H.I.G. Portfolio Company Maillis Group Sells Wulftec to Duravant

HAMBURG – December 21, 2018 – The Maillis Group (“Maillis”), a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital LLC (“H.I.G.”), and the world’s second largest manufacturer of end-of-line packaging equipment, has sold Wulftec International, Inc. (“Wulftec”) to Duravant, a global engineered equipment and automation solutions provider to the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors.

Wulftec is the market-leading provider of end-of-line packaging automation solutions in North America. Wulftec leverages decades of engineering expertise and manufacturing know-how to deliver highly customized and scalable solutions that address the most complex end-of-line packaging challenges across a diversified customer base. Founded in 1990, Wulftec is located in Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec.

Wolfgang Biedermann, Managing Director of H.I.G. Europe, commented: “Wulftec is the leader in the end-of-line packaging automation market with a truly compelling value proposition. The capability to deliver highly value-added solutions, and to provide around-the-clock customer service with a best in class technical support team are unmatched in the industry. Since our acquisition of Maillis, we have significantly invested into Wulftec’s expansion and management has done an outstanding job to drive the company’s strong growth trajectory”.

About Maillis
Established in 1968, Maillis is the world’s second largest manufacturer of end-of-line packaging equipment and offers its customers “one-stop solutions”. In addition to supplying consumables such as strapping and film products, Maillis produces innovative packaging machines under well-known brand names and offers its customers international after-sales services.

Maillis is an international company with seven production sites located in Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Canada and the United States, with approximately 1,300 employees. With more than 15,000 customers and a broad product portfolio, Maillis generates more than €260 million in revenues. The company’s customer base extends to the food and beverage, aluminium, steel, construction, timber and bailing industries and it is the exclusive or preferred supplier to major industrial and consumer products multinationals such as US Steel, Nestle, Coca Cola, P&G, Henkel, Pepsi, Mars, Lafarge, Alcoa, ArcelorMittal, Corus, Wall-mart and others. www.maillis.com.

About Duravant
Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Duravant is a global engineered equipment company with manufacturing, sales and service facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Through their portfolio of operating companies, Duravant delivers trusted end-to-end process solutions for customers and partners through engineering and integration expertise, project management and operational excellence. With worldwide sales distribution and service networks, they provide immediate and lifetime aftermarket support to all the markets they serve in the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors. Duravant’s market-leading brands are synonymous with innovation, durability and reliability. Duravant is a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus. www.duravant.com

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

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

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

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

 

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ucandoo makes vacationing easily affordable

BM-T

The finTech-company, ucandoo, is revolutionizing the market for travel financing

Erfurt, Germany based ucandoo raised a single-digit million investment from lead-investor bm|t beteiligungsmanagement thüringen gmbh and Alpanekino Ltd. ucandoo is a fintech start-up that has developed a platform to make financing travel hassle-free. Experts estimate that today 25 percent of all travel is financed, and the market is growing strongly.

ucandoo´s platform replaces the current cumbersome path via banks and unites the largely separate worlds of travel booking and travel financing.

Customers can now decide in a travel agency if they would like to pay for travel in the conventional manner or with a credit financing with a maximum 12-month duration and a fair interest rate. With only a few data inputs, ucandoo´s partner bank performs an instant creditworthiness check and delivers a financing decision. The service is simple and transparent for the customer and saves significant time spent filling out paperwork at a bank, and, importantly, allows for the time-shifting of payment for travel.

Ucandoo Makes Vacationing Easily Affordable

ucandoo is first launching its platform for physical travel agencies and will then address the online market in a second phase. In Germany, for example, over 60% of leisure travel is still booked with physical travel agencies. ucandoo has already won the largest travel-coop in Europe, Raiffeisen-Touristikgruppe, with 7,000 travel agencies in Germany, Austria, Belgian, Holland, and Luxemburg as a key partner. The service will be successively rolled out in Raiffeisen-Touristikgruppe travel agencies throughout 2019. “The product should allow people to take trips that they previously could not have afforded,” explained shareholder and manager Julien Bahadir. Mr. Bahadir also believes the availability of easy financing will result in the booking of higher-end travel. “This investment will allow us to sustainably change the market for financed travel,” he added.

We strengthen Thüringen´s Economy through targeted investments in innovative growth companies with high potential,” said Kevin Reeder, CEO of bm|t beteiligungsmanagement gmbh. “We believe in the ucandoo team and that they will significantly contribute to the travel market. The startup from Erfurt has a strong idea and vision for disrupting the travel financing market with a sleek technology platform that creates a win-win situation. The travel agencies can offer an added-value service that will increase their bookings and travelers will now have additional options for their travel.”

Contact:

Annette Brünger
ucandoo GmbH
+49 (0) 163 3345100
www.ucandoo.de

About bm|t:

bm|t beteiligungsmanagement thüringen gmbh currently manages eight investment funds with a volume of 320 Mio. EUR. As the universal investment company for the federal state of Thuringia, bm|t invests in innovative companies across all sectors and stages, from seed investments in startups to growth equity and mezzanine funding for established companies to succession investments such as MBOs and MBIs. The company´s mission is to strengthen Thuringia´s economy while generating positive investment results through targeted investments in innovative growth companies with high potential. In addition to capital, bm|t brings a wealth of experience and a strong network to its investee-partners.

www.bm-t.de

 

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EURAZEO completes its acquisition of a stake in ALBINGIA

