IK Partners enters exclusive negotiations to sell Exxelia to HEICO

IK Partners

IK Partners (“IK”) is pleased to announce that an affiliate of the IK VII Fund (“IK VII”) has entered into a put option agreement to sell its stake in Exxelia (“the Company”) to global aerospace business HEICO Corporation (NYSE: HEI and HEI.A) (“HEICO”).

Founded in 2009 from the merger of five long-established companies and headquartered in Paris, France, Exxelia is a leading manufacturer of complex passive components and precision subsystems for niche highly demanding industrial markets (defence, space, aviation, energy, transport, medical and telecommunications) where product reliability and superior performance is of utmost importance. Exxelia is recognised for its ability to design standard and custom products meeting complex technical specifications and the most stringent qualification procedures.

The Company operates from 11 manufacturing sites with more than 2,100 employees and serves blue-chip customers in more than 50 countries. It offers a comprehensive product range (capacitors, inductors, resistors, filters, position sensors and rotary joints) embedded into many programmes in partnership with its blue-chip customer base.

Since IK investment in Exxelia in 2015, the Company has successfully executed its strategic agenda, implementing an ambitious operational transformation plan and expanding its product portfolio and geographical reach through M&A. With the support of its new shareholder, Exxelia will be able to strengthen its operational excellence and innovation capabilities, pursue its international organic and M&A growth strategy and accelerate its development.

Paul Maisonnier, CEO of Exxelia, commented: “We are excited to embark on a new stage of development with HEICO. We really appreciate the values of the Mendelson Family, which match perfectly those of Exxelia. Our goal to develop Exxelia into a world leader in Hi-Rel passive components and sub-systems for harsh environments, serving the aeronautic, defence, space and medical markets will be accelerated under the Heico umbrella. Together we will strengthen our innovation and operational capabilities and accelerate our internationalisation strategy. We thank IK for their support over the past years, which has enabled us to establish a solid platform to support our ambitions for global growth.”

Dan Soudry, Managing Partner at IK Partners and Advisor to the IK VII Fund, and Diki Korniloff, Partner at IK Partners, added: “As shareholders of Exxelia since 2015, we are very pleased to have been able to support its very talented management team through the various stages of transformation, structuring and growth of the Company, doubling its employee base to more than 2,100 people and leading to a strong increase in investment in R&D and in its manufacturing footprint. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish the team and HEICO all the very best for the future.”

Laurans A. Mendelson, HEICO’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, along with Victor H. Mendelson, HEICO’s Co-President and CEO of its Electronic Technologies Group, commented: “We are ecstatic that such a fine company, with its remarkable team members, management and products, will be part of HEICO and we look forward to welcoming them to the HEICO family. While furthering HEICO’s strategy of expanding our already impressive range of mission-critical and high-reliability components for the most demanding applications, Exxelia also provides HEICO with added broad geographic and product diversity, including in the important European market.”

Following consultation of employee representative bodies, completion of the transaction would be subject to antitrust and regulatory approvals, notably in France.

About IK Partners

IK Partners (“IK”) is a European private equity firm focused on investments in the Benelux, DACH, France, Nordics and the UK. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €14 billion of capital and invested in 170 European companies. IK supports companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects. For more information, visit www.ikpartners.com

About Exxelia

Exxelia was born from the merger of five long-established companies with complementary know-how (Eurofarad, Firadec, Sic Safco, Microspire et Astema) then joined by Temex, Dearborn, N’Ergy, Raf Tabtronics, DeYoung, Micropen and Alcon Electronics. Exxelia is a manufacturer of complex passive components and innovative subsystems, designed to withstand severe environments. Exxelia’s products are mainly used in power electronics, energy generation and storage, filtering and signal processing. Exxelia operates in advanced industrial markets such as defence, space, aviation, energy, transport, medical and telecommunications. Exxelia employs approximately 2,100 people and is expected to generate approximately €190 million in revenue in FY 2022.
https://exxelia.com/en/

About HEICO

HEICO Corporation is engaged primarily in the design, production, servicing and distribution of products and services to the aviation, defence, space, medical, telecommunications and electronics industries through its Hollywood, Florida-based Flight Support Group and its Miami, Florida-based Electronic Technologies Group. HEICO’s customers include a majority of the world’s airlines and overhaul shops, as well as numerous defence and space contractors and military agencies worldwide, in addition to medical, telecommunications and electronics equipment manufacturers. For more information about HEICO, please visit our website at www.heico.com

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CD&R to acquire Atalian and OCS to form a Global Facilities Management Platform

Clayton Dubilier Rice

Platform Forged with Two Leading Family-Owned Businesses

Atalian OCS Logo
Thursday, July 28, 2022
London and New York

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (“CD&R”) announced agreements under which CD&R Fund XI and affiliates will acquire the Facilities Services business of OCS Group (“OCS”) and have made a binding and irrevocable offer to acquire Atalian, approval of which is subject to the information and consultation requirements of its works councils. The transactions will create a global facilities management (“FM”) platform centered around two leading family-owned businesses.

The platform will be a global FM player with a leading presence in Europe and Asia-Pacific across cleaning, security, catering, and multi-technical services, among others.

“We are excited by the opportunities that the creation of this platform represents,” said Christian Rochat, CD&R Partner. “Both companies operate in established markets with steady long-term trends. They fit well together with similar values and customer-focused philosophies. We look forward to supporting the teams in developing a leading FM platform with an enhanced customer proposition, drive growth and operating excellence.”

