Category Archives: News

TPG Real Estate completes acquisition of Studio Babelsberg AG

TPG Capital

January 3, 2022 – TPG Real Estate Partners (“TREP”), the dedicated real estate equity investment platform of alternative asset firm TPG, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Studio Babelsberg AG (“Studio Babelsberg”). Dr. Carl L. Woebcken and Mr. Christoph Fisser, CEO and COO of Studio Babelsberg, respectively, maintain a minority stake in the business.

On 16 September 2021, TREP announced that it agreed to acquire a stake in Studio Babelsberg via acquisition of the company’s main shareholder, Filmbetriebe Berlin Brandenburg GmbH (FBB), which was controlled by Mr. Woebcken and Mr. Fisser. As part of the agreement, FBB launched a public tender offer to acquire a majority of the shares in Studio Babelsberg for a cash offer price of EUR 4.10 per Studio Babelsberg Share. The offer was subject to a minimum acceptance threshold, which was fulfilled on 29 October 2021 following a successful acceptance period. All closing conditions of the transaction have now been fulfilled.

With the closing of the transaction, Studio Babelsberg has become part of TREP’s global studio platform, Cinespace Studios (“Cinespace”). Cinespace is the second largest sound stage operator in North America. With Studio Babelsberg, Cinespace will now operate 90 stages, furthering its strategy of building a best-in-class studio platform for premier content makers across the globe. Studio Babelsberg will continue to operate as an independent brand but benefit from the resources and networks provided by the global platform. Studio Babelsberg has a long history of hosting best-in-class content production, including recent German local language series such as Dark, Babylon Berlin, and 1899, as well as world renowned feature films such as Inglorious Basterds, V for Vendetta, Bridge of Spies, and recently The Matrix Resurrections.

“Across the globe, Studio Babelsberg is known for its quality and as a symbol of Berlin’s and Brandenburg’s creative culture,” said Michael Abel, Partner at TREP. “With Studio Babelsberg, we saw an opportunity to invest behind a leading studio facility that is well positioned to benefit from secular growth trends in media and content consumption. We support the company’s strategy and direction and look forward to growing the business.”

“We are excited to announce a successful completion of the transaction, and to welcome TREP as Studio Babelsberg’s new partner,” said Dr. Woebcken and Mr. Fisser. “The team values our rich history and brings significant insight and business building capabilities to Studio Babelsberg’s next chapter. We look forward to working together to further solidify our position as Europe’s premier studio.”  

“Studio Babelsberg has a strong tradition of film making that has served some of the most iconic films ever made,” said Eoin Egan, COO of Cinespace. “As appetite for high-quality content continues to increase, we look forward to working with the Studio Babelsberg and TREP teams to grow Berlin into a global hub for content production.”

About TPG Real Estate Partners 

TPG Real Estate Partners (“TREP”) is the dedicated real estate equity investment platform of global alternative asset firm TPG. Today, TREP has $5.5 billion of assets under management. Since its inception in 2009, TREP has built a differentiated investment portfolio comprised primarily of real estate-rich platforms and portfolios located in the United States and Europe. TPG was founded in 1992 and now has approximately $109 billion of assets under management with investment and operational teams in 12 offices around the world. For more information, visit www.tpg.com.

Media Contacts

TPG Real Estate Partners 

Deutschland:
Thomas Katzensteiner, Peter Steiner, Tobias Eberle
tpg-cb@charlesbarker.de

Europe: 
Alex Jones, Michael Russell, Daniel Oliver
tpg@greenbrookpr.com

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EQT Private Equity and Santo to invest further in WS Audiology

eqt

EQT VIII and Santo Holdings to acquire EQT VI and its co-investors’ stakes in WS Audiology, the number one global pure play producer of hearing aids

WS Audiology is supported by strong, underlying macro trends, such as a growing aging population, urban noise pollution, and increased penetration and growing demand for hearing aids in developing countries

The investment by EQT Private Equity illustrates the long-term commitment and support for WS Audiology’s mission of helping people regain or improve their hear

EQT is pleased to announce that the EQT VIII fund (“EQT VIII” or “EQT Private Equity”) and Santo Holdings (“Santo”), together with co-investors,have agreed to acquire the EQT VI fundand its co-investors’ stakes in WS Audiology (“the Company”). Following the closing of the transaction, EQT VII, EQT VIII, Santo Holdings, the Tøpholm and Westermann families, and a group of minority co-investors, will own WS Audiology.

