional hotels and rental accommodations have blurred. This trend has accelerated the need for versatile hospitality management technology as operators across the board adapt to new and elevated guest expectations. Guesty’s solution equips hospitality providers of all sizes and accommodation types with an all-encompassing platform to optimize and scale operations, manage and distribute inventory – along with the tools, data-driven insights and enhanced services to effectively respond to these market trends and empower them to succeed.

Customers use Guesty to centralize their reservations across all major booking channels, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia and Booking.com. The platform automates and expedites guest communications, reviews, cleaning and other operational tasks, while also facilitating direct bookings, resource and revenue management, smooth payments systems, accounting and damage protection. With its large marketplace of third-party integration partners and its open API capabilities, the platform adapts to specific business and operational requirements, providing comprehensive and bespoke solutions that serve as a one-stop-shop covering all property management needs.

“As alternative property management operations become more complex, Guesty is paving the way for the next generation of digital hospitality services,” said Dave Evans, Partner at Apax Digital. “Their track record of success and innovation, along with their platform’s growing suite of tools and intuitive user experience has Guesty positioned to define and consolidate its category, working with hosting businesses of all sizes. We are excited to continue partnering with the company as it continues to transform the industry.”

“In a largely specialized and localized industry, there is a huge opportunity to bring a global standard of service and excellence to hospitality operators of all shapes and sizes,” said Dan Bitar, Managing Director and co-Head of MSD Growth. “Guesty’s robust product offerings, strong R&D team, and proven ability to scale the business across geographies make it the ideal platform to consolidate the currently fragmented market.”

“The tech-enabled real estate ecosystem continues to grow and mature, and we look forward to joining Guesty on its journey to democratize and further professionalize the property management space,” said Michael McGinn, Partner and Co-Head of Sixth Street Growth. “With Guesty’s strong management team, long-term vision, product innovation, and marquee customers and partners, we have full confidence in the company’s ability to further cement its leadership in the world of hospitality and property management.”

The latest funding round comes at an exciting time for Guesty, having tripled its valuation and doubled its revenues since its last raise. In 2021 and 2022, Guesty launched numerous new products, services and technology partnerships as part of its core platform – including advanced accounting tools, damage protection offerings and payment solutions tailored for property management of short-term rentals. The company’s sustained growth has it positioned to reach $100 million in revenues within the next year. Guesty previously acquired property management platform companies MyVR and YourPorter and plans further acquisitions in the near future.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as sole placement agent on the transaction.

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Partners Group to acquire a significant minority stake in VelocityEHS

CVC Capital Partners
  • Partners Group will join existing owner CVC Growth Funds on VelocityEHS’ board
  • The Company’s SaaS products help customers comply with environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations, power sustainability initiatives, and drive operational excellence
  • The EHS and ESG software markets continue to benefit from strong thematic trends such as growing pressure on companies to decarbonise

Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm, has, on behalf of its clients, agreed to acquire a significant minority stake in VelocityEHS (“the Company”), a leading environmental, health, and safety (“EHS”) and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) software platform based in the US, from CVC Growth Funds (“CVC Growth”). Following the transaction, Partners Group will join CVC Growth on the Company’s board.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Chicago, VelocityEHS is a Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) platform offering products that help customers comply with a wide range of EHS laws and regulations, manage and reduce risk, and improve operational efficiency. VelocityEHS offers EHS software solutions that help customers across various use cases, including ESG management, Environmental Compliance, Safety, Ergonomics, Control of Work, Operational Risk, and Health. The Company has over 18,000 customers, with a focus on serving the manufacturing, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals sectors. The EHS/ESG software market is benefitting from strong thematic trends such as growing pressure on companies to decarbonise and disclose environmental sustainability information, as well as an increasingly complex regulatory environment. CVC Growth acquired VelocityEHS in 2017.

Following the investment, Partners Group and CVC Growth will work with the Company’s management team to continue to drive growth at VelocityEHS and cement its position as a leading player in the EHS and ESG software market worldwide. Key transformational value creation initiatives will include accelerating the growth of the Company’s ESG product, expanding into international markets, developing new products, and pursuing strategic acquisitions.