The acquisitions are subject to the above-mentioned conditions and clearance from the relevant regulatory authorities. They are expected to be completed in the second half of 2022.

About Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
Founded in 1978, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is a private investment firm with a strategy predicated on building stronger, more profitable businesses. Since inception, CD&R has managed the investment of more than $40 billion in more than 100 companies with an aggregate transaction value of more than $175 billion. The Firm has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.cdr-inc.com.

About Atalian
Atalian is one of the world leaders in Facility Management. An independent company established across four continents, Atalian supports organisations in the outsourcing of services for buildings. The company offers cleaning, catering, security, and other building services. Atalian operates in the most diverse business sectors and environments with a global and integrated range of services that meet the highest requirements. For more information, please visit atalian.com.

About OCS Facilities Services
OCS delivers critical and essential services to support more than 20,000 customers to keep their businesses running 24 hours a day. From offices and hospitals to stadiums and retail parks, to manufacturing plants, airports and courtrooms, OCS protects assets and people, delivering services to customers across multiple sectors in communities every day. 68,000 colleagues expertly deliver an essential and comprehensive range of facilities management services internationally, including in the UK, Ireland, Middle East, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia and Bangladesh. For more information, please visit www.ocs.com.

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Oakley capital agrees partial exit from Seedtag

Oakley

Oakley Capital (“Oakley”) is pleased to announce that Oakley Capital Origin Fund (“Origin”) has reached an agreement to sell part of its stake in Seedtag to private equity investor Advent International (“Advent”).

Seedtag

Founded by Jorge Poyatos and Albert Nieto in Madrid in 2014, Seedtag is the leader in contextual advertising in EMEA and LATAM.

Seedtag
Seedtag – The leading contextual advertising platform in Europe and LATAM.

The Company helps brands and agencies deliver digital advertising that is directly relevant to the content that readers are consuming, meeting growing market demand for cookie-less solutions that protect brands and prioritise consumer privacy.

Oakley Capital

Oakley leveraged its deep media expertise and strong track record growing digital businesses to invest in Seedtag in 2021, attracted by its proprietary AI technology and entrepreneurial team, and in order to support the company’s international expansion.

Since 2021, Oakley has supported Seedtag’s launch into North America as well as the strategic acquisition of KMTX (previously Keymantics), a leading French company specialised in building AI models to optimise and automate performance marketing campaigns.

During Oakley’s ownership, Seedtag has grown revenues and earnings significantly ahead of forecast.

Quote Jorge Poyatos and Albert Nieto

In partnership with Oakley, we have made strong progress in our business plan, driving top-line growth, pursuing strategic acquisitions and further professionalising the business. We see tremendous opportunity to grow Seedtag further as profound changes in the advertising industry drive demand for our contextual advertising services that enhance both brand awareness and security. We look forward to partnering with Advent and Oakley to take full advantage of these opportunities.

Jorge Poyatos and Albert Nieto

Co-Founders and Co-CEOs — Seedtag

Quote Peter Dubens

What first attracted us to invest behind Seedtag were two highly ambitious, ex-Google entrepreneurs with a vision to create a leader in advertising technology, and a market-leading product that addressed the increasing focus on consumer privacy. This is a terrific combination that has delivered strong outcomes. We are pleased to continue our partnership with Jorge and Albert, and welcome Advent as together we position the company for the next stage of its growth plan. Seedtag remains Oakley’s third platform investment in Iberia, a cornerstone region for the firm, alongside market-leading property portal idealista and business software provider Grupo Primavera.

Peter Dubens

Managing Partner — Oakley Capital

Advent International

Partnering with Advent will enable Seedtag to leverage its significant expertise in marketing and data, accelerate its expansion into the US, the world’s largest advertising market, as well as provide additional firepower for additional M&A and investment in the company’s contextual product suite.

Jorge Poyatos and Albert Nieto will continue to lead Seedtag from both its Spanish and US headquarters.

Seedtag has established itself as a leading player in Europe and Latin America in the very dynamic contextual advertising sector. We are delighted to partner with Jorge and Albert as they continue to build on this momentum. With our international presence and deep sector expertise, Advent will work with the Seedtag management team to further expand the business internationally. We look forward to supporting this hugely exciting business to grow and scale-up and to taking it to the next level.

Gonzalo Santos

Managing Director and Head of Spain — Advent International

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Riverside in a Class of Its Own

Riverside

The Riverside Company, a global private investor focused on the smaller end of the middle market, has invested in Rockpointe, Inc. (Rockpointe), a premier healthcare education company. Rockpointe is a provider of accredited continuing education activities and related training for healthcare professionals. The acquisition is an add-on to Riverside’s portfolio company Clinical Education Alliance (CEA).

Rockpointe develops educational materials that are delivered either virtually or in-person and primarily generates revenue through grants from customers such as pharmaceutical sponsors, with no cost to training attendees. The company’s multi-channel offerings include regional events, online education and webinars across high-science therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, and cardiology.

“We are delighted to join forces with the leadership team at Rockpointe,” said Riverside Capital Appreciation Fund (RCAF) Co-Chief Investment Officer Peter Tsang. “This company brings a strong Primary Care audience – an area that CEA has been looking to expand into – as well as added scale in high-growth, high-science therapeutic areas.”

The acquisition of Rockpointe is the second add-on for Riverside’s CEA platform, following the purchase of MDOutlook, a provider of precision intelligence solutions that help life sciences companies develop and commercialise therapeutics and diagnostics in oncology, in July 2021.