Headquartered in Lynge, Denmark, WS Audiology is the number one global pure play producer of hearing aids and accessories in terms of volumes with more than 170 years of combined experience and a proven track record as an industry innovator.

WS Audiology was created in February 2019 through the merger of Sivantos, acquired by EQT VI in 2014 and previously named Siemens Audiology Solutions, and Widex, at the time owned by the Tøpholm and Westermann families. As part of the merger EQT VII and EQT VIII jointly invested in the combined company alongside EQT VI, Santo, the Tøpholm and Westermann families, and other minority shareholders. Today, WS Audiology has revenues of more than EUR 2.0 billion, over 11,000 employees and one of the strongest R&D teams in the industry.

WS Audiology operates in a highly attractive market characterized by healthy, non-cyclical growth and broadened addressable customer groups. The Company is supported by underlying trends, such as an overall aging population, urban noise pollution resulting in higher numbers of hearing-impaired people, an increasing penetration of hearing aids users among the hearing impaired thanks to improved technology and social acceptance, and a growing demand for hearing aids in developing countries.

Since acquisition, WS Audiology’s EBITDA has increased more than 20 percent. EQT and the owner families have supported the Company’s efforts to invest significantly in R&D to entrench as the industry innovator, benefitting from a unique digital ecosystem. WS Audiology is the leader in remote fitting of hearing aid equipment through its subsidiary hear.com, and COVID-19 has accelerated tele-audiology and remote fitting trends.

Kasper Knokgaard, Partner within EQT Private Equity Advisory Team, “Every year, WS Audiology helps millions of people around the world to regain or improve their hearing. The Company’s hearing aids not only improve quality of life but they also offer the possibility to change people’s economic opportunities to the better in less developed countries. EQT Private Equity is therefore proud to renew its long-term support for WS Audiology alongside its other co-investors.”

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and it closed in December 2021.

With this transaction, EQT VIII is expected to be 80-85 percent invested (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 with more than EUR 70 billion in assets under management across 27 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas with total sales of approximately EUR 29 billion and more than 175,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

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

About WS Audiology
Formed in 2019, through the merger of Sivantos and Widex, WS Audiology combines over 140 years’ experience in pioneering the use of technology to help people with hearing loss hear the sounds that make life wonderful. With truly differentiated brands like Widex, Signia, Rexton, Audio Service and Vibe, and with diverse assets across wholesale, retail, online, managed care and diagnostic solutions, we are active in over 125 markets. As a global leader, our ambition is to unlock human potential by making wonderful sound part of everyone’s life.

More info: www.wsa.com

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Blackstone Prices $1.5 Billion Senior Notes Offering

Blackstone

New York, January 3, 2022 – Blackstone (NYSE: BX) priced its offering of $500 million of 2.550% senior notes due 2032 and $1.0 billion of 3.200% senior notes due 2052 of Blackstone Holdings Finance Co. L.L.C., its indirect subsidiary. The notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Blackstone Inc. and its indirect subsidiaries, Blackstone Holdings I L.P., Blackstone Holdings AI L.P., Blackstone Holdings II L.P., Blackstone Holdings III L.P. and Blackstone Holdings IV L.P.  Blackstone intends to use the proceeds from the notes offering for general corporate purposes.

The notes were offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933.

The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and applicable state laws.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase the notes or any other securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.  This press release is being issued pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135c under the Securities Act of 1933.