John Damgaard, Chief Executive Officer, VelocityEHS, comments: “EHS/ESG software adoption in the US and around the world is rising as organisations seek operational excellence and sustainable operations. Our massive customer base includes some of the world’s most admired companies. Our enterprise-grade VelocityEHS Accelerate® platform with embedded ActiveEHS® technology, and our award-winning solution set, allow us to have a very real impact in making workplaces safer and more sustainable up and down supply chains worldwide. We are very excited to continue our journey to establish the global category leader in EHS/ESG software with two world-class global financial sponsors in CVC Growth and Partners Group.”

Chris Russell, Managing Director, Private Equity, Technology Industry Vertical, Partners Group, says: “Our thematic research identified EHS as an attractive sub-sector of the US software market due to its large size, strong secular growth trends, and fragmented landscape. VelocityEHS is a market-leading SaaS platform in this space, with a comprehensive product portfolio, and we have strong conviction in its future prospects. We look forward to working with management and our partners at CVC on scaling VelocityEHS further and executing on the value creation plan.”

Aaron Dupuis, Partner at CVC, adds: “We are proud of the fantastic progress VelocityEHS has made since we invested in 2017. Working in close partnership with John and his team, we have been able to significantly accelerate the Company’s development both organically and through acquisition. We have enhanced the Company’s leading market position and expanded its addressable markets through new product launches and geographic expansion. We know Partners Group well and are very pleased to bring them on board and look forward to working closely with them to realise this next stage of growth for VelocityEHS.”

Partners Group was advised by Ropes & Gray LLP and Price WaterhouseCoopers LLP; CVC Growth by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and William Blair; and VelocityEHS by Burns & Levinson, LLP.

Quotes

We know Partners Group well and are very pleased to bring them on board and look forward to working closely with them to realise this next stage of growth for VelocityEHS.

Aaron Dupuis Partner, CVC Growth

Aaron Dupuis, Partner at CVC, adds: “We are proud of the fantastic progress VelocityEHS has made since we invested in 2017. Working in close partnership with John and his team, we have been able to significantly accelerate the Company’s development both organically and through acquisition. We have enhanced the Company’s leading market position and expanded its addressable markets through new product launches and geographic expansion. We know Partners Group well and are very pleased to bring them on board and look forward to working closely with them to realise this next stage of growth for VelocityEHS.”

Partners Group was advised by Ropes & Gray LLP and Price WaterhouseCoopers LLP; CVC Growth by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and William Blair; and VelocityEHS by Burns & Levinson, LLP.

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KKR Completes Acquisition of Barracuda from Thoma Bravo

KKR

NEW YORK & SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, and Barracuda Networks, Inc. (“Barracuda” or the “Company”) a leading provider of cloud-first security solutions, today announced that KKR’s investment funds have completed an acquisition of Barracuda from Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220816005239/en/

Barracuda is a cloud-first provider of cybersecurity solutions for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). More than 200,000 customers worldwide count on Barracuda to protect their email, networks, applications, and data.

“We’re ready to deliver on our next phase of growth with KKR and remain dedicated to investing in our team and product portfolio to provide innovative cybersecurity solutions for our customers and partners,” said Hatem Naguib, CEO of Barracuda. “We‘re grateful to Thoma Bravo for their valuable strategic and operational support over the last four years.”

“We are excited to complete this transaction and begin working with the Barracuda team to support their continued growth and delivery of next generation cloud-first cybersecurity solutions that protect SMEs from an evolving landscape of threats,” said John Park, a Partner at KKR.

“Barracuda has been a tremendous partner over the last four years and has experienced strong product, customer and revenue growth,” said Chip Virnig, a Partner at Thoma Bravo. “We have enjoyed working closely with Hatem and his team through multiple acquisitions and operational improvements, and we are confident that the company is well-positioned for continued success.”

J.P. Morgan served as exclusive financial advisor to Thoma Bravo and Barracuda. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Thoma Bravo and Barracuda. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal counsel to KKR. Guggenheim Securities, DBO Partners and Barclays served as financial advisors to KKR.