This is one more example of Riverside’s dedication to its Education & Training and Healthcare specializations. The firm has invested in more than 270 platform and add-on companies in these two sectors since 1988 as part of its private equity and structured capital strategies.

“Rockpointe has significant scientific talent, new supporter and association relationships, and new service and product offerings,” said Riverside Vice President Mark Fishman. “We believe this investment will be highly accretive for CEA and enhance our ability to positively impact patient lives.”

Riverside invested in CEA, a provider of interactive live and web-based certified continuing medical education activities and related training for healthcare professionals, in December 2020, with a plan to expand its range of therapeutic areas and end user base, diversify its service offering outside of grant-funded CME training, and improve the company’s technology offering.

“We are thrilled to join CEA. This union provides our healthcare professional network with expanded educational content and access to the industry-leading learning and content portal. We look forward to extending our educational reach globally within the CEA network. It is a natural fit that supports our mission of providing education to improve patient outcomes,” said Tom Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of Rockpointe.

Working alongside Tsang and Fishman on the investment for Riverside were Partner Jason Fulton, Associate Abeer Irfan, Associate Peter Muncey, Operating Partner J.P. Fingado. Operating Finance Executive David Kralic and Capital Markets Senior Partner Anne Hayes. Regional Director Origination, Will Davis, sourced the investment for Riverside.

Muellerholly BKG 300X450 Holly Mueller Consultant, Global Marketing and Communications Cleveland +1 216 535 2236

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Oakley Capital agrees strategic combination of Grupo Primavera with Cegid

Oakley

Oakley Capital (“Oakley”) is pleased to announce that Oakley Capital Fund III (“Fund III”) has agreed the strategic combination of Grupo Primavera, the leading business software provider in Iberia, with Cegid, a leading provider of cloud-based management solutions.

Grupo Primavera News 2

As part of the transaction, Fund III will increase its stake in Grupo Primavera and roll over its equity into Cegid. The all-share transaction values the combined company at approximately €6.8 billion.

Oakley acquired Ekon as a standalone platform in 2019, and assembled a group management team to lead an intensive buy and build strategy. With that team Oakley acquired 11 further companies, including the transformative acquisition of Primavera in 2021, to form the newly enlarged Grupo Primavera.

Through acquisitions as well as investment in product innovation and talent, Grupo Primavera has performed well ahead of its business plan, becoming Iberia’s largest software platform in just three years.

Icons8 User Groups

Grupo Primavera has 800 employees based in five countries

Icons8 Receive Cash

Serves 165k paying customers

Icons8 Sales Performance

Delivered €76 million of revenue in 2021

Grupo Primavera

Today, Grupo Primavera has 800 employees based in five countries, serves 165,000 paying customers, and delivered €76 million of revenue in 2021.

The company offers a wide range of cloud-based software solutions covering Invoicing, Accounting, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). These offerings serve small businesses and mid-market segments across Spain, Portugal, and Africa, with a particularly strong footprint among accounting professionals. Together, Grupo Primavera and Cegid will have pro forma revenue in the Iberia region of more than €150 million this year.

Quote Santiago Solanas

We are strongly aligned with Cegid’s vision and ambition and have long admired the company. Like Cegid, we have an entrepreneurial and passionate culture with a focus on product excellence, a commitment to customers, and an exciting vision for growth. This is a powerful partnership that will allow us to combine resources and expertise, bringing customers new products and continued innovation, as well as building on our proven track record to expand and integrate new talent and approaches to market needs. Both Cegid and Grupo Primavera share a mission to grow our ecosystem and to offer our combined customers, channel partners, colleagues, and communities renewed value.

Santiago Solanas

CEO — Grupo Primavera

Quote Peter Dubens

In partnership with Oakley, Grupo Primavera has grown to become a leading player in the Iberian market for business software. Now under the stewardship of both highly experienced management teams and committed shareholders, Cegid and Grupo Primavera are poised to accelerate a global growth strategy with a focus on market expansion and cross sell opportunities. We look forward to being a part of this new chapter for both companies and the significant potential that lies ahead.

Peter Dubens

Managing Partner — Oakley Capital

Cegid

Cegid is a global leading provider of cloud business management solutions for finance (treasury, tax, ERP), human resources (payroll, talent management), CPAs, retail and entrepreneurial sectors.

With 350,000 clients, the business is focused on large and SMB customers, operating in 130 countries across the globe and its installed base is already close to fully migrated to Cloud. Cegid has a strong track record of double-digit organic growth with a high proportion of recurring revenues, underpinned by the SaaS transition of its customer base and new client acquisitions in the Cloud, and investments in next-generation cloud products.

Joining forces with Grupo Primavera is an immense opportunity for both companies and our respective clients. Like Cegid, Grupo Primavera offers useful and innovative solutions to partners and customers in the cloud, and has achieved impressive growth specifically across Spain, Portugal, and Africa. We share an inspiring vision for the future driven by continuous product and technology innovation, and Cegid is fully committed to investing in the combined company’s continued growth. We look forward to working closely with Santiago and the talented team at Grupo Primavera to bring value to a more global customer base.

Pascal Houillon

CEO — Cegid

The combination of Cegid and Grupo Primavera underscores Cegid’s position as a leading provider of cloud-based management solutions.

The addition of Grupo Primavera firmly establishes Cegid’s leadership in Iberia and offers exciting expansion opportunities for Grupo Primavera by leveraging Cegid’s presence in Latin America.