Investor and Media Relations Contacts

For Investors                          For Media
Weston Tucker                      Matthew Anderson
Blackstone                              Blackstone
Tel: +1 (212) 583-5231          Tel: +1 (212) 390-2472
tucker@blackstone.com    Matthew.Anderson@blackstone.com

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Apollo Completes Merger with Athene and Finalizes Key Governance Enhancements

Fully Aligned and Capital Efficient Model Positions Apollo for Differentiated Growth and Returns

Enhanced Liquidity and Trading Profile Expected to Attract Broader, More Diversified Investor Base

NEW YORK, Jan. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo and Athene today announced the successful completion of their merger under Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO), a high-growth alternative asset manager with asset management and retirement services capabilities.

“Apollo and Athene are world-class franchises that have flourished as strategic partners, and we expect the full alignment achieved by our merger will accelerate our collective growth,” said Apollo CEO Marc Rowan. “I am thrilled to partner with experienced leaders and talented teams within both businesses that will drive our differentiated ‘One Apollo’ model forward. Together, we will continue to serve the investment return and retirement savings needs of all our clients.”

“Athene and Apollo have seen tremendous mutual benefit from our longstanding strategic relationship, and now with full alignment our value will be significantly stronger than the sum of our parts,” said Jim Belardi, CEO of Athene. “This combination is a competitive differentiator and a growth accelerant, bringing expected benefits to all of our shareholders, policyholders and important stakeholders.”

“As a combined public company, we have created a superior model to deliver highly stable and diversified earnings, to accelerate our growth, and to originate the highest quality assets for our clients. Together we articulated an attractive plan to generate $15 billion of deployable capital over the next five years and more than double our fee-related earnings. We are excited to continue executing on this plan together,” said Scott Kleinman and Jim Zelter, Co-Presidents of Apollo Asset Management.

As a result of the merger, the combined entity Apollo Global Management, Inc., led by Chief Executive Officer Marc Rowan, has two principal subsidiaries: Apollo Asset Management (formerly Apollo Global Management, Inc.), its alternative asset management business, and Athene, its retirement services business. Apollo Asset Management will continue to be led day-to-day by its Co-Presidents Scott Kleinman and Jim Zelter, while Athene will continue to be led by its CEO Jim Belardi. Apollo’s Board of Directors is led by non-executive Chair Jay Clayton and comprised of a highly qualified, diverse, and two-thirds independent group of directors representing both parts of the business. The full list of representatives can be found in the governance section of Apollo.com/stockholders.

Following the transaction, Apollo Global Management, Inc. is now the publicly traded combined entity, with approximately 600 million shares of a single class of voting stock entitled to one vote per share. Each outstanding Class A common share of Athene was exchanged for a fixed ratio of 1.149 shares of Apollo stock. The last trading day closing prices of Apollo and Athene common stock imply that the combined Apollo opens with a market capitalization of $43 billion. Management continues to expect the transaction to be credit ratings positive for all rated entities within the combined company.

As a larger and more liquid company with a single class of common stock and industry-leading corporate governance, Apollo is now eligible for inclusion in the S&P 500 index. In addition, Apollo expects the enhanced trading profile of its stock to attract a broader and diversified investor base over time.