Eurazeo

Eurazeo announced today the completion of the acquisition of Albingia, a French insurance company, through a co-investment with Financière de Blacailloux, controlled by Bruno Chamoin (Albingia’s CEO), and the management team.
Eurazeo has invested around €263 million to acquire 70% of the share capital, based on an enterprise value of €508 million.
***
About Eurazeo
o Eurazeo is a leading global investment company, with a diversified portfolio of €17 billion in assets under management, including nearly €11 billion from third parties, invested in over 300 companies. With its considerable private equity, venture capital, real estate, private debt and fund of funds expertise, Eurazeo accompanies companies of all sizes, supporting their development through the commitment of its 235 professionals and by offering deep sector expertise, a gateway to global markets, and a responsible and stable foothold for transformational growth. Its solid institutional and family shareholder base, robust financial structure free of structural debt, and flexible investment horizon enable Eurazeo to support its companies over the long term.
Eurazeo has offices in Paris, New York, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Shanghai, London, Luxembourg, Frankfurt and Madrid.

o Eurazeo is listed on Euronext Paris.
o ISIN: FR0000121121 – Bloomberg: RF FP – Reuters: EURA.PA

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First exit by EQT Ventures – sells stake in Small Giant Games at USD 700 million valuation

EQT Ventures

  • EQT Ventures sells its stake in mobile games company Small Giant Games to Zynga, a leading social games developer
  • EQT Ventures led a USD 5.7 million Series A round in March 2017 and an additional USD 41 million investment at the end of January 2018

The EQT Ventures fund (“EQT Ventures”) today announces that it entered an agreement to sell its ownership stake in the Finnish mobile gaming studio, Small Giant Games (“the Company”) to Zynga Inc. (Nasdaq: ZNGA), a leading social game developer, headquartered in San Francisco, California. The implied valuation of the Small Giant Games transaction is at USD 700 million. EQT Ventures led a USD 5.7 million Series A round in March 2017 and then led an additional USD 41 million investment in January 2018.

Founded in 2013, Small Giant Games’ team of 47 employees developed the hit franchise Empires & Puzzles. The game blends approachable Match-3 battles with deeper gameplay elements including Hero Collection, Base Building and Social Alliances. Just ten months after Empires & Puzzles’ launch in March 2017, the game had developed a strong new brand and loyal following, and Small Giant Games reported USD 33 million in revenues. In the first four months of 2018, the company had already exceeded 2017’s revenue. In addition, Empires & Puzzles has frequently made it into the the Top 10 Grossing Games on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and has now been downloaded more than 26 million times.

In March 2017, EQT Ventures led Small Giant Games’ USD 5.7 million Series A round and has remained the largest individual owner in the Company since. Following the successful launch of Empires & Puzzles, EQT Ventures was dedicated to supporting the Company’s continued growth journey and, at the end of January 2018, the fund led an additional USD 41 million investment. During the investment period, EQT Ventures – with its team’s mobile gaming experience – supported the Company as it sought to scale Empires & Puzzles.

Timo Soininen, CEO at Small Giant Games, commented: “Our studio has always believed that small, focused and talented teams with a big vision can achieve huge things. EQT Ventures has supported us from the start – not just with capital, but also strategic advice and guidance. The EQT Ventures team’s extensive mobile gaming experience and entrepreneurial mindset has proved invaluable when scaling Empires & Puzzles and we’ve enjoyed working closely with Lars and the rest of the team. I’m confident that partnering with Zynga is now the right next step in our evolution.”

Lars Jörnow, Partner at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT Ventures, concluded: “Huge congratulations to Timo, Markus, Otto and the rest of the Small Giant team – this is a well-deserved milestone for everyone at the company. The Small Giant team checked all the boxes for EQT Ventures: small, passionate, agile, data-driven and determined to build a global hit game. The EQT Ventures team would like to thank Small Giant Games for letting us be part of their journey – it has been a true partnership and we look forward to the next phase!”

Contact
Lucy Wimmer, Communications Partner, EQT Ventures, lucy@eqtventures.com, +44 7551 289 177
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT Ventures
EQT Ventures is a multi-stage VC fund with commitments of just over EUR 566 million. The fund is based in Luxembourg and has investment advisors stationed in Stockholm, Amsterdam, London, San Francisco and Berlin. Fuelled by some of Europe’s most experienced company builders and scalers, EQT Ventures helps the next generation of entrepreneurs with capital and hands on support. EQT Ventures is part of EQT, a leading investment firm with more than EUR 50 billion in raised capital across 28 funds.

More info: www.eqtpartners.com

About EQT
EQT is a leading investments firm with more than EUR 50 billion in raised capital across 28 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtpartners.com

About Small Giant Games
Small Giant Games was founded in early 2013 with the belief that small, talented teams can do extraordinary things. We bring years of experience to the table, with a crew of top players in game development, software engineering and graphic design. We’re based right in the heart of downtown Helsinki, Finland.

More info: www.smallgiantgames.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Gryphon Investors to Acquire RegEd, Inc.

Gryphon Investors

San Francisco, CA – December 20, 2018 —

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Contacts

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TowerBrook Announces Acquisition of Orchid Underwriters from Gryphon Investors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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GLADSTONE INVESTMENT CORPORATION exits its investment in CAMBRIDGE SOUND MANAGEMENT

Gladstone

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

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

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

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

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

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

Forward-looking Statements:

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

SOURCE:  Gladstone Investment Corporation

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

Gladstone Investment Corporation logo

Source: Gladstone Investment Corporation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Carlyle

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

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

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

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

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

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

* * * * *

Media contacts:

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

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

About Wakanow

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

About The Carlyle Group

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

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

About Carlyle Sub-Saharan Africa Fund (CSSAF)

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

About Platform Capital

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

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

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