Upon close, Silver Lake will remain the majority shareholder of the combined company. Oakley Capital will join KKR and AltaOne as minority shareholders in the combined company. Together, these shareholders will partner with Cegid CEO Pascal Houillon, Grupo Primavera CEO Santiago Solanas, and the rest of the management team in Cegid’s next phase of growth.

Through our investment and strategic development executed since 2016, Cegid has become a pan European and global player with strong positions in multiple geographies including France, Spain, and Portugal, with important market presence in 12 other countries and selling in more than 130 countries. We are excited about the growth prospects of the combined group and by the creation of the Iberian market leader in the business software space, reinforcing Cegid’s existing position on a broader global scale. The market for digitisation solutions in the European mid-market, namely through financial management software, is large and growing meaningfully, and the combined company will be uniquely positioned to capitalize on this opportunity as it continues to expand.

Christian Lucas

Co-head — Silver Lake EMEA / Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors — Cegid

Upon closing of the transaction, Mr. Solanas and his entire management team will join Cegid, with Mr. Solanas reporting directly to Mr. Houillon.

The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2022, and as is customary, remains subject to the information and consultation processes of the relevant employee representative bodies in accordance with applicable laws.

Oakley was advised by Evercore (M&A), PWC (financial & tax), Paul Hastings and Uría Menéndez (legal).

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First acquisition for Waterland investment LionsHome: Fashiola strengthens leading commerce content platform

Waterland

LionsHome, operator of one of Europe’s leading product comparison platforms in the home & living vertical, realizes its first growth partnership in cooperation with investment group Waterland Private Equity. In February 2022, Waterland acquired a majority stake in the Berlin-based group. The current acquisition of Fashiola forms a cornerstone of a long-term buy-&-build strategy to establish LionsHome as a leading, pan-European commerce content group and already brings the group up to more than 100 million visits per year. The seller of the stake is online classifieds company Lifull Connect; its current Head of Tech, Javier Pérez, as well as Head of Operations, Macarena Quinzaños, will continue to lead the company in the future. Further financial details of the transaction will not be disclosed.

Fashiola and its Dutch sister-brand Kleding.nl were founded in 2012. The company aggregates the online offering of a wide range of leading fashion brands into a unique product comparison platform, enabling its customers to quickly and easily discover and compare high-quality clothing, footwear as well as accessories. Today, the company is active in more than 20 countries, and with more than 60 million visits per year it is one of the leading international product comparison platforms in the fashion sector.

LionsHome GmbH was founded in 2014 by Christoph Königer and Michael Röcker in Berlin and is currently active in ten countries. With about 40 million visits per year, LionsHome is one of the leading product comparison platforms in the European home & living vertical. In addition to household and office furniture, LionsHome also offers a wide range of accessories, decorative items, lamps, garden furniture and much more.

In February 2022, Waterland entered a partnership with LionsHome and initiated a long-term growth campaign. The acquisition of Fashiola now marks the first strategic cornerstone for developing LionsHome into a comprehensive commerce content platform, which aggregates a wide range of digital publishing models under one umbrella. In addition to the existing focus on the home & living vertical, the partnership with Fashiola drives the expansion of LionsHome into its second e-commerce vertical: fashion and accessories.

“We are very pleased to welcome Fashiola into the LionsHome group. With this acquisition, we are not only able to realize our first add-on within a very short timeframe. Combining our strengths and using them to expand our second e-commerce verticals at an international scale also marks a significant milestone of our growth journey”, says LionsHome CEO Michael Roecker.

“Fashiola has recorded monumental growth over the past two years. Having worked directly with the team during this time, I could not be prouder of their accomplishments,” Mauricio Silber, CEO LIFULL Connect, explains. “The most exciting aspect is the fact Fashiola is only beginning to reach its full potential. However, fashion is not part of our core strategy at LIFULL Connect, so it was hugely important for us to find a partner who could help the brand continue its promising trajectory. LionsHome was a perfect match in that regard.”

“With a very ambitious team, LionsHome is already today one of the leading and fastest-growing product comparison platforms in the European home & living vertical. The partnership with Fashiola, which is an international leader for product comparison in the fashion industry, is a cornerstone for LionsHome to build a digital publishing platform focused on commerce content.”, says Dr. Carsten Rahlfs, Managing Partner at Waterland.

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Stairlift producer Otolift brings investor NPM Capital on board

NPM Capital

Bergambacht, Koninklijke Otolift Trapliften, the Dutch market leader in the development, production, installation and maintenance of stairlifts, has reached an agreement with investment company NPM Capital to welcome them as a new shareholder. The family business, which was founded in 1891 and is currently led by its fourth generation, will bring a new family on board with NPM Capital, part of the multinational and family-owned company SHV.

With this transaction, Otolift does not only secure its shareholder base for the long term: the company will also be empowered to accelerate its current international expansion strategy and its growth in designated export markets. The family business exports stairlifts to 48 countries through its expansive dealership network and has multiple offices in the Netherlands, as well as local sales offices in Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Over the last few years, Otolift benefitted from elevated sales and rentals of new and secondhand stairlifts. Under the leadership of the current Board, consisting of Jan Otto, André and Alex Ooms (the great grandchildren of founder Otto Ooms), Otolift grew into a significant European player with a total annual revenue of over €150M in 2021. Spread out over the company headquarters and the 15,000 square metre production hall in Bergambacht, the Netherlands, a second production site in Slovakia, and the company’s various daughter companies, the family business now employs approximately 700 people. In addition, the company has an expansive European service network: within the Netherlands alone, over 110 mechanics are on call to provide 24/7 service.