About Apollo

Apollo is a global, high-growth alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade to private equity with a focus on three business strategies: yield, hybrid, and equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of September 30, 2021, Apollo had approximately $481 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include, but are not limited to, discussions related to Apollo’s expectations regarding the performance of its business, its liquidity and capital resources and the other non-historical statements in the discussion and analysis and expectations regarding benefits anticipated to be derived from the merger (the “Merger”) with Athene Holding Ltd. (“Athene”). These forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used in this press release, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “might,” “target,” “project,” “plan,” “seek,” “continue” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. It is possible that actual results will differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results indicated in these statements. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including risks relating to Apollo’s dependence on certain key personnel, Apollo’s ability to raise new Apollo funds, the impact of COVID-19, the impact of energy market dislocation, market conditions, and interest rate fluctuations, generally, Apollo’s ability to manage its growth, fund performance, the variability of Apollo’s revenues, net income and cash flow, Apollo’s use of leverage to finance its businesses and investments by Apollo Funds, Athene’s ability to maintain or improve financial strength ratings, the impact of Athene’s reinsurers failing to meet their assumed obligations, Athene’s ability to manage its business in a highly regulated industry, changes in Apollo’s regulatory environment and tax status, litigation risks and Apollo’s ability to recognize the benefits expected to be derived from the Merger. Apollo believes these factors include but are not limited to those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the joint proxy statement/prospectus filed by Apollo Global Management, Inc. (formerly known as Tango Holdings, Inc.) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on November 5, 2021, Apollo Asset Management Inc.’s (“AAM,” formerly known as Apollo Global Management, Inc.) Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 19, 2021 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 10, 2021, and Athene’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 19, 2021, its amendment to its annual report on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 20, 2021 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 8, 2021, as such factors may be updated from time to time in Apollo’s, AAM’s or Athene’s periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this press release and in other filings. Apollo undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. This press release does not constitute an offer of any Apollo fund.

Contacts:

For Investors:
Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations, Apollo
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com

For Media:
Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications, Apollo
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com

Amanda Carstens Steward
Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications, Athene
(515) 342 6473
Asteward@athene.com

 


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Source: Apollo Global Management, Inc.

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VES Custom Optics joins IMV Technologies Group

Montagu

IMV Technologies announced today the acquisition of VES Custom Optics (VESCO), a leading veterinary endoscopy company based in the United Kingdom. VESCO will join the companion animal business of IMV imaging, IMV Technologies’ veterinary ultrasound and diagnostic equipment division.

“We look forward to working closely with the experienced and dedicated team at VESCO.”

Gavin Mitchell, Global Companion Animal Director, IMV

Gavin Mitchell, Global Companion Animal Director for IMV imaging said, “We are delighted that VESCO has joined the IMV family. VESCO is the brand leader in the UK and has a good range of equipment backed up with an excellent service operation. We look forward to working closely with the experienced and dedicated team at VESCO.”

“Joining IMV imaging and the IMV Technologies Group gives us the very best opportunity to provide our customers with the products and services they require. We are natural partners.”

Paul Duncan, Managing Director, VESCO

Supplying rigid and flexible endoscopes for small animals and horses in the UK and Ireland, VESCO’s business has grown steadily in the last few years. Paul Duncan, Managing Director of VESCO, commented, “Joining IMV imaging and the IMV Technologies Group gives us the very best opportunity to provide our customers with the products and services they require. We are natural partners. My team and I are very excited about this next stage of our journey”.

IMV Technologies’ Board of Directors has welcomed VESCO and noted its commitment to bolster the group’s offering of veterinary imaging equipment, comprehensive services and world-class educational services to its global veterinary client base.

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Shark Tank Star Joins Forces with Cybersecurity Visionary to Form New Industry Powerhouse

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Apax
30th December 2021

Award-winning cybersecurity solutions providers Fishtech Group (“Fishtech”) and Herjavec Group (“Herjavec”) are pleased to announce their merger, backed by funds advised by Apax Partners LLP (the “Apax Funds”). The two innovative companies will operate as a single entity under a new brand to be announced in early 2022. The Apax Funds will hold a majority stake in the new company while Robert Herjavec, Founder & CEO of Herjavec Group and star of ABC’s Emmy award winning ratings giant “Shark Tank,” and Gary Fish, Founder and CEO of Fishtech Group, will each maintain significant equity in the new business.

The deal brings together the complementary strengths of both organizations, resulting in an industry powerhouse with a broad, holistic suite of best-in-class managed detection and response capabilities (MDR), professional services, and identity offerings with a global perspective to address enterprise customers’ increasingly complex information security needs. Joining the forces of Herjavec, a market leader in cloud and tech-enabled co-managed SIEM, with Fishtech, a market leader in enterprise MDR, will allow the new company to provide customers with unparalleled security and cloud expertise, driving security maturity as a competitive differentiator via advanced technology and services across the industry landscape.