About Barracuda Networks

At Barracuda we strive to make the world a safer place. We believe every business deserves access to cloud-first, enterprise-grade security solutions that are easy to buy, deploy, and use. We protect email, networks, data, and applications with innovative solutions that grow and adapt with our customers’ journey. More than 200,000 organizations worldwide trust Barracuda to protect them – in ways they may not even know they are at risk — so they can focus on taking their business to the next level. For more information, visit www.barracuda.com.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About Thoma Bravo

Thoma Bravo is one of the largest private equity firms in the world, with more than $114 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022. The firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging the firm’s deep sector expertise and proven strategic and operational capabilities, Thoma Bravo collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices, drive growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions intended to accelerate revenue and earnings. Over the past 20 years, the firm has acquired or invested in more than 380 companies representing over $190 billion in enterprise value. The firm has offices in Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.thomabravo.com.

Media

For Barracuda Networks:
Jonelle Elam
408-813-7762
jelam@barracuda.com

For KKR:
Julia Kosygina
212-750-8300
media@kkr.com

For Thoma Bravo:
Thoma Bravo Communications
Megan Frank
(212)-731-4778
mfrank@thomabravo.com

or

FGS Global:
Nicky Bryan
(646)-436-6126
nicky.bryan@fgsglobal.com

Source: KKR

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AURELIUS sells operating business of Transform Hospital Group to Y1 Capital

Aurelius Capital

Munich, August 16, 2022 – AURELIUS announces the disposal of Transform Hospital Group’s operating business to the UK-based private equity firm Y1 Capital. The transaction includes the cosmetic surgery and medical aesthetics business. Transform Hospital Group (THG) was formed, during AURELIUS’ ownership, from the merger of separate businesses Transform and The Hospital Group.

In the UK, THG is a provider of healthcare and wellbeing services in surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, as well as weight loss treatments. THG has approximately 330 employees and operates a network of 11 outpatient clinics in England and Scotland, as well as operating two dedicated state-of-the-art surgical procedure hospitals. The company was founded as Transform in 1974, is headquartered in Manchester and initially started in the hair treatment business. In 1984, the first hospital was opened in Bowdon (South Manchester). By 1996, the first clinic was opened in Scotland. A flagship cosmetic surgery hospital was launched in Manchester in 2005. Transform was acquired by AURELIUS in 2015 and subsequently merged with The Hospital Group in 2016. In 2020, THG demonstrated its importance to the UK healthcare system, adapting its hospital operations to help support the NHS in the COVID-crisis.

Following a competitive sale process, the private equity-healthcare specialist Y1 Capital has been identified as the buyer best suited to further unlock the company’s full potential. Y1 Capital owns a portfolio of trading healthcare businesses across the UK and Europe. Therefore, the buyer will be able to take advantage of synergies with their Signature Medical business, which offers Cosmetic Surgery and Hair Transplants. The former THG-Chief Executive Officer and current Chief Executive Officer of Y1 Capital, Tony Veverka, will also be able to support the business with his deep market expertise.

The last few years have been exceptionally challenging – especially in the healthcare sector. During the COVID-crisis, the THG team made an enormously valuable contribution to safeguarding access to healthcare in the UK, whilst supporting the NHS. Our thanks goes to all involved at THG, for their ongoing efforts. Under the ownership of Y1 Capital, AURELIUS looks forward to seeing THG thrive, utilising the synergies with Signature Medical.”, says Gerhard Engleder, Vice President at AURELIUS.

Signing and closing of the transaction took place on August 15, 2022. While the operating businesses for cosmetic surgery and medical aesthetics is sold to Y1 Capital, AURELIUS will continue to own The Pines hospital located in Manchester. The financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

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Guesty Raises $170 Million to Power the Next Generation of the Hospitality and Property Management Industry

Apax

Guesty, the leading property management platform for the short-term rental and hospitality industry, today announced it has raised a $170 million funding round, led by the Apax Digital Funds, MSD Partners and Sixth Street Growth. Existing investors Viola Growth and Flashpoint also participated in the round. The Series E capital will be used to scale the company’s global operations to meet increasing demand, pioneer new solutions that support the growing needs of hospitality operators, secure key acquisitions, and expand into new business verticals to solidify Guesty’s position as the industry’s gold-standard property management platform.

