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EQT Infrastructure V holds final close – reaches hard cap with continued strong investor support

The EQT Infrastructure V fund holds final close at EUR 15.7 billion in fee-generating assets under management, fortifying EQT’s position as one of the leading infrastructure investors globally

Strong demand from a well-diversified, global group of existing and new investors, with a 99 percent re-up rate from the predecessor fund based on committed capital and 68 percent based on the number of investors

Continued strong investor support for EQT Infrastructure’s purpose-driven and thematic investment strategy

EQT is pleased to announce that the EQT Infrastructure V fund (the “Fund”) has held its final close at EUR 15.7 billion in fee-generating assets under management. The fundraising, led by EQT’s in-house Capital Raising and Client Relations team, was launched in July 2020 and active fundraising efforts were materially concluded during Q2 2021.

The fundraising for EQT Infrastructure V resulted in a 99 percent re-up rate from the predecessor fund based on committed capital and 68 percent based on the number of investors. The strong demand demonstrates the continued support for EQT Infrastructure’s thematic investment strategy, focused on backing companies within its core sectors: energy, transport & logistics, environmental, digital, and social infrastructure.

The Fund is backed by a well-diversified, global investor base consisting of pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, endowments, foundations, family offices, and private wealth platforms, among others.

Lennart Blecher, Head of Real Assets’ Advisory Teams and Deputy Managing Partner, said, “We are humbled by the confidence the investors have placed in us, and we see the successful fundraising as a testimony to EQT’s purpose-driven and thematic approach to infrastructure investing. Looking ahead, we have a strong pipeline of interesting opportunities within energy transition and decarbonization, digital, environmental, and social infrastructure on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as the potential for select investments in Asia-Pacific.”

Christian Sinding, CEO and Managing Partner, added, “EQT Infrastructure has over the years evolved into a truly global platform that is actively developing mission-critical infrastructure assets that ​​provide essential services to societies around the world. The closing marks yet another milestone on this journey, and it will allow EQT Infrastructure to continue to execute on sustainable transformation within its core sectors.”

The Fund made its first transaction in August 2020 and has since then invested in 12 portfolio companies. The investments are in line with EQT Infrastructure’s strategy of backing companies that provide essential services to society and can make a positive impact in their respective sectors. The portfolio companies include ferry line operators Molslinjen and Torghatten in the Nordics, energy transition companies Covanta and Cypress Creek in North America, as well as digital infrastructure operators Deutsche Glasfaser, DELTA Fiber, and Fiberklaar, and social infrastructure companies Colisee and Meine Radiologie/Blikk in Continental Europe.

EQT Infrastructure V is currently approximately 60-65 percent invested, subject to customary regulatory approvals (including closed and/or signed investments, announced public offers, if applicable, and less any expected syndication).

Contact
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334

About

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization focused on active ownership strategies. With a Nordic heritage and a global mindset, EQT has a track record of almost three decades of delivering consistent and attractive returns across multiple geographies, sectors and strategies. Uniquely, EQT is the only large private markets firm in the world with investment strategies covering all phases of a business’ development, from start-up to maturity. EQT today has more than EUR 70 billion in assets under management across 27 active funds within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets.

With its roots in the Wallenberg family’s entrepreneurial mindset and philosophy of long-term ownership, EQT is guided by a set of strong values and a distinct corporate culture. EQT manages and advises funds and vehicles that invest across the world with the mission to future-proof companies, generate attractive returns and make a positive impact with everything EQT does.

The EQT AB Group comprises EQT AB (publ) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, which include general partners and fund managers of EQT funds as well as entities advising EQT funds. EQT has offices in 24 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas and has more than 1,100 employees.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
Follow EQT on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram

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3i portfolio company Action announces appointment of Hajir Hajji to succeed Sander van der Laan as CEO

3I

The Board of Directors of Action announced today that Sander van der Laan will be stepping down as CEO of Action to be succeeded by Hajir Hajji, currently Commercial Director and member of the executive management team. The handover marks the next phase of development for Action, in which continued commitment to its customers and significant growth will be coupled with the further implementation of Action’s digital and sustainability strategy.