At the time of the merger, the new organization brings together more than 600 security professionals operating out of 6 security operations centers (SOCs): Kansas City, Toronto, London, Ottawa, Arkansas, and Bangalore. The combined company will have one of the largest managed security engineering teams under one roof – entirely dedicated to delivering innovative solutions to enterprise clients.

Robert Herjavec, founder of Herjavec Group, will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the combined entity. Gary Fish, founder of Fishtech Group, will serve as Chairman of the Board. They will actively work to continue their track record of customer-focused success. The financial terms of the transaction (which is subject to applicable regulatory approvals) are not disclosed.

Founded in 2003 and acquired by the Apax Funds in February 2021, Herjavec has been recognized as one of the world’s most innovative cybersecurity firms and is currently ranked as the #1 MSSP in the world (Cyber Defense Magazine 2021 Top 100 MSSPs List). Fishtech was founded in 2016 to bring security to the cloud while identifying vulnerabilities and introducing next-generation solutions to help organizations minimize risk.

“We’re exceptionally proud of our results to date and even more excited about the growth to come,” said Gary Fish, CEO of Fishtech. “We’re honored that so many organizations trust Fishtech to be their managed solutions provider. With complementary offerings from Herjavec, we will transform the security industry globally.”

“We could not be more thrilled to join forces with industry pioneer Gary Fish, whom I have known for decades,” said Robert Herjavec, CEO of Herjavec Group. “We are very impressed by Fishtech’s MDR offerings and its proprietary platform built on Google Chronicle, which we consider highly differentiated. Jointly, we want to double down on the investment behind this market-leading solution and strengthen what are already deep partnerships. Having built one of the strongest tech teams in the industry and a leading portfolio of services, our customers will benefit from enhanced operations, getting stronger as we help accelerate their digital transformation.”

“We are truly excited by the combination of Herjavec and Fishtech,” said Rohan Haldea, Partner at Apax. “By putting together two best-in-class organizations, we are confident that the combined platform will become an undisputed leader in cybersecurity services in the enterprise segment and have an opportunity to redefine the market category.”

The Apax Funds, in partnership with the newly formed company’s management team, will help build on the companies’ impressive growth rates to date by enhancing international expansion efforts, continuing to invest behind differentiated technology and augmenting the talented team with additional threat intelligence and identity resources.

Polsinelli serves Fishtech Group as legal counsel and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to Herjavec Group and Apax Funds. Momentum Cyber is serving as financial advisor to Fishtech Group and BKD, LLP as tax advisor in connection with the transaction.

Company

Herjavec Group

Global media contact

Katarina Sallerfors

t: +44 20 7872 6300

Luke Charalambous

t: +44 20 7872 6300

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Agilitas backs buyout of Prodieco Advanced Engineering Solutions

Agilitas

Agilitas, the pan-European mid-market private equity firm, today announces the completion of the buyout of Prodieco Advanced Engineering Solutions (the “Company” or “Prodieco”), the largest independent global provider of high-performance blister tooling change parts for the pharmaceutical industry.

Prodieco was founded in 1962 and has been a leader in precision engineering for over 60 years, designing, manufacturing, and supplying bespoke precision blister tooling change parts for blister packaging lines for pharmaceutical, animal and consumer health market products. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, it offers high-quality and innovative solutions to its customers, with market leading delivery times and customer service. Prodieco employs in excess of 230 highly skilled people globally and provides its products and services to customers in over 55 countries across multiple continents.

The Company helps address the growing demand for oral solid dose medication and the related growing regulation around safety, such as child resistant and senior friendly, tamper proof or high barrier packaging materials. By doing so, it provides safer and more effective ways for patients to take their medication. Its unrivalled expertise stems from decades designing and manufacturing precision products for all makes and models of blister packaging lines. This equips the Company with a unique understanding and engineering insight into the best possible tool design for each unique format, where success is dependent on high integrity design and extremely precise manufacturing tolerances.

