EQT Private Equity to sell Innovyze

eqt
  • EQT Private Equity to sell Innovyze, a leading provider of water infrastructure software, to Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) for an Enterprise Value of USD 1,000m
  • EQT supported Innovyze’s transformation into a leading global smart water infrastructure software provider through investments in strategic acquisitions, trailblazing new product development, and refined go-to-market capabilities

EQT is pleased to announce that EQT Private Equity, through the EQT Mid Market US fund, has agreed to sell Innovyze (“the Company”) to Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) for an Enterprise Value of USD 1,000m.

Innovyze was established in 1996 to provide wet infrastructure software solutions. In 2017, Innovyze merged with XP Solutions to become the leading global provider of smart water infrastructure software solutions designed to meet the technological needs of water / wastewater utilities, government agencies and engineering organizations worldwide. As the largest pure-play water-focused software provider, Innovyze offers a full suite of water-focused products that span the infrastructure lifecycle. Innovyze is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has offices in California, Colorado, Canada, the UK and Australia.

With the support of EQT, Innovyze transformed into a standalone global leader in the smart water infrastructure software space. Innovyze and XP Solutions were separately carved out from international public engineering companies by EQT and merged to form Innovyze. Since then, significant investments were made to build out the Company’s executive team and integrate the businesses. Together with management, EQT supported Innovyze in realigning the sales organization to serve the complex technical sales process and pivot to an enterprise selling approach. Substantial investments were also made in product development to strengthen the Company’s asset management solution and to extend the product portfolio into cutting-edge real-time operational analytics and artificial intelligence offerings.

Sydney Pardey, Director and Investment Advisor to EQT Private Equity, said: “Water is our most valuable resource and Innovyze’s product portfolio enables sustainable management of that asset, benefitting our local communities and global ecosystem. It has been exciting to work with the visionary management team, led by Colby Manwaring, to transform Innovyze into a global technology leader at the forefront of water software solutions.”

Arvindh Kumar, Partner and Investment Advisor to EQT Private Equity, said: “Innovyze embodies a successful EQT investment: transforming a market leader in a thematic sub-sector, with a positive sustainability footprint, into a future-proofed platform well-positioned for continued success. We thank Colby, the management team and the advisors in the EQT Network for their strategic vision and incredible execution.”

Colby Manwaring, Chief Executive Officer at Innovyze, said: “EQT has been a great partner and played a critical role in our journey by investing with a focus on the long-term potential for the business. We look forward to working with Autodesk to continue our successful growth and further our mission to empower water professionals around the world to design, manage, operate and maintain water infrastructure.”

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to close in March or April 2021.

UBS Investment Bank acted as financial advisor and Sidley Austin LLP acted as legal advisor to EQT Private Equity and Innovyze.

Contact
US inquiries: Stephanie Greengarten, +1 646 687 6810, stephanie.greengarten@eqtpartners.com
International inquiries: EQT Press Office, +46 8 506 55 334, press@eqtpartners.com

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with more than EUR 84 billion in raised capital and over EUR 52 billion in assets under management across 17 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America with total sales of more than EUR 27 billion and approximately 159,000 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 Innovyze
Innovyze is a global leader in building innovative, industry-leading software for the water industry for over 35 years; serving thousands of clients including the largest utilities, ENR design firms, consultancies and refining plants around the world.

More info: www.Innovyze.com

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Evisort Raises $35M Series B Led by General Atlantic, Quadruples Revenue As Enterprises Race To Tame Contracts

Pre-trained AI platform uncovers millions in potential savings, unlocks missed revenue, and exposes risks hidden in contracts within days of implementation

Evisort, the intelligent contract management platform, today announced $35M in Series B funding following a year of 4x revenue growth, bringing its total funding to $55.5M. Global growth equity investor General Atlantic led the round, with participation from existing investors Amity Ventures, Microsoft’s venture fund M12, and Vertex Ventures. General Atlantic’s Operating Partner and former GE CIO Gary Reiner will join Evisort as a board member. The company will use the funds to grow its customer experience team, expand its platform to include more workflow-specific offerings, and continue to push the boundaries of its pre-trained AI.