Sander van der Laan (53) joined Action as CEO in 2015. Under his leadership, Action has grown from €2 billion revenue with 655 stores in six markets to over €5 billion revenue and 1,869 stores in nine markets now. Sander very successfully led the delivery of the Action strategy also during the challenging Covid-19 period, during which Action and its employees demonstrated extraordinary resilience.

Simon Borrows, Chief Executive of 3i and Chairman of the Board of Action: “On behalf of 3i and Action’s Board I want to recognise and thank Sander for successfully leading the company. Action has continued its strong growth despite the uncertainties presented by the pandemic. He leaves the business performing strongly and on track to deliver its business plan. He has been a driven and committed colleague and I want to thank Sander for his leadership and wish him the very best.”

Sander van der Laan added: “It has been a great pleasure to lead such a great company and team. The passion and drive of our employees has been a source of inspiration for me. When I joined Action, my task was very clear: further strengthen the foundations of the company as the fastest growing non-food discounter in Europe and prepare the leadership of the company for the future. We will soon be opening our 2,000th store and I believe this is the right time for Hajir to take over from me. Hajir is Action. Her achievements across the business are unprecedented. And she is the right professional to lead the team and our operations into the next phase of growth and development. I want to thank Simon and all other members of the Board, my colleagues in the executive management team and all our employees who make Action such an amazing company, for their enormous support during my six years at the helm of Action.”

Hajir Hajji: through the ranks of Action

Hajir Hajji (41) joined Action 24 years ago as a store employee, then aged 17. Over the years she has successfully worked her way through the ranks of the organisation in a variety of management roles. Hajir was Director Store Operations for seven years, responsible for Action’s sales and international retail operations, including the opening of new stores and expansion to new markets. For the past three years Hajir worked as Commercial Director, responsible, amongst other things, for global buying, marketing, e-commerce and sustainability. Hajir has been a member of the executive management team since 2011.

The Action Board is delighted that Hajir will succeed Sander. Simon Borrows: “Hajir is a significant part of the Action DNA and the natural successor to Sander. Action is ready for the next phase of its growth agenda with an increased focus on digital and sustainable growth, two areas for which Hajir is currently responsible. Hajir has great retail expertise and is a strong leader. A long-standing Action executive and an advocate of the Action culture and values, she will bring both continuity and a new push for Action’s next phase of growth. I look forward to working with her and wish her success in her new role.”

Hajir Hajji: “Action is a great business with a very strong formula and a unique culture. As we move into a next phase of growth and development, I intend to continue building on our past achievements and explore with our 65,000 dedicated employees and our partners the opportunities ahead. I want to thank Sander for his contribution to the business during his time as CEO, our cooperation and for helping me to get accustomed to my new role. And I want to thank the Board for their confidence in me and the entire Action team.”

Hajir will formally become CEO of Action on 1 January 2022, while Sander will remain with the company until the end of March 2022 in order to ensure a smooth transition. The appointment of Hajir is subject to advice from Action’s works council.

Download this press release  

– Ends –

For further information, contact:

3i Group plc
Silvia Santoro
Investor enquiries		 Tel: +44 20 7975 3285
Email: silvia.santoro@3i.com
Kathryn van der Kroft
Media enquiries		 Tel: +44 20 7975 3021
Email: kathryn.vanderkroft@3i.com

 

About 3i Group

3i is a leading international investment manager focused on mid-market Private Equity and Infrastructure.  Our core investment markets are northern Europe and North America.

For further information, please visit: www.3i.com

About Action

Action is the fastest growing non-food discounter in Europe, offering an ever changing variety of c.6,000 products in almost 1,900 stores to more than 11 million customers every week. In addition, each week another eight million consumers visit the Action.com website. Action employs over 65,000 people in nine countries with over 130 different nationalities. While offering our constantly surprising assortment at the lowest prices, we continue to improve our products in terms of quality and sustainability. The business has responded well to the challenges posed by the pandemic and is on track to deliver on its growth plans for 2021 and beyond in all its markets. The promise of Action: Small prices. Big Smiles.