Otolift sees opportunities for growth in international markets, which can be capitalised on by opening new sales offices, among other things. Achieving this growth also requires further professionalisation of the business. “We believe we will be able to take this step faster, better, and more easily with an external investor on board. NPM Capital has the means, the knowhow, the long-term vision and the commitment to bring Otolift to a new stage of growth. The fact that NPM understands the dynamics of a family business is very appealing to us. NPM has a great deal of experience supporting companies of our type and size, with similar potential and growth ambitions. And they are familiar with the complexity and professionalisation efforts involved with that,” said the three Ooms brothers in a shared statement.

Innovative
Otolift is known to be very innovative. The company was the first to use production techniques like CNC-controlled lathes, robots, and lasers. Otolift developed its own app in-house, enabling sales consultants to accurately measure – down to the millimetre – any staircase within twenty minutes. A built-in Augmented Reality (AR) option then shows the customer precisely how the stairlift would look once installed. In 2016, the company launched the Otolift Modul-Air, a fully modular stairlift that enabled significant reductions of lead times. The rail is also unique: it is the most slender single rail in the world.

Otolift has won several awards in recent years, including the Smart Manufacturing Award and the Red Dot Design Award for the design of its stairlift.

Rutger Ruigrok, Managing Director of NPM Capital commented: “We consider the quality, sustainability and reusability of Otolift’s stairlifts to be major assets for the further growth of the business. Otolift is very accessible to end users as well, thanks to its short delivery times and its stairlifts’ compatibility with any type of staircase. This investment aligns perfectly with our strategic investment theme ‘Healthy Life’. As stairlifts enable growing numbers of people to live an independent life in their own homes and in their familiar environments for a longer time. We are impressed by the knowledge, expertise and engagement of Otolift’s teams and we look forward to working with them to help the company achieve further growth.”

The closing of the planned transaction is subject to the usual conditions applicable to transactions of this nature. The parties involved will not disclose any financial details of the acquisition.

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EQT Life Sciences announces its portfolio company NewAmsterdam Pharma going public

eqt

Leading institutional investors commit $235 million through an oversubscribed and upsized private investment in public equity (“PIPE”) led by Frazier Healthcare Partners and Bain Capital Life Sciences.

Total proceeds expected to bring pro forma cash balance to at least $470 million; expected to extend cash runway of NewAmsterdam through 2026, funding all expected pre-approval milestones for lead candidate obicetrapib, including readouts of Phase 3 PREVAIL study, a global cardiovascular outcomes trial (“CVOT”) and two other pivotal Phase 3 studies.

NewAmsterdam’s lead therapeutic candidate, obicetrapib, is a next-generation oral, low-dose and once-daily CETP inhibitor for which promising safety and >50% LDL-lowering efficacy has been observed on top of high-intensity statins in patients with dyslipidemia through Phase 2b, which could potentially serve a global population of over 30 million patients with unmet medical need in cardiovascular disease.

NewAmsterdam shareholders, Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: FLAC) shareholders and PIPE investors will hold ordinary shares in a newly formed company, NewAmsterdam Pharma Company N.V., which is expected to list its ordinary shares on Nasdaq under the ticker “NAMS”.

Merger expected to be completed in the second half of 2022.

EQT Life Sciences is happy to announce that its portfolio company NewAmsterdam Pharma Holding B.V. is entering into a merger agreement with Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation to create a publicly listed company focused on transformative oral therapies for major cardiometabolic diseases.

NewAmsterdam Pharma Holding B.V. (“Company”), a late clinical-stage company focused on the research and development of transformative oral therapies for major cardiometabolic diseases, and Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation (“FLAC”), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of Frazier Healthcare Partners, today announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, a newly formed holding company, NewAmsterdam Pharma Company N.V. (“NewAmsterdam”) will be led by Michael Davidson, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of the Company. NewAmsterdam’s ordinary shares are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “NAMS.”

NewAmsterdam is expected to receive approximately $235 million from an upsized and oversubscribed PIPE at $10.00 per share plus funds held in FLAC’s trust account following any redemptions. The PIPE was upsized from the initial target of $100 million due to significant investor demand. The PIPE was co-led by Frazier Healthcare Partners and Bain Capital Life Sciences, and includes new investors RA Capital Management, GMT Capital, Medicxi Ventures, Panacea Venture and other institutional investors, in addition to existing NewAmsterdam shareholders Forbion, LSP Dementia Fund and Morningside Ventures. The proceeds from this transaction, combined with the upfront payment of $123 million (€115 million) received from NewAmsterdam’s recently announced licensing agreement with the Menarini Group and NewAmsterdam’s existing cash and cash equivalents, would bring NewAmsterdam’s total pro forma cash balance to at least $470 million, which the Company believes would be sufficient to fund operations through 2026, beyond the readout of NewAmsterdam’s Phase 3 PREVAIL CVOT study and two other pivotal Phase 3 studies.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to approval by FLAC’s shareholders and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary closing conditions. The Boards of Directors of both the Company and FLAC have unanimously approved the transaction. Following the close of the transaction, James Topper, M.D., Ph.D., Managing Partner at Frazier Healthcare Partners and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of FLAC, and Nicholas Downing, M.D., Principal at Bain Capital Life Sciences, will join the NewAmsterdam Board of Directors.