Enterprises have been racing to digitize contract management due to a convergence of three factors:

  • Remote work has made manual contracting processes all but impossible
  • New regulations have dramatically increased the risk of non-compliant contracts
  • Pandemic-hit businesses are eager to find hidden cost savings and revenue in their contracts

Evisort pioneered a contract management solution to address all three factors. Unlike most contract management solutions which merely streamline processes, Evisort’s cloud-native, end-to-end platform has helped enterprises do business faster and uncover millions of dollars in potential cost savings and new revenue hidden in their contracts. For example, one customer was able to recognize hundreds of thousands of dollars in unfulfilled rebates because Evisort identified discount clauses in thousands of vendor contracts and issued a notification through the finance system before the vendor invoices were paid.

This intelligent approach to contract lifecycle management (CLM) has secured Evisort 4x revenue growth over the past year and helped win or expand seven Fortune 500 or global clients in banking, healthcare and enterprise tech, including Microsoft, NetApp, Molina Healthcare, and Fujitsu.

“In this ever-shifting regulatory environment, it’s hard to know what information in contracts will be important tomorrow. Evisort makes it simple for our teams to train custom algorithms so we can react quickly as our compliance needs change. We’re able to track new information across hundreds of thousands of contracts without any manual effort,” said Tom Orrison, Director of Legal Ops at Microsoft.

“Contract assets are core to B2B relationships, and yet contract data is an under-utilized resource. Evisort exceeds enterprise expectations and needs, providing a solution that works out of the box — with all the legacy systems and across use cases and industries — to deliver meaningful value. The resonance and traction of the business is underscored by Evisort’s recent success in securing major Fortune 500 customers, and by the positive customer feedback we uncovered during our diligence process,” said Gary Reiner, Operating Partner at General Atlantic and board member at Citigroup and HPE.

Evisort is one of the only AI-first, end-to-end CLM products for pre- and post-signing that can be implemented in days. Its authentic AI was developed in-house and pre-trained on millions of documents. Evisort Contract Management, its post-signature solution, can read a 30-page document in 15 seconds, extracting insights and making them actionable through integrations with CRM, ERP, HR, and Finance systems. With the launch of Evisort Contract Workflow in July 2020, the platform can now automate the entire lifecycle of a contract: from contract creation to negotiation to signature. Evisort works out-of-the-box on over 230 types of contracts, meaning it accurately analyzes the document without warning or preparation.

“We have closely tracked the legal technology space for years, and Evisort stands out as an emerging global leader that is primed to disrupt the status quo and capture growth in a market that is large and currently, inefficiently served,” said Alex Crisses, Managing Director and Global Head of New Investment Sourcing and Co-Head of Emerging Growth at General Atlantic. “Jerry and the Evisort team have built differentiated technology with real AI, and we believe that the company has the potential to embed itself as the system of record for contracts across the enterprise. We look forward to partnering with Evisort to grow the business from its earlier stages into a long-term category leader.”

Evisort will use the Series B funds to accelerate its AI development and expand its platform to include more workflow offerings tailored to specific industries, such as financial services, healthcare, and tech. The company will also focus on delivering a premium user experience, quadrupling its customer success team to help clients create their own digital contracting Centers of Excellence.

As a no-code platform which can be up-and-running in days, Evisort requires little implementation expertise. Once customers recognize the value it brings, they quickly look to roll it out enterprise-wide as part of a full digital transformation initiative, led by a cross-functional team of legal, IT, and procurement experts. Evisort has already guided several Fortune 500 companies through this process, providing best practices and blueprints for success.

“We know Evisort helps our customers close deals faster, stay on top of important dates and mitigate risks. Those are huge wins already, but with this funding we can push the envelope of our end-to-end platform even further,” said Evisort Founder and CEO Jerry Ting. “Whenever any part of the business touches a contract, whether that’s an accounting professional finding savings or a sales person negotiating a better deal, Evisort will be there delivering insights they can act on. We’re building the intelligent contract management platform enterprises actually need with innovative AI capabilities they didn’t know were possible.”