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Categories: People

Ardian invests in Strategie Media Conseil to build on the leading luxury real estate classifieds platform in France

Ardian

02 NOVEMBER 2021 GROWTH FRANCE, NICE

Nice, November 2nd, 2021 – Ardian, a world leading private investment house, today announces the acquisition of a minority stake in Strategie Media Conseil, a leading French digital real estate classifieds platform offering luxury and high-quality properties via its two websites – Résidences Immobilier and Maisons & Appartements.

Founded in 1994 by Jean-Pierre Cohen and Eric Bernt, the Strategie Media Conseil (SMC) Group has become one of the leading digital real estate classifieds platforms in France, connecting homebuyers and tenants with around 2,000 real estate agencies. The company currently employs nearly 50 people.

Originally launched as a real estate media publisher operating in the French Riviera, the Group took the strategic decision to establish its digital presence via its two real estate classifieds platforms in order to adapt to the evolutions of its clients’ business and to market expectations. The Group has also expanded its geographical footprint across France in new strategic regions thanks to its sales force and its proprietary software tools.

Ardian Growth’s investment in the Group will enable SMC to build on its strong presence in the French market by expanding its offering and geographical reach, cementing its leading position in the luxury real estate and intermediate housing segments. To this end, the Group will be able to draw on Ardian Growth’s technological and industry expertise, global footprint and diverse network of entrepreneurs.

Jean-Pierre Cohen, Co-Founder at SMC, said: “To step up our growth and continue delivering fantastic customer experience to buyers, agents and sellers, we will, with the support of Ardian Growth’s team, invest in growing our team and developing our digital platform while expanding our high added-value service portfolio for real estate agents.”

“Our investment in Strategie Media Conseil is a perfect example of our approach of backing ambitious entrepreneurs with solid expertise who are looking to take their companies to the next level. The Group is a strongly performing digital real estate classifieds platform with a clear strategic focus and an impressive track record. We look forward to working closely together with Jean-Pierre and its team, to expand the platform and ensure that SMC’s exceptional offer is more widely available across France.” said Alexis Saada and Léa Chaplain for Ardian Growth.

More information on the websites:

WWW.MAISONSETAPPARTEMENTS.FR

WWW.RESIDENCES-IMMOBILIER.COM

 

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$114bn 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 800 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 more than 1,200 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.

www.ardian.com

 

ABOUT STRATEGIE MEDIA CONSEIL

Founded in 1994, Strategie Media Conseil (SMC) develops two digital real estate classifieds platforms: Maisons & Appartements, a leader in high-quality housing and Résidences Immobilier, a leader in luxury real estate. Initially specializing in real estate media, the Group has established its digital presence becoming one of the leading digital real estate classifieds platforms in France. The Group retains its dual media offering with the monthly publication of its print magazines. With its 60,000 ads, Maisons & Appartements has expanded across the South of France, from Monaco through the Rhône-Alpes region to the Atlantic Coast. With around 20,000 luxury real estate ads covering Paris, the Atlantic Coast and the French Riviera and around 4,500 pages a year in its magazine version, Résidences Immobilier is one of France’s leaders in luxury real estate.

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

  • STRATEGIE MEDIA CONSEIL

    • JEAN-PIERRE COHEN

  • STRATEGIE MEDIA CONSEIL ADVISORS:

    • M&A ADVISORS: EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD (JULIEN BÉRAUD, GONZAGUE POURADIER-DUTEIL, AUDE-AMEL CHERAITIA)
    • LEGAL ADVISORS: HUBERT EVRARD (BOSIO-EVRARD & ASSOCIÉS)
    • FINANCIAL ADVISORS: ALVAREZ & MARSAL (JONATHAN GIBBONS, SAMIH HAJAR, SIMANE IDBALKASSM, MAXIME FRYDMAN)

  • ARDIAN

    • ALEXIS SAADA, LÉA CHAPLAIN

  • ARDIAN ADVISORS:

    • LEGAL ADVISORS: MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY (DIANA HUND, FANNY RECH, MARIANNE ZWOBADA (CORPORATE); ANTOINE VERGNAT, CÔME DE SAINT VINCENT, MATTHIEU RANNOU (TAX); PIERRE-ARNOUX MAYOLY, SHIRIN DEYHIM, CLARISSE DE ROUX (FINANCING))
    • TAX, LEGAL AND EMPLOYMENT AUDIT: FIDAL (KATIA JARQUIN, LORRAINE RAIMBERT-NUSSE, MIKAËL MAHEUST)
    • FINANCIAL ADVISORS: EIGHT ADVISORY (CHRISTOPHE DELAS, FABIEN THIEBLEMONT, ARTHUR HUON)

  • FINANCING

    • LEAD BANK: SOCIÉTÉ GÉNÉRALE (GAËLLE COUDERT-MAJOULET)
    • PARTICIPANTS: BNP PARIBAS (AURÉLIE GIORDANO, BRUNO CHAUDAT, MATHIAS RONZEAUD), CAISSE RÉGIONALE DE CRÉDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL PROVENCE CÔTE D’AZUR (CHRISTOPHE LEJEUNE, BENJAMIN BREBAN, STÉPHANIE TOURRET)
    • FINANCING ADVISORS: SIMMONS & SIMMONS (COLIN MILLAR)

PRESS CONTACTS

ARDIAN

HEADLAND

ardian@headlandconsultancy.com

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Leading cybersecurity company Infradata continues European expansion as Nomios

IK Partners

THE NETHERLANDS, November 2nd 2021 –  Leading security and network service provider Infradata has changed its name to Nomios. Under the Nomios Group, all Infradata companies in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom can focus on further European expansion in the coming years.

The name change marks the transformation of the company. Infradata started 17 years ago as a network integrator, and since expanded to also become a cyber security expert. New offices and acquisitions resulted in international expansion. The company saw its turnover grow by 30% per year to 250 million euros and now has more than 500 employees worldwide, throughout twenty locations. It provides cybersecurity and network services to over 2,500 clients worldwide, including many large enterprises, tier-1 service providers, public institutions, datacenter and cloud providers. Nomios has longstanding strategic partnerships with the key vendors in the industry like Palo Alto Networks, Juniper Networks, F5 Networks, Cisco, Vectra AI, Fortinet, Cybereason, and others.

Nomios’ focus will remain the same: be a trusted partner in a collaborative approach with clients and vendors to create the best possible solutions and services when it comes to cybersecurity and network infrastructure. As the digitization of society and the economy has accelerated over the past years, those solutions and services have never been more important. Many of the company’s clients are part of the vital digital infrastructure and rely on Nomios to manage and monitor their networks.

Ad Scheepbouwer, the former CEO of KPN and TNT, among others, was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2019. “The growing demand for cybersecurity services has allowed the company to operate on an increasingly large scale in Europe. As Nomios Group, we are in a position to become the largest pan-European supplier of cybersecurity and network services,” says Scheepbouwer.

“Nomios plays a key role in many large scale data networks throughout Europe. The name change marks a new phase in our journey. As a relatively young company, we have experienced significant growth. We look forward to continuing our expansion as Nomios and to secure and connect our clients’ digital infrastructures,” says Nomios Group CEO Sébastien Kher.

Note to editors:

For more information, media can contact Richard Landman, Head of Digital Marketing at Nomios, Mob: +31 -624693070, Email: richard.landman@infradata.com. Also visit: www.nomios.com.

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Appfire Expands Jira Migration and Change Management Offerings with Acquisition of Project Configurator for Jira from Adaptavist

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New Capabilities Will Help Accelerate Customer Success on Atlassian Cloud

Appfire, a leading provider of apps that help teams solve modern challenges with digital solutions, today announced its acquisition of Project Configurator for Jira from partner Adaptavist. Project Configurator for Jira helps businesses automate project migration processes related to change management and platform migrations. Along with top-selling Configuration Manager for Jira (CMJ), this addition brings Appfire’s user base of migration and change management tools to more than 8,000 global installations.