“Despite an exceptionally challenging fundraising climate, the funding Guesty has raised is a vote of confidence in the travel and short-term rental ecosystem, and an endorsement of our pioneering technology and position as the market leaders of the hospitality and property management software sector,” said Guesty’s Co-founder & CEO, Amiad Soto. “As alternative accommodations surge in popularity, Guesty has come out a clear winner thanks to our commitment to prioritizing innovation and ability to help our customers become more successful. We thank our existing partners Apax – who are increasing their commitment to Guesty – and are excited to welcome aboard MSD Partners and Sixth Street, whose strong track records in our ecosystem make them ideal long-term partners. As we continue to expand globally and grow our market leadership, we look forward to providing hospitality managers with even more value in the coming months and years.”

Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, the short-term rental (STR) industry has grown exponentially, with travelers spending more than $200 billion on STR accommodations in 2021 alone. As the ways consumers choose to live, work, socialize and travel continue to shift, the lines between traditional hotels and rental accommodations have blurred. This trend has accelerated the need for versatile hospitality management technology as operators across the board adapt to new and elevated guest expectations. Guesty’s solution equips hospitality providers of all sizes and accommodation types with an all-encompassing platform to optimize and scale operations, manage and distribute inventory – along with the tools, data-driven insights and enhanced services to effectively respond to these market trends and empower them to succeed.

Customers use Guesty to centralize their reservations across all major booking channels, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia and Booking.com. The platform automates and expedites guest communications, reviews, cleaning and other operational tasks, while also facilitating direct bookings, resource and revenue management, smooth payments systems, accounting and damage protection. With its large marketplace of third-party integration partners and its open API capabilities, the platform adapts to specific business and operational requirements, providing comprehensive and bespoke solutions that serve as a one-stop-shop covering all property management needs.

“As alternative property management operations become more complex, Guesty is paving the way for the next generation of digital hospitality services,” said Dave Evans, Partner at Apax Digital. “Their track record of success and innovation, along with their platform’s growing suite of tools and intuitive user experience has Guesty positioned to define and consolidate its category, working with hosting businesses of all sizes. We are excited to continue partnering with the company as it continues to transform the industry.”

“In a largely specialized and localized industry, there is a huge opportunity to bring a global standard of service and excellence to hospitality operators of all shapes and sizes,” said Dan Bitar, Managing Director and co-Head of MSD Growth. “Guesty’s robust product offerings, strong R&D team, and proven ability to scale the business across geographies make it the ideal platform to consolidate the currently fragmented market.”

“The tech-enabled real estate ecosystem continues to grow and mature, and we look forward to joining Guesty on its journey to democratize and further professionalize the property management space,” said Michael McGinn, Partner and Co-Head of Sixth Street Growth. “With Guesty’s strong management team, long-term vision, product innovation, and marquee customers and partners, we have full confidence in the company’s ability to further cement its leadership in the world of hospitality and property management.”

The latest funding round comes at an exciting time for Guesty, having tripled its valuation and doubled its revenues since its last raise. In 2021 and 2022, Guesty launched numerous new products, services and technology partnerships as part of its core platform – including advanced accounting tools, damage protection offerings and payment solutions tailored for property management of short-term rentals. The company’s sustained growth has it positioned to reach $100 million in revenues within the next year. Guesty previously acquired property management platform companies MyVR and YourPorter and plans further acquisitions in the near future.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as sole placement agent on the transaction.

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Partners Group to acquire a significant minority stake in VelocityEHS, a leading environmental, health, safety, and sustainability software platform

Partners Group

Denver, US; 16 August 2022

  • Partners Group will join existing owner CVC Growth Funds on VelocityEHS’ board
  • The Company’s SaaS products help customers comply with environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations, power sustainability initiatives, and drive operational excellence
  • The EHS and ESG software markets continue to benefit from strong thematic trends such as growing pressure on companies to decarbonize

Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm, has, on behalf of its clients, agreed to acquire a significant minority stake in VelocityEHS (“the Company”), a leading environmental, health, and safety (“EHS”) and environmental, social and governance (“ESG “) software platform based in the US, from CVC Growth Funds (“CVC Growth”). Following the transaction, Partners Group will join CVC Growth on the Company’s board.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Chicago, VelocityEHS is a Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) platform offering products that help customers comply with a wide range of EHS laws and regulations, manage and reduce risk, and improve operational efficiency. VelocityEHS offers EHS software solutions that help customers across various use cases, including ESG management, Environmental Compliance, Safety, Ergonomics, Control of Work, Operational Risk, and Health. The Company has over 18,000 customers, with a focus on serving the manufacturing, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals sectors. The EHS/ESG software market is benefitting from strong thematic trends such as growing pressure on companies to decarbonize and disclose environmental sustainability information, as well as an increasingly complex regulatory environment. CVC Growth acquired VelocityEHS in 2017.