About Evisort

Founded in 2016 by Harvard Law and MIT researchers, Evisort leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to help businesses categorize, search, and act on business-driving documents of any type. Evisort’s proprietary AI understands meaning and context in legal language, eliminating the need for manual data entry and parsing of contracts or business documents. The company is backed by leading strategic and institutional investors including General Atlantic, M12, Microsoft’s venture fund, Vertex Ventures, and Amity Ventures. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, more information on Evisort can be found at Evisort.com. Follow @Evisort on Twitter, Facebook, Medium and LinkedIn.

About General Atlantic

General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support for growth companies. Established in 1980, General Atlantic combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon, and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to build market-leading businesses worldwide. General Atlantic has more than 175 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Greenwich, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit the website: www.generalatlantic.com.

Media Contacts

Mary Armstrong & Emily Japlon
General Atlantic media@generalatlantic.com

Theresa Carper
Evisort 415-848-9175 evisort@firebrand.marketing

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CVC Capital Partners Fund VII to invest in MedRisk

CVC Capital Partners

CVC Capital Partners Fund VII to invest in MedRisk

23 Feb 2021

CVC joins up with existing investor Carlyle to form a new partnership with MedRisk and to accelerate growth and continue delivering best-in-class care to injured workers

CVC Capital Partners (“CVC”) announced today that CVC Fund VII has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority interest in MedRisk (“MedRisk” or “the Company”). MedRisk is a leading provider of managed physical medicine services for the workers’ compensation industry in the U.S. The Carlyle Group, MedRisk’s current majority owner, will retain a significant stake and maintain joint control in partnership with CVC. The MedRisk team, including founder Shelley Boyce, Executive Chairman Mike Ryan and CEO Ken Martino, will reinvest in the Company.

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, MedRisk consistently delivers clinically superior patient outcomes via the coordination and active management of physical medicine services for workers’ compensation patients. Today, the Company manages physical therapy, occupational therapy, and chiropractic treatments for more than 500,000 injured workers annually through a nationwide network across 49 states and Washington, D.C.

“MedRisk has an excellent reputation and a proven ability to improve access to high-quality care, which has enabled the Company to become the industry leader in managed physical therapy for injured workers,” said Fazle Husain, Partner at CVC Capital Partners. “We look forward to working closely with the talented team at MedRisk and our friends at Carlyle to continue the compelling growth trajectory of the Company while ensuring that patients continue to receive the highest quality service.”

MedRisk is well positioned for the next chapter of its growth due to the unrivalled level of care it delivers to injured workers, and ability to deliver best-in-class service to all stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem, including patients, employers, physicians, case managers, insurance carriers, third party administrators and network providers.

MedRisk Executive Chairman Mike Ryan said, “Partnering with CVC, given their extensive network and significant financial resources, will fuel our next stage of growth. They have a deep understanding of the healthcare sector and a strong record of helping to build market-leading companies, while maintaining the highest levels of quality.”

“We’re excited to welcome CVC as a new partner that is well aligned with our mission and vision for the Company. This partnership, along with the continued support of Carlyle, enables MedRisk to strengthen our commitment to existing customers while pursuing greater scale in our operations,” added CEO Ken Martino.

“We are incredibly proud of MedRisk’s growth journey over the past three years of our partnership and its exceptional management team in building an innovative company with a customer-centric and service-oriented focus,” added William McMullan, Partner at Carlyle. “With significant business momentum and strong industry tailwinds in the physical medicine market, we have great confidence in the company’s continued success. We look forward to working closely with CVC and the management team to support this industry-leading franchise in its next chapter of growth.”

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions and receipt of required regulatory approvals. Centerview Partners and Truist Securities acted as financial advisors to MedRisk and Carlyle and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP as their legal advisor. White & Case LLP acted as legal advisor for CVC Capital Partners. Equity capital for the investment will come from CVC Fund VII and Carlyle Partners VI.