Building on years of professional services innovation and product development, Appfire’s platform of apps help Jira customers achieve their collaboration goals through technology, regardless of their preferred hosting platform. This acquisition further solidifies Appfire as the leading provider of tools to help customers migrate their projects, data, settings, and apps across Jira instances. It also builds upon the long-term relationship between Appfire and Adaptavist, bringing together Appfire’s renowned product expertise with Adaptavist’s unparalleled and award-winning consulting capabilities and services.

“One of the biggest pain points of Atlassian Cloud adoption is the cost, effort, and time associated. As thousands of organizations prepare to migrate, they seek a streamlined path, with expert guidance and hands-on help,” said Appfire Co-Founder and CEO Randall Ward. “Adaptavist is a leading services provider and a long-time partner, and the acquisition of Project Configurator enhances our ability to deliver the best solutions to support Atlassian customers in their migration journeys.”

Adaptavist provides expert consulting, products, and managed services to help organizations work flatter, faster, and more dynamically, delivering enterprise software, expert solutions, and quality services across the Atlassian ecosystem.

“We’ve seen Appfire’s significant investment in change management tools and we’re impressed with their roadmap,” said Adaptavist CEO Simon Haighton-Williams. “This acquisition allows us to continue supporting our customers through their complex migration journeys, with the expertise around consulting and services we are known for. Our ongoing partnership with Appfire will benefit all Atlassian users as we work together to help them maximize their investment.”

Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel for Appfire.

About Appfire

Appfire is an award-winning Atlassian Platinum Marketplace Partner and a global authority in the Atlassian ecosystem for 16 years. Appfire’s popular solutions help teams with Workflow and Automation, Product Portfolio Management, IT Service Management, Business Intelligence & Reporting, Administrative Tools, Agile, Developer Tools, and Publishing. The company has the largest portfolio of apps on the Atlassian Marketplace with 200,000 active installations worldwide. Learn more at www.appfire.com.

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Horizons Ventures Leading “In The Moo For Love”, a city-wide moo-vement challenging Hong Kong community to evolve consumption habits and curb climate change

Horizons Ventures

Horizons Ventures Leading “In The Moo For Love”, a city-wide moo-vement challenging Hong Kong community to evolve consumption habits and curb climate change.

(November 1, 2021, Hong Kong).    As world leaders gather in Glasgow this November to discuss commitments to lower greenhouse gas emissions globally at COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Horizons Ventures is leading a moo-vement in Hong Kong, bringing corporates, communities and individuals together to contribute by making small changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, one bite at a time.

 

The In The Moo For Love campaign brings together like-minded people to share their perspectives on climate change – from chefs, corporations, retailers to consumers – and contribute in their own way starting from a public panelist discussion held in Central, Hong Kong.  By pledging to make a change to greener food choices, consumers are encouraged to purchase earth friendly products and chef curated plant-based lunch, sponsored by Horizons Ventures with matching donations from both UBS and Goldman Sachs to beneficiaries that support the earth.

 

The In The Moo For Love campaign kicks off on November 1 with a panelist discussion including renowned chefs, restaurateurs and climate change advocates at Centricity (2/F Landmark Chater, Central).  6 of Hong Kong’s most renowned chefs and founders of plant-based food solutions, will be sitting down with Green Queen Media’s Founder and Editor in Chief, Sonalie Figuerias, to discuss sustainability in the food and beverage industry and how consumer demand continues to evolve and develop with the environment.   The invitation only event will be livestreamed on In The Moo For Love’s Facebook page.   The initiative continues with pledging activities where charity donation will be matched with:

  • Shop & Pledge from November 5 – 14, 2021 at select retailers (see Appendix 2 for list of retailers)
  • Eat & Pledge from November 8 – 12, 2021 (see Appendix 3 for lunch menus)

 

 

Shop & Pledge (November 5 – 14, 2021)

Ice Age! will be offering products sponsored by Horizons Ventures for consumers to showcase how consuming earth-friendly products does not require sacrifice on taste or texture.  Produced with Perfect Day’s animal-free whey protein, Ice Age! ice cream products and Ice Age! x The Cakery mini loaf cakes will be available at City’super, Great, select Fusion, Food le Parc, Taste, ParknShop stores and The Cakery outlets from November 5 – 11 (Ice Age! ice cream) and November 8 – 14 (Ice Age! x The Cakery mini loaf cakes) at a sponsored price of HK$10 each, for consumers to experience alternative dining decisions at minimal barrier.  Matching donation will be made to The Nature Conservancy and World Resources Institute for every purchase by UBS and Goldman Sachs to support the initiative.