Prodieco represents the latest example of Agilitas’s approach of backing ambitious management teams in high-quality and defensible businesses, with opportunities for multi-dimensional business transformation and a strong alignment between shareholder value and fundamental positive purpose to society or the environment.

Saad Akram of Agilitas, who will be joining the Board of Prodieco, commented: “Prodieco’s state of the art products and relentless focus on quality provide a fantastic platform with which to accelerate the Company’s growth to date and bring about step changes in performance. This Company is well-positioned within a rapidly growing market, and we are excited to support the management team’s vision to become the leading independent provider of precision tooling and parts to the life sciences industry.”

Mike O’Hara, incoming CEO of Prodieco, commented: “Agilitas’s deep sector knowledge and unequivocal support of Prodieco’s mission makes them the ideal partner to take the business forward into the next phase of growth. Agilitas’s support will be crucial in realising our ambition of becoming a globally renowned brand and delivering safe and innovative precision engineered solutions to an increasing number of pharmaceutical customers globally.”

Martin Calderbank, Managing Partner of Agilitas, said: “Prodieco’s sophisticated products are essential for ensuring medicines are securely packaged and are thus a key part of protecting patients and keeping people healthy. Together with the management team, we will seek to further improve Prodieco’s ability to develop and deliver the highest-quality blister tooling solutions and hope to bring its precision engineering skills to new markets to benefit more end patients.”

Media enquiries to: Greenbrook Communications – Alex Jones, James Madsen, and Teresa Berezowski

 

+44 20 7952 2000 | agilitas@greenbrookpr.com

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Shark Tank Star Joins Forces with Cybersecurity Visionary to Form New Industry Powerhouse

Apax
30th December 2021

Award-winning cybersecurity solutions providers Fishtech Group (“Fishtech”) and Herjavec Group (“Herjavec”) are pleased to announce their merger, backed by funds advised by Apax Partners LLP (the “Apax Funds”). The two innovative companies will operate as a single entity under a new brand to be announced in early 2022. The Apax Funds will hold a majority stake in the new company while Robert Herjavec, Founder & CEO of Herjavec Group and star of ABC’s Emmy award winning ratings giant “Shark Tank,” and Gary Fish, Founder and CEO of Fishtech Group, will each maintain significant equity in the new business.

The deal brings together the complementary strengths of both organizations, resulting in an industry powerhouse with a broad, holistic suite of best-in-class managed detection and response capabilities (MDR), professional services, and identity offerings with a global perspective to address enterprise customers’ increasingly complex information security needs. Joining the forces of Herjavec, a market leader in cloud and tech-enabled co-managed SIEM, with Fishtech, a market leader in enterprise MDR, will allow the new company to provide customers with unparalleled security and cloud expertise, driving security maturity as a competitive differentiator via advanced technology and services across the industry landscape.

At the time of the merger, the new organization brings together more than 600 security professionals operating out of 6 security operations centers (SOCs): Kansas City, Toronto, London, Ottawa, Arkansas, and Bangalore. The combined company will have one of the largest managed security engineering teams under one roof – entirely dedicated to delivering innovative solutions to enterprise clients.

Robert Herjavec, founder of Herjavec Group, will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the combined entity. Gary Fish, founder of Fishtech Group, will serve as Chairman of the Board. They will actively work to continue their track record of customer-focused success. The financial terms of the transaction (which is subject to applicable regulatory approvals) are not disclosed.

Founded in 2003 and acquired by the Apax Funds in February 2021, Herjavec has been recognized as one of the world’s most innovative cybersecurity firms and is currently ranked as the #1 MSSP in the world (Cyber Defense Magazine 2021 Top 100 MSSPs List). Fishtech was founded in 2016 to bring security to the cloud while identifying vulnerabilities and introducing next-generation solutions to help organizations minimize risk.