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KKR to Acquire Telefónica Chile’s Wholesale Fiber Optic Network to Create First Open Access Network in Chile

KKR

February 22, 2021

Newly Formed Independent Company to Increase High Speed Broadband Access for Chileans

SANTIAGO DE CHILE, NEW YORK & MADRID–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Telefónica, a leading global telecommunications company, to establish Chile’s first open access wholesale fiber optics company with the mission to bring greater broadband access across Chile.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210222005928/en/

Under the agreement, KKR will acquire a majority stake in Telefónica Chile’s existing fiber optic network, the largest fiber optic network in Chile, and make that network open access through a newly established independent Chilean company with assets managed locally. Telefónica will hold a 40% stake in the business. The newly formed enterprise will serve as Chile’s first wholesale digital infrastructure network open to all current and future telecom operators in Chile, creating a competitive marketplace benefitting consumers and businesses across the country.

Despite Chile leading Latin America in GDP per capita, it is currently third-ranked in fiber-to-the-home connectivity. Fiber optic service offers very high reliability and speeds 10-1000 times faster than cable and legacy telecommunication networks.

Upon approval, the new business plans to expand broadband coverage in Chile from 2 million households today to a minimum of 3.5 million households by 2023, and to provide wholesale service to more than 40,000 businesses, telecom towers, and small cells. The newly formed network will provide access to under-served areas with more than two-thirds of households covered by the network being outside of high-income urban areas.

“We are excited to be working with Telefónica to create the first-ever open access wholesale fiber network in Chile. This will create competition where none exists today, helping Chilean families, companies, and the economy recover and grow in the digital economy,” said Waldemar Szlezak, senior leader on KKR’s infrastructure investment team.

Alfonso Gómez Palacio, CEO Telefónica HispAm, added, “This transaction demonstrates the value of our infrastructure and our willingness to contribute to the sustainable development of the fiber market in Chile. We have seen increased commercial activity over the last 12 months, and this transaction will further support this momentum as we will be able to accelerate the fiber-optic deployment. Our stake in the new company provides us with substantial flexibility in the long-term, in a market with enormous future potential. We are proud to share this project with our partners at KKR, a company with whom we have worked on key initiatives for Telefónica.”

The transaction is valued at approximately US$1 billion and is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals.

The state-of-the-art fiber optic network is built to the highest technical standards, with its existing infrastructure having supported reliable service over the past year when COVID-induced disruptions substantially increased the need for greater bandwidth for tele-work, school, health, and more. In 2020, the network, which is being transferred to the newly formed company, was recognized as the Best and Fastest Fixed Network in Chile.

The new company will be controlled by KKR and will leverage the firm’s global experience in digital infrastructure and in operating and deploying fiber networks, including related investments in FiberCop in Italy, Hyperoptic in the U.K., Deutsche Glasfaser in Germany, Telxius in Europe and Latin America, Hivory in France, Global Technical Realty in Europe, Bharti Infratel in India, and Pinnacle Towers in the Philippines.

KKR is making the investment through its Global Infrastructure Investors III Fund. KKR first established its global infrastructure team and strategy in 2008 and has since been one of the most active infrastructure investors around the world. Over this period, the Firm has deployed more than $24 billion across approximately 40 infrastructure investments, and currently has a team of 45 dedicated investment professionals.

About KKR

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

About Telefónica

Telefónica is one of the largest telecommunications service providers in the world. The company offers fixed and mobile connectivity as well as a wide range of digital services for residential and business customers. With 342 million customers, Telefónica operates in Europe and Latin America. Telefónica is a 100% listed company and its shares are traded on the Spanish Stock Market and on those in New York and Lima. In 2019, Telefónica set an action plan as a catalyst for the transformation of the company. The plan seeks to prioritize its four relevant markets and grow sustainably in the long term, boost its growth potential while leveraging the value of its infrastructure, increase agility and improve efficiency.