 

In collaboration with The Cakery, Ice Age! will produce two limited edition mini loaf cakes in  Ginger & Orange and Dark Chocolate flavours.  This will be the first appearance of Perfect Day’s animal-free whey protein in pastry items in Hong Kong, highlighting the versatility of Perfect Day’s protein. The Ice Age! x The Cakery cakes will be animal-free, lactose-free, hormone-free, egg-free and butter-free.

 

Eat & Pledge (November 8 – 12, 2021)

From November 1st, customers can pre-order 6 of Hong Kong’s most renowned chefs curated plant-based meals for lunch from November 8 – 12, 2021.

 

Chefs Richard Ekkebus of Amber, Umberto Bombana of 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, May Chow of Happy Paradise, Peggy Chan of Grassroots Initiatives, Michael Smith of Moxie and Christian Mongendre of  Treehouse will each be creating a limited quantity of  fifty (50) In The Moo For Love Bentos, served in an ecofriendly, reusable lunch box made of bamboo fibres from Take, a cup of Ice Age! Ice cream and an In The Moo For Love reusable canvas bag.  (Please see daily menus in Appendix 3).

 

Each In The Moo For Love lunch meal is priced at HK$250 and will be sold on a pre-registration basis via inthemooforlove.com website.  Pre-ordering starts from November 1st and for every meal sold, UBS and Goldman Sachs will be donating HK$250 to The Nature Conservancy and World Resources Institute respectively to support the initiatives.

 

Other In The Moo Activities

During the campaign period, other supporting activities include:

  • In the Moo For Love designated Impossible™ Pork meals at MX and select Maxim’s Group Chinese restaurants.
  • Homebake will also be doing a collaboration on November 13, 2021 to create special animal-free baked goods.
  • Part proceeds from sales of the In The Moo For Love meals and Homebake baked goods on November 13, 2021 will be donated.

 

More information about In The Moo For Love can be found at:

Website: inthemooforlove.com

Facebook: inthemooforlove.hk

Instagram: @inthemooforlove.hk

END

 

Contact Information

 

For media queries, please contact:

RSVP Communications

Sissy Wong      sissy@rsvp.com.hk     Tel: 6559 9997

Denise Chiu     denise@rsvp.com.hk  Tel: 6114 6188

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Espresso Capital provides Boclips with £7 million acquisition facility

espresso capital

London — November 3, 2021 — Espresso Capital announced today that it has provided Boclips, the world’s leading educational video platform, with a £7 million credit facility. The company will use the financing to help fund its strategic acquisition of Boston-based Listenwise Innovation, Inc.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Espresso,” said Boclips CEO and Founder David Bainbridge. “The funding enables us to execute on our transatlantic M&A strategy and position our business for further expansion in the US market.”

The acquisition of Listenwise, the US market leader in curriculum-geared podcasts for grades 2 to 12, creates a unique offering of video and audio content for global education providers, and positions the combined business for accelerated growth in the US and worldwide.

“Boclips has a demonstrated track record of success, and has grown to become the trusted provider of video content for curriculums,” said Espresso Managing Director Will Hutchins. “With its acquisition of Listenwise, Boclips will be able to offer an even more compelling solution to the education sector, driving value for its customers and unlocking significant cross-selling opportunities.”

Boclips manages the largest educational video resource in the world, providing access to more than 2 million rights-cleared clips from over 350 trusted sources — ranging from news programming from The Wall Street Journal through Ted Talks to specialist tutorial videos from The Smithsonian. Its AI-driven content management system enables users to easily locate the right video for every stage of the school or university curriculum. Customers include courseware developers, EdTech solutions providers, as well as Ministries of Education across the Middle East and Asia.