“We’re exceptionally proud of our results to date and even more excited about the growth to come,” said Gary Fish, CEO of Fishtech. “We’re honored that so many organizations trust Fishtech to be their managed solutions provider. With complementary offerings from Herjavec, we will transform the security industry globally.”

“We could not be more thrilled to join forces with industry pioneer Gary Fish, whom I have known for decades,” said Robert Herjavec, CEO of Herjavec Group. “We are very impressed by Fishtech’s MDR offerings and its proprietary platform built on Google Chronicle, which we consider highly differentiated. Jointly, we want to double down on the investment behind this market-leading solution and strengthen what are already deep partnerships. Having built one of the strongest tech teams in the industry and a leading portfolio of services, our customers will benefit from enhanced operations, getting stronger as we help accelerate their digital transformation.”

“We are truly excited by the combination of Herjavec and Fishtech,” said Rohan Haldea, Partner at Apax. “By putting together two best-in-class organizations, we are confident that the combined platform will become an undisputed leader in cybersecurity services in the enterprise segment and have an opportunity to redefine the market category.”

The Apax Funds, in partnership with the newly formed company’s management team, will help build on the companies’ impressive growth rates to date by enhancing international expansion efforts, continuing to invest behind differentiated technology and augmenting the talented team with additional threat intelligence and identity resources.

Polsinelli serves Fishtech Group as legal counsel and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to Herjavec Group and Apax Funds. Momentum Cyber is serving as financial advisor to Fishtech Group and BKD, LLP as tax advisor in connection with the transaction.

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Carlyle to Acquire, Expand Data Center Company Involta

Carlyle

NEW YORK and CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Dec. 22, 2021 — Global investment firm Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) announced today that funds managed by Carlyle have agreed to acquire Involta, a data center company focused on hybrid IT and cloud infrastructure, including data center colocation, hybrid cloud, edge, fiber, and related products.

Involta owns and operates 12 data center facilities and an in-house 12,000+ fiber-mile network. These assets, paired with strategic infrastructure services, provide mission-critical IT solutions to businesses across the United States. Carlyle’s capital, resources, and expertise will help expand Involta’s operations, which today are located primarily in the Midwest as well as the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern U.S., helping grow its capabilities for both new and existing customers.

Joshua Pang, Head of Digital Infrastructure for Carlyle’s Infrastructure Group, said, “Involta has built a world-class platform with a demonstrated operating model for delivering high-quality service to customers in an increasingly complex, hybrid cloud-based world. We see significant opportunity for growth given the long-term secular demand drivers of data proliferation, digital connectivity, and the digitization of enterprise and institutional operating models. We look forward to a strong, long-term partnership and to leveraging Carlyle’s scale, resources, and access to capital to drive sustainable growth at Involta.”

Pooja Goyal, Chief Investment Officer of Carlyle’s Infrastructure Group, said, “This investment is consistent with our strategy of partnering with best-in-class businesses positioned for continued growth in the digital infrastructure space. Digital infrastructure is a key sector focus for our platform and we will continue to grow our portfolio with both high growth opportunities as well as stabilized assets.”

Bruce Lehrman, Founder and CEO of Involta, said, “We are thrilled to work with Carlyle’s proven investment team as we build on our national market leadership and support our customers’ growing digital infrastructure requirements. We see many logical opportunities to continue expanding Involta’s footprint and infrastructure, and look forward to leveraging Carlyle’s global resources and deep expertise to further accelerate our growth momentum.”

This transaction supports Carlyle’s growth in infrastructure investing, which includes investments in infrastructure companies supporting the digital economy. Earlier this year, Carlyle acquired Wyyerd Group, a leading regional fiber-to-home platform in the Southwestern United States, and recently completed an add-on fiber acquisition for that platform in December 2021.

Carlyle will acquire Involta from M/C Partners. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022 and is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Financial details were not disclosed.

Greenberg Traurig LLP, Bank Street Group, and TD Securities advised on this transaction.