Media:
Azerta (For KKR Chile):
Fernando Gómez
+56 9 9576 9049
fgomez@azerta.cl
Daniela Maldonado
+56 9 9672 0506
dmaldonado@azerta.cl

For KKR Americas:
Cara Major or Miles Radcliffe-Trenner
media@kkr.com

For Telefónica:
Dulce Jiménez
+52 55 1637 7623
dulce.jimenez@telefonica.com

For Telefonica Chile:
Ricardo Ibáñez
+56 9 9320 7063
ricardo.ibanez@telefonica.com

Source: KKR

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IK Investment Partners and ICG to partner with Formuesforvaltning

ik-investment-partners

IK Investment Partners (“IK”) and Intermediate Capital Group (“ICG”) are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement for the IK Partnership Fund and funds managed by ICG to partner with Formuesforvaltning (“Formue” or “the Company”), a leading Nordic wealth manager serving high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) across Norway and Sweden.

Established in 2000 and headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Formue is a leading Nordic independent wealth manager serving private individuals, institutions and organisations in Norway and Sweden with NOK 100 billion under management (pr. 31.12.2020).  From its 21 offices across Norway, Sweden and the UK, Formue’s 300 employees provide a comprehensive range of services, including wealth planning, portfolio management, business management, family office support and legal services. The Company distinguishes itself from its peers by possessing a strong ancillary offering which includes the provision of financial life advice through a cohesive, omni-channel customer engagement model.

Through the provision of a bespoke service to each of its HNW clients and significant investment in digital solutions, the Company has developed a reputation for excellence. Formue has also developed its international expansion strategy and is currently present in both Sweden and the UK.

IK and ICG will be acquiring their stakes from several private investors and will invest alongside founder Ole Jacob Sunde and the management team.

Completion of the transaction is subject to legal and regulatory approval.

Øystein Bø, CEO of Formue, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with both IK and ICG as we embark on the next stage of our strategic development. In particular, we are privileged to have on board two investors with such solid track records of internationalising high-potential European businesses and furthering companies’ digital footprints. With the backing of these partners, we are tremendously excited to see what the years ahead hold.”

Magdalena Svensson, Partner at IK and advisor to the Partnership Fund, said: “Formue is a leading wealth management operator in the Nordics and has established itself as one of the brands of choice for HNWIs in Norway and Sweden. The Company’s top-quality leadership has excelled in developing its client base and increasing the organisation’s AUM due to a diversified services and products offering as well as digital readiness. With the support of IK and ICG, we are confident that together we can take the Company to new heights.”

Peter Berglund of ICG said: “We are very pleased that Formue has chosen to partner with IK and ICG at this exciting time for the wealth management industry. Since its inception, Formue has gone from strength to strength, expanding into new markets and enhancing its client offering through the addition of new services and by investing in digital infrastructure. With our experience of supporting strong management teams and founders, we are very optimistic for the future success of Formue.”

Formue and its shareholders were advised by Houlihan Lokey in connection with the transaction.

For further questions, please contact:

IK Investment Partners

Maitland/AMO
James McFarlane
Phone: +44 (0) 7584 142 665
jmcfarlane@maitland.co.uk

ICG

Fiona Laffan
Phone: +44 (0) 7590 524 289
fiona.laffan@icgam.com

Formuesforvaltning

Ingun Stray Schmidt
Phone: + 47 95929333
Ingun.stray.schmidt@formue.no

About IK Investment Partners

IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is a Pan-European private equity firm focused on investments in the Benelux, DACH, France, Nordics and the UK. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €13 billion of capital and invested in over 145 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.ikinvest.com

About Formuesforvaltning

Formue is the leading independent wealth management firm in the Nordic area. We have a local presence across Norway and Sweden with offices in all major cities and an investment office in London. We offer our clients financial life management – a comprehensive wealth management journey for families and endowments. For more information visit: www.formue.com

About ICG

ICG provides capital to help companies grow. We are a global alternative asset manager with over 30 years’ history, managing €47.2 billion of assets in private debt, credit and equity, principally in closed-end funds.

We develop long-term relationships with our business partners to deliver value for shareholders, clients and employees, and use our position of influence to benefit the environment and society. We operate across four strategic asset classes: corporate, capital market, real asset and secondary investments. In addition to growing existing strategies, we innovate and pioneer new strategies where the market opportunity exists.

ICG is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:ICP). Further details are available at: www.icgam.com.