“Today’s announcement marks a major milestone for NewAmsterdam. We believe that the transaction, if consummated, would provide us with the necessary capital to fund our business through 2026 and beyond multiple Phase 3 data readouts for obicetrapib, including our ongoing cardiovascular outcomes trial, and a potential global product launch,” said Dr. Davidson. “Cardiovascular disease remains a significant unmet need and is the number one cause of death in western countries, with high LDL levels being the chief culprit responsible for adverse outcomes and two-thirds of patients not reaching LDL goals despite the wide availability of statins. Adding a potential new convenient oral therapy that has been observed to confer an additional 51% of LDL-lowering on top of high dose statins could transform the treatment paradigm for this large patient population. We are grateful to the FLAC team, as well as our new and existing investors, for their support throughout this transaction and look forward to a continued partnership as we mature into a publicly traded company and pursue our mission of improving patient care globally for this large patient population with substantial unmet need despite existing therapies.”

“We founded FLAC in hopes of acquiring a therapeutics-focused company with near-term inflection points, experienced and highly credentialed leadership and sufficient capital to support planned operations well into the future,” said James Topper, M.D., Ph.D., Managing Partner at Frazier Healthcare Partners and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of FLAC. “We have found exactly this in NewAmsterdam. NewAmsterdam’s lead program, obicetrapib, is a potentially first- and best-in-class once-daily, oral CETP inhibitor, for which potent LDL-lowering activity on top of high-intensity statins and a positive safety and tolerability profile have been observed in clinical trials. We congratulate NewAmsterdam on their recent success in securing a $1B+ partnership with the Menarini Group for Europe and we are eager to support NewAmsterdam’s world-class team as it advances obicetrapib through Phase 3 development and aims to deliver a new transformative oral therapy to the tens of millions of people worldwide who remain at high-risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event, despite the availability of statins and other prescription therapies.”

Proceeds from the transaction are expected to provide NewAmsterdam with the capital needed to further develop obicetrapib through several value-creating clinical and regulatory milestones, including the following:

  • Data from the ongoing Phase 3 BROADWAY trial of obicetrapib in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (“HeFH”) and/or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (“ASCVD”) who require additional lowering of low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (“LDL-C”) on top of high intensity statins in 2024;
  • Data from the ongoing Phase 3 BROOKLYN trial of obicetrapib in adults with HeFH, whose LDL-C is not adequately controlled despite being on maximally tolerated lipid-modifying therapies in 2024;
  • Data from the ongoing Phase 3 PREVAIL study, a global cardiovascular outcomes trial, in patients with ASCVD who have inadequate control of their LDL-C despite being on maximally tolerated lipid-modifying therapies in 2026;
  • Data from the ongoing Phase 2b ROSE2 trial, evaluating the combination of obicetrapib with ezetimibe as an adjunct to high-intensity statin therapy in 2023;
  • Potential new drug application filings for obicetrapib in the United States, Europe, Japan and China and potential commercial launch.

Summary of Transaction
The closing of the business combination would bring NewAmsterdam’s total pro forma cash balance to at least $470 million, in addition to a total enterprise value to $326 million.

Current Company shareholders are converting 100% of their existing equity interests into ordinary shares of NewAmsterdam. In addition to the funds held in FLAC’s trust account following any redemptions, an additional group of premier healthcare investors has committed to participate in the transaction through an oversubscribed and upsized PIPE of approximately $235 million at $10.00 per share.

The Boards of Directors of both the Company and FLAC have unanimously approved the proposed transaction, which is expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to the approval by FLAC’s shareholders and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary closing conditions.

The description of the business combination contained herein is only a high-level summary. Additional information about the transaction will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by FLAC with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and will be available at www.sec.gov. In addition, NewAmsterdam intends to file a registration statement on Form F-4 with the SEC, which will include a proxy statement/prospectus, and will file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC.

Advisors
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC is acting as lead PIPE placement agent, financial advisor and capital markets advisor to FLAC. Jefferies LLC, SVB Securities LLC and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. are also acting as PIPE placement agents to FLAC and Jefferies LLC and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. are also acting as financial advisor and capital markets advisor to FLAC. SVB Securities LLC is acting as financial advisor and capital markets advisor to the Company. Moelis & Co. is also acting as financial advisor to the Company. Covington & Burling LLP is acting as legal counsel to the Company. Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as legal counsel to FLAC. Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel to the PIPE placement agents.

Important Information About the Merger and Where to Find it
A full description of the terms of the transaction will be provided in a registration statement on Form F-4 to be filed with the SEC by NewAmsterdam that will include a prospectus with respect to the NewAmsterdam securities to be issued in connection with the business combination and a proxy statement with respect to the shareholder meeting of FLAC to vote on the business combination. FLAC, the Company and NewAmsterdam urge its investors, shareholders and other interested persons to read, when available, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other documents filed with the SEC, because these documents will contain important information about FLAC, the Company, NewAmsterdam and the transaction. After the registration statement is declared effective, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus to be included in the registration statement will be mailed to shareholders of FLAC as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination. Once available, shareholders of FLAC will also be able to obtain a copy of the Form F-4, including the proxy statement/prospectus, and other documents filed with the SEC without charge, by directing a request to: Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation, Two Union Square, 601 Union St., Suite 3200, Seattle, WA 98101, Attn: Secretary. The preliminary and definitive proxy statement/prospectus to be included in the registration statement, once available, can also be obtained, without charge, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Participants in the Solicitation
FLAC, the Company and NewAmsterdam and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from FLAC’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of FLAC is set forth in FLAC’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 25, 2022 and is available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to: Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation, Two Union Square, 601 Union St., Suite 3200, Seattle, WA 98101, Attn: Secretary. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of FLAC’s shareholders in connection with the potential transaction will be set forth in the registration statement containing the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