“Espresso has been great to work with,” noted Bainbridge. “Their flexibility and experience played a critical part in our being able to successfully execute this important M&A transaction.”

About Boclips

Boclips is on a mission to educate, enlighten, and inspire learners of all ages with video. Since the company’s foundation in 2014, the Boclips video platform has offered education providers a single procurement point to find, license, and incorporate video aligned to their courseware. The platform features over 2 million educationally relevant videos including animations, short-form docs, historical footage, and breaking news from 350 of the world’s most trusted content producers, including TED Talks, PBS, The Smithsonian, and AP, as well as teacher-favorites like Crash Course, Minute Earth, and The School of Life. The platform uses machine learning to curate to academic standards and is free from advertising, inappropriate content and data security concerns. For more information, visit https://boclips.com.

About Espresso Capital

Espresso empowers companies with innovative venture debt solutions. Since 2009, we’ve helped more than 300 technology companies and their investors accelerate growth, extend runway, and increase strategic flexibility with non-dilutive capital. Learn more at espressocapital.com.

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DIF Capital Partners makes senior IR hire to cover North America

DIF

Continuing to build on the firm’s growing North American investor base and in anticipation of upcoming fundraisings initiatives, DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is excited to announce the expansion of its investor relations & business development team with a senior hire in North America.

Toms Lokmanis is joining as a Senior Director, based in Toronto, and will be responsible for covering the North American institutional market, including DIF’s existing investors and investment consulting firms. Toms brings over 12 years of industry experience. Prior to joining DIF, Toms worked at CBRE Caledon, now CBRE Investment Management (“CBRE”), out of the Toronto office, where he focused on growing the firm’s managed infrastructure and real estate strategies. Before CBRE he worked at Manulife Investment Management and Industrial Alliance in senior institutional sales roles. Toms is a CFA Charterholder and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and holds a B.A. Honours in Economics from McMaster University.

Allard Ruijs, Partner and Head of Investor Relations & Business Development: “I am very happy to welcome Toms to DIF Capital Partners. We believe he is a great first local hire for the IRBD team contributing his strong personal North American reputation, a relevant investor network as well as significant capital raising experience. Toms will lead in further developing DIF’s investor network and strengthening of the DIF brand positioning in North America.”

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent fund manager, with more than €9.0 billion in assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF Capital Partners invests in greenfield and operational infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

  • Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure Fund VI is the latest vintage, target equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and (renewable) energy projects.
  • DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF II is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized economic infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy, and transportation sectors.

DIF supports the goal of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in-line with global efforts as a result of the Paris Agreement to have net zero emissions by 2050, or sooner.

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 170 professionals, based in ten offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact:
Allard Ruijs, IR & BD
Email: a.ruijs@dif.eu

Categories: People

Lever Raises $50 Million in Series D Funding to Better Hiring Experiences

Complete talent acquisition suite that has added over 100 new partners and surpassed 4,000 customers in 2021

Lever, a leading Talent Acquisition Suite, has completed a $50 million Series D funding round with the Apax Digital Fund. The funding comes as the market for talent acquisition is continuing to heat up, and companies face the most competitive market for hiring and retaining talent to date. The investment in Lever will accelerate solution development in talent analytics, top-of-funnel talent discovery, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as support growth in new markets, and continued product innovation.

Serving more than 4,000 customers and adding more than 100 technology partnerships and integrations in 2021, Lever’s continued momentum makes it clear that hiring and talent acquisition have never been more important to brands and companies. Lever is the industry’s only platform that provides talent acquisition leaders with complete applicant tracking systems (ATS) and candidate relationship management (CRM) capabilities in a single native platform. LeverTRM bridges the critical gap between traditional ATS and CRM systems, including native Candidate Nurturing and full-funnel Analytics.