Following the investment, Partners Group and CVC Growth will work with the Company’s management team to continue to drive growth at VelocityEHS and cement its position as a leading player in the EHS and ESG software market worldwide. Key transformational value creation initiatives will include accelerating the growth of the Company’s ESG product, expanding into international markets, developing new products, and pursuing strategic acquisitions.

John Damgaard, Chief Executive Officer, VelocityEHS, comments: “EHS/ESG software adoption in the US and around the world is rising as organizations seek operational excellence and sustainable operations. Our massive customer base includes some of the world’s most admired companies. Our enterprise-grade VelocityEHS Accelerate® platform with embedded ActiveEHS® technology, and our award-winning solution set, allow us to have a very real impact in making workplaces safer and more sustainable up and down supply chains worldwide. We are very excited to continue our journey to establish the global category leader in EHS/ESG software with two world-class global financial sponsors in CVC Growth and Partners Group.”

Chris Russell, Managing Director, Private Equity, Technology Industry Vertical, Partners Group, says: “Our thematic research identified EHS as an attractive sub-sector of the US software market due to its large size, strong secular growth trends, and fragmented landscape. VelocityEHS is a market-leading SaaS platform in this space, with a comprehensive product portfolio, and we have strong conviction in its future prospects. We look forward to working with management and our partners at CVC on scaling VelocityEHS further and executing on the value creation plan.”

Aaron Dupuis, Partner at CVC, adds: “We are proud of the fantastic progress VelocityEHS has made since we invested in 2017. Working in close partnership with John and his team, we have been able to significantly accelerate the Company’s development both organically and through acquisition. We have enhanced the Company’s leading market position and expanded its addressable markets through new product launches and geographic expansion. We know Partners Group well and are very pleased to bring them on board and look forward to working closely with them to realize this next stage of growth for VelocityEHS.”

Partners Group was advised by Ropes & Gray LLP and Price WaterhouseCoopers LLP; CVC Growth by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and William Blair; and VelocityEHS by Burns & Levinson, LLP.

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Audax Private Equity Announces Investment in Rensa Filtration

Audax Group

Audax Private Equity (“Audax”) announced the acquisition of Rensa Filtration (“Rensa” or the “Company”), a manufacturer of consumable, mission-critical air filtration products. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2017 by CEO Brandon Ost, Rensa manufactures best-in-class air filtration solutions that keep environments safe and industries thriving. The Company has a manufacturing and distribution footprint that includes facilities in Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, and Texas, and the Company’s products are marketed across a range of brands including Rensa, Custom Filter, Viskon-Aire, Permatron, D Mark, and Air Filters, Inc. In its partnership with Audax, Rensa will continue to look to acquire high-growth companies interested in being part of a family of leading-edge filtration suppliers.

Brandon Ost, CEO of Rensa, will continue to lead the Company alongside the existing management team, who also collectively will continue to maintain a significant ownership position in the Company.

“Since our founding, Rensa has honored its commitment to engineering excellence, continuous improvement and innovation—and Audax’s investment is a critical piece of our overall strategy as we continue to build a world-class filtration business,” said Mr. Ost. “We believe Rensa has never been better positioned for growth, and look forward to benefiting from Audax’s proven expertise and value-add resources.”

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Brandon and the talented team at Rensa to help drive growth, both organically and through strategic M&A,” said Joe Rogers, Managing Director at Audax Private Equity. “With our investment, Rensa will be well-positioned to deepen relationships with key customers and channels, expand the Company’s manufacturing footprint and capabilities, and increase exposure to rapidly growing markets.”

Andrew Oliver, Managing Director at Audax Private Equity, added, “Rensa is a distinguished leader in the air filtration manufacturing space, with a highly diversified product portfolio across key end markets. We look forward to supporting the Company as it continues its impressive growth trajectory, providing mission-critical products to its valued customers.”

Lincoln International served as financial advisor to Audax and Baird served as financial advisor to the Company. Ropes & Gray served as legal counsel to Audax and Vedder Price served as legal counsel to the Company.

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