* * * * *

About Carlyle

Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Global Investment Solutions. With $293 billion of assets under management as of September 30, 2021, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs more than 1,800 people in 26 offices across five continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on Twitter @OneCarlyle.

About Involta

Involta is an award-winning hybrid IT and cloud-forward consulting firm orchestrating digital transformation for the nation’s leading enterprises. Involta’s ongoing mission is rooted in partnership. Its personalized approach identifies customers’ requirements while earning their trust to ultimately deliver Superior Infrastructure and Services, Operational Excellence and People Who Deliver, keeping with the Involta brand promise.

Involta pairs strategic consulting with the unique ability to leverage owned data centers and infrastructure assets, empowering businesses with necessary security and reliability requirements. Its well-defined, rigorous process to deliver hybrid cloud, edge, consulting, and data center services have earned the company several designations, including a KLAS rating and review for partial healthcare IT outsourcing excellence. The company has also been recognized on several CRN lists and has been named one of the fastest-growing companies in America by Inc.5000 for nine consecutive years.

Involta enables customers with the power to transform their technology and the freedom to focus on their core business. To learn more about Involta, visit involta.com or follow them on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.

About M/C Partners

M/C Partners is a private equity firm focused on small and mid-size businesses in the digital infrastructure and technology services sectors. For more than three decades M/C Partners has invested $2.4 billion of capital in over 140 companies, leveraging its deep industry expertise to understand long-term secular trends and identify growth opportunities. The firm is currently investing its eighth fund, partnering with promising companies and leadership teams to support, scale, and improve operations and maximize value. For more information, visit https://mcpartners.com.

Media contacts

Christa Zipf
Carlyle
Christa.zipf@carlyle.com
347-621-8967

Sheetal Werneke
JSA for Involta
1.866.695.3629
jsa_involta@jsa.net

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Linden Closes Oversubscribed Fund V, Raises $3 Billion of LP Commitments

Linden

Chicago, Illinois (December 23, 2021) – Linden Capital Partners (“Linden”), a leading healthcare private equity firm, today announced the closing for its fifth buyout fund, Linden Capital Partners V (“Fund V”). Similar to prior Linden buyout raises, this fundraise was oversubscribed above its hard cap of $3.0 billion of limited partner commitments.

“We are grateful for our investors’ support as we seek to create exceptional companies and deliver attractive returns,” said Tony Davis, Linden’s President and Managing Partner. “As one of the largest and longest-standing dedicated healthcare private equity firms, we believe we’re well-positioned to continue to execute our investment strategy over the course of Fund V.”

Since Linden Capital Partners’ founding in 2004, the firm has focused on middle-market healthcare investments across services, products, and distribution. Linden seeks to create long-term sustainable growth by implementing proprietary value creation programs, emphasizing human capital, and leveraging integrated financial and operating experience. Over the last several years, Linden has strategically built out its team, which has grown to 42 professionals, including a buyout investment team of 20 professionals. In addition to its buyout funds, Linden also manages a non-control, structured capital fund, which closed in June 2021.

“We’re extremely pleased with this outcome, especially in such a crowded fundraising environment,” added Katie Kornel, Linden’s Investor Relations Partner. “With this raise, we continued to diversify our investor base, which now includes investors from over 20 countries. We’re honored to manage capital on behalf of some of the world’s largest and most sophisticated institutions.”

Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisors, and PJT Park Hill served as placement advisor.

About Linden Capital Partners

Linden Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry. Founded in 2004, Linden is one of the country’s largest dedicated healthcare private equity firms. Linden’s strategy is based upon three elements: (i) healthcare specialization, (ii) integrated private equity and operating expertise, and (iii) its differentiated human capital program. Linden invests in middle market platforms in the medical products, specialty distribution, pharmaceutical, and services segments of healthcare. Since its founding, Linden has invested in over 40 healthcare companies encompassing over 200 total transactions. The firm has raised over $6 billion in limited partner commitments since inception. For more information, please visit www.lindenllc.com.

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