Non-Solicitation
This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed business combination and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity; expectations and timing related to the success, cost and timing of product development activities, including timing of initiation, completion and data readouts for clinical trials and the potential approval of NewAmsterdam’s product candidate; the size and growth potential of the markets for NewAmsterdam’s product candidate; the therapeutic and curative potential of NewAmsterdam’s product candidate; financing and other business milestones; potential benefits of the proposed transactions; and expectations relating to the proposed transactions, including the proceeds of the business combination and NewAmsterdam’s expected cash runway. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this document, and on the current expectations of NewAmsterdam’s, the Company’s and FLAC’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of NewAmsterdam, the Company and FLAC. These forward looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely enter into definitive agreements with respect to the proposed transactions or consummate the proposed transactions, including the risk that any regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions (such as any SEC statements or enforcements or other actions relating to special purpose acquisition companies) that could adversely affect NewAmsterdam or the expected benefits of the proposed transactions, or the risk that the approval of the shareholders of FLAC, the Company or NewAmsterdam is not obtained; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transactions; matters discovered by FLAC, the Company or NewAmsterdam as they complete their respective due diligence investigations of each other; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to NewAmsterdam and the Company; risks related to the approval of NewAmsterdam’s product candidate and the timing of expected regulatory and business milestones; ability to negotiate definitive contractual arrangements with potential customers; the impact of competitive product candidates; ability to obtain sufficient supply of materials; the impact of COVID 19; global economic and political conditions, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict; the effects of competition on NewAmsterdam’s future business; the amount of redemption requests made by FLAC’s public shareholders; and those factors discussed in documents FLAC has filed or will file with the SEC, including the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of FLAC’s registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-250858), the registration statement to be filed on Form F-4 in connection with the proposed transactions and other documents filed from time to time. Additional risks related to NewAmsterdam’s business include, but are not limited to: uncertainty regarding outcomes of NewAmsterdam’s ongoing clinical trials, particularly as they relate to regulatory review and potential approval for its product candidate; risks associated with NewAmsterdam’s efforts to commercialize a product candidate; NewAmsterdam’s ability to negotiate and enter into definitive agreements on favorable terms, if at all; the impact of competing product candidates on NewAmsterdam’s business; intellectual property related claims; NewAmsterdam’s ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; ability to continue to source the raw materials for its product candidate. If any of these risks materialize or FLAC’s, the Company’s or NewAmsterdam’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither FLAC, the Company nor NewAmsterdam presently know or that FLAC, the Company and NewAmsterdam currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect FLAC’s, the Company’s and NewAmsterdam’s expectations, plans, or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this document and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein. FLAC, the Company and NewAmsterdam anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause FLAC’s, the Company’s and NewAmsterdam’s assessments to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing FLAC’s, the Company’s and NewAmsterdam’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Neither FLAC, the Company, NewAmsterdam nor any of their respective affiliates undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

NewAmsterdam or Company Media Contact
Spectrum Science on behalf of NewAmsterdam
Carmen Lopez
P: 1 773-306-6285
clopez@spectrumscience.com

NewAmsterdam or Company Investor Contact
Stern Investor Relations on behalf of NewAmsterdam
Hannah Deresiewicz
P: 1 212-362-1200
hannah.deresiewicz@sternir.com

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

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Funds Advised by Apax to Buy Majority Stake in Pickles

Apax

Pickles Auctions Pty Limited (“Pickles”), Australia’s leading marketplace for vehicles, industrial, and salvage assets, today announced it has entered into an agreement to sell a majority share of its business to funds advised by Apax Partners LLP (“Apax”), a global private equity firm.

Privately owned since 1964, the business is now at an inflection point and the family has decided now is the right time to bring in outside investment, utilising the additional capital to fuel future growth. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year. The Pickles family will retain a minority interest going forward and the current executive leadership team will remain in place.

“This has not been an easy decision for our family, but we are excited that the capital injection will accelerate our growth and digitisation plans,” says family member and chairman, Tim Pickles. “Having dealt with multiple potential buyers over the years, it became clear to us that Apax is a strong natural fit for Pickles. They bring global experience of digital marketplaces, the capacity to drive us forward, and they share our dedication to providing our clients with an unparalleled level of service,” added Tim Pickles.

Pickles chief executive officer, Bruce Maclennan, says the business is excited by this next phase of Pickles.

“Every member of our team is proud of Pickles’ history and performance. And we’re energised by the fact that Apax is aligned with our strategy and vision for the business going forward. Apax is impressed by the fact that, even though we are leaders across our marketplaces, we continue to evolve and improve our services. Our roadmap for transitioning the business digitally particularly excited them, as did the team we have in place to deliver these plans,” says Maclennan.

Steven Kooyers, partner at Apax, commented: “Pickles is a clear leader across all of its verticals, with a strong reputation for customer success and long history of consistent growth. We are impressed by the foundation the team has built and are excited to be partnering with the Pickles family and management, leveraging our extensive experience investing in and operating leading online marketplaces in other markets, such as New Zealand’s Trade Me, and our expertise in digital transformation, to accelerate the business’s digitalisation journey and fuel future growth.”