As part of this partnership, Apax Digital’s Mia Hegazy will join Lever’s board of directors. “The talent acquisition market is an exciting sector benefiting from several tailwinds and, having tracked the space for some time, Lever stood out for its candidate-centric approach, next-gen technology, and innovative culture,” said Mia Hegazy, Principal, Apax Digital. “Companies must navigate heightened competition for talent, which is driving strong demand for best-in-class applicant tracking software products such as Lever’s. We look forward to working with Nate and his team to help accelerate the growth of the business, building on Lever’s impressive success to date.”

Lever will use this funding to expand globally, invest in R&D, and build on its already expansive ecosystem of technology partners. Lever is particularly excited to continue its investment in Talent Analytics, including upcoming DEI Analytics capabilities that enable all Lever customers to measure their progress on DEI initiatives.

“We’re experiencing record-breaking growth, and we are excited to be able to reach even more customers,” said Nate Smith, CEO of Lever. “Through this investment from Apax Digital, we’re gaining a partner that is aligned with our vision of enabling every company to connect human potential to meaningful work. As more companies are understanding the importance of leveraging talent acquisition suites to seamlessly handle the complexities of hiring, we’re continuing to expand our technology ecosystem, enable data-driven talent acquisition, and significantly improve diverse and inclusive hiring practices.”

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DIF Capital Partners and EDF INVEST sell German regulated utility company Thyssengas

DIF

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”), a leading global independent infrastructure investment fund manager, through its fund DIF Infrastructure IV, together with EDF INVEST, are pleased to announce an agreement to sell their joint 100% ownership stake in Thyssengas Holding GmbH (“Thyssengas”), one of the largest German gas Transmission System Operators (“TSO”), to Macquarie Asset Management (“MAM”), via its fund Macquarie Super Core Infrastructure Fund SCSp (“MSCIF”).

Thyssengas is Germany’s second largest gas TSO, headquartered in Dortmund. Using its 4,400-kilometre-long underground transmission system, the company annually transports around six billion cubic metres of natural gas – one-tenth of Germany’s entire consumption. The gas is delivered to more than 1,000 exit points leading to subsequent networks, industrial customers and power stations.

During DIF’s and EDF INVEST’s joint ownership, Thyssengas has seen significant RAB growth and has developed a sizable future capex project pipeline with more than €500 million of planned projects from 2021 to 2027. One of the largest expansion projects during DIF’s and EDF INVEST’s joint ownership of the company has been “ZEELINK”, a pipeline construction project at the German-Belgian border which was commissioned in May 2021, owned together by Thyssengas and Open Grid Europe (OGE) via a joint venture. Despite significant expansion of the grid, the company has managed to maintain a highly reliable network and an outstanding HSE track record. The implementation of a new digital management system for maintenance processes further helped management to deliver operational efficiencies.

Thyssengas is an industry thought leader and works at the forefront of innovation in the TSO space. In particular, the company is a frontrunner for the rollout of hydrogen in Germany and is actively engaged in hydrogen-related initiatives.

The transaction is expected to be finalised in Q1 2022, subject to customary merger control clearance and foreign investment approval requirements.

RBC Capital Markets served as DIF’s and EDF INVEST’s financial advisor, and Linklaters provided legal advice. Furthermore, DIF and EDF INVEST were supported by Ernst & Young, AFRY Management Consulting, and Willis Towers Watson.

About Thyssengas

Thyssengas is one of 16 German gas TSOs. Founded in 1921, when its predecessor company built the first gas transmission system in Germany, Thyssengas can look back on a 100-year history, during which it has developed great expertise. Thyssengas currently employs an engaged and motivated team of around 390 employees, across seven locations in Northern Germany. As a TSO, Thyssengas is certified as an Independent Transmission Operator (ITO) by Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), the German Federal Network Agency.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent fund manager, with more than €9.0 billion in assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF Capital Partners invests in greenfield and operational infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

  • Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure Fund VI is the latest vintage, target equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and (renewable) energy projects.
  • DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF II is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized economic infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy, and transportation sectors.

DIF supports the goal of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in-line with global efforts as a result of the Paris Agreement to have net zero emissions by 2050, or sooner.

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 170 professionals, based in ten offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact:
Thijs Verburg, IR & BD
Email: t.verburg@dif.eu

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