The Apax Funds have a strong track record investing in online marketplace businesses, combining extensive digital investment expertise with deep operational value-add. Previous investments include TradeMe in New Zealand, KAR Global and Boats Group in the US, Auto Trader in the UK, Trader Corporation in Canada and Idealista in Spain.

Maclennan adds: “When the Pickles family first opened their doors over 50 years ago, it was so local people with local knowledge could support local businesses like no one else had seen before. Today, Pickles is still synonymous with choice, value, and transparency for buyers and sellers of vehicles and equipment.

“Our business is built on our partnerships, and with Apax we know we can continue to digitise and grow our business. They bring global experience of digital marketplaces and are keen to keep investing in our business beyond the initial purchase.”

 

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CD&R Completes Acquisition of Cornerstone Building Brands

Cornerstone Logo.
Monday, July 25, 2022
Cary, N.C.

Cornerstone Building Brands, Inc. (“Cornerstone Building Brands” or the “Company”), the largest manufacturer of exterior building products in North America, today announced that Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (“CD&R”) has successfully completed the acquisition of Cornerstone Building Brands.

Holders of a majority of the shares of Cornerstone Building Brands common stock not owned by CD&R and its affiliates voted to approve the acquisition at the Special Meeting of Stockholders held on June 24, 2022. The acquisition also received the approval of the holders of a majority of the shares of Cornerstone Building Brands common stock outstanding at the Special Meeting. With the completion of the acquisition, Cornerstone Building Brands’ common stock has ceased trading and will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

“The closing of this transaction is an important milestone for Cornerstone Building Brands, and we are pleased to be entering our next phase of growth as a private company,” said Jeffrey S. Lee, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cornerstone Building Brands. “With CD&R’s operational and strategic support, Cornerstone Building Brands will be even better positioned to accelerate our future growth plans and advance our journey to be the premier exterior building solutions company and deliver enhanced value to our customers. I want to thank all Cornerstone Building Brands employees for their continued dedication and hard work. This transaction is a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to our customers and focus on executing our strategy. I am excited about the opportunities ahead for Cornerstone Building Brands, and I look forward to continuing our work together as we drive value for all stakeholders.”

J.L. Zrebiec, Partner at CD&R, said, “We have long admired Cornerstone Building Brands’ business and talented team, and we are thrilled to work even more closely with its leadership team and employees in this next chapter. We firmly believe that the Company is uniquely positioned to expand on its position as the largest manufacturer of exterior building products in North America, and we look forward to working together to build on the significant momentum underway.”

Advisors
Centerview Partners LLC is serving as financial advisor and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as legal advisor to a special committee of Cornerstone Building Brands’ independent directors. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is serving as legal counsel to Cornerstone Building Brands.

UBS, Barclays, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, Natixis, New York Branch, RBC Capital Markets, and Societe Generale are providing financial advisory services to CD&R. Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to CD&R on the transaction and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is serving as legal counsel to CD&R on the financing. CD&R has obtained committed financing from Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., UBS Investment Bank, Barclays, BNP Paribas, RBC Capital Markets, Societe Generale, Goldman Sachs, Natixis, New York Branch, Jefferies, Apollo, Blackstone Credit, and U.S. Bank.

About Cornerstone Building Brands, Inc.
Cornerstone Building Brands is the largest manufacturer of exterior building products by sales for residential and low-rise non-residential buildings in North America. Headquartered in Cary, N.C., we serve residential and commercial customers across the new construction and repair and remodel markets. Our market-leading portfolio of products spans vinyl windows, vinyl siding, stone veneer, metal roofing, metal wall systems and metal accessories. Cornerstone Building Brands’ broad, multichannel distribution platform and expansive national footprint includes more than 20,000 employees at manufacturing, distribution and office locations throughout North America. Corporate stewardship and environmental, social and governance (ESG) responsibility are embedded in our culture. We are committed to contributing positively to the communities where we live, work and play. For more information, visit us at www.cornerstonebuildingbrands.com.

About Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is a private investment firm with a strategy predicated on building stronger, more profitable businesses. Since its inception, CD&R has managed the investment of more than $40 billion in over 100 companies with an aggregate transaction value of over $175 billion. The Firm has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.cdr-inc.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This communication includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements about the potential benefits of the proposed acquisition, anticipated growth rates, the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations, and the anticipated timing of closing the proposed transaction. When used in this communication, the words “believes,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expects,” “should,” “could,” “outlook,” “potential,” “forecast,” “target” and “anticipates” and similar expressions as they relate to the Company or its management are intended to identify forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions about future events and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the views, beliefs, projections and estimates expressed in such statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, those discussed under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 1, 2022, and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended April 2, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 3, 2022, and the following: (1) disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships, including retaining and hiring key personnel and maintaining relationships with the Company’s customers, vendors and others with whom it does business; (2) risks related to disruption of management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations due to the transaction; (3) significant transaction costs; (4) the risk of litigation and/or regulatory actions related to the transaction or unfavorable results from currently pending litigation and proceedings or litigation and proceedings that could arise in the future; (5) other business effects, including the effects of industry, market, economic, political or regulatory conditions; (6) information technology system failures, data security breaches, data privacy compliance, network disruptions, and cybersecurity, malware or ransomware attacks; and (7) changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which could exacerbate any of the risks described above.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Each such statement speaks only as of the day it was made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or to revise any forward-looking statements. The factors described above cannot be controlled by the Company.

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