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Ardian increases its investment in Jakala by acquiring a 60% stake in the company alongside founder Matteo de Brabant, management, and legacy partners with the objective of becoming one of the world leaders in Martech

Ardian

22 February 2021 Buyout Italy, Milan

Milan, 22 February 2021 – Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, announces the acquisition of a majority stake in Jakala, the first marketing technology, or ‘martech’, group in Italy and one of the top five in Europe.

Jakala operates in a rapidly changing market, assisting its clients, particularly large corporations, to make the best use of technology and data to enhance and develop their business through innovative sales and marketing projects.

Ardian first invested in Jakala in 2018 through the Ardian Growth team led by Laurent Foata with a minority stake acquisition. With this new investment from its buyout fund together with the growth fund, Ardian confirms its confidence in a fast-growing company with an innovative business model.  The Equity Club, promoted by Roberto Ferraresi and Mediobanca, H14 managed by Luigi, Eleonora and Barbara Berlusconi, PFC, holding company of Marzotto’s family (represented by Guglielmo Notarbartolo), and current management of the Group, will reinvest in the company alongside Ardian and Matteo de Brabant (who retains 25% through Jakala Holding).

With Ardian’s support, Jakala will have the financial resources and support necessary to accelerate its growth strategy in Italy and abroad notably through build-ups. In line with its investment philosophy based on the full support of entrepreneurs to support the growth of companies with great potential and create value for all stakeholders, has decided to further support Jakala, a leader in the martech sector which is expanding internationally thanks to the acceleration of the data and digital transformation process.

Jakala Group was founded in 2000 through the vision of Matteo de Brabant, Founder and Chairman. It was the first company in Italy to combine marketing and technology, and it merged on 2014 with Seri System, and one year later Value Lab joined the Group, creating an integrated group in the world of Sales & Marketing services. Following the entry of Ardian and the other shareholders into Jakala’s capital in 2018, the Group accelerated its expansion opening in new markets including USA, UK, Brazil and Poland. During this time the firm conducted crucial acquisitions: Volponi, which enabled Jakala to strengthen its position in the world of engagement, and 77 Agency, one of the largest independent international digital media & performance agencies.

The Group has more than 1,000 employees, 60% of whom are under 35 years old and half of whom are women. It has a turnover of EUR 300 million, 35% of which is generated internationally in the 12 European countries in which it operates. The Group has experienced strong organic growth but has also closed 10 acquisitions, which has allowed the integration of new expertise. Over the last 5 years, EBITDA has grown significantly at an average rate of 25% per year.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Jakala showed great resilience because of its innovative approach, and 200 new hires were made.

The Ardian Buyout team in Italy, with Managing Directors Marco Bellino and Yann Chareton, and Jakala’s top management, led by founder and Chairman Matteo de Brabant and CEO Stefano Pedron, commented: “Jakala’s uniqueness and expertise make it a key player in the digital marketing sector at an international level with huge growth prospects in different geographic areas. The support of an investor such as Ardian, Europe’s leading private equity fund, will be fundamental in facing a new phase of growth. Between Jakala and Ardian there is a full sharing of objectives and values, an important example is the B Corp project.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory consents.

 

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$110bn managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base.
Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.
Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 700 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of more than 1,000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

  • Jakala:

    • M&A Advisor: Mediobanca
    • Legal Advisor: Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici and lawyer Giuseppe de Franciscis
    • Financial DD: New Deal Advisor
    • Tax DD: Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici
  • M&A Advisor: Arma Partners (Lead) and Vitale&Co Legal Advisor: Giovannelli e Associati (Corporate), Gattai, Minoli, Agostinelli, Partners (Financing), Gitti

    • M&A Advisor: Arma Partners (Lead) and Vitale&Co
    • Legal Advisor: Giovannelli e Associati (Corporate), Gattai, Minoli, Agostinelli, Partners (Financing), Gitti and Partners (Structuring)
    • Strategic DD: Roland Berger
    • Legal DD: Giovannelli & Associati
    • Financial DD: KPMG
    • Tax DD: Gitti and Partners

PRESS CONTACTS

ARDIAN – Headland

VIKTOR TSVETANOV

VTsvetanov@headlandconsultancy.co.uk +44 207 3435 7469

 

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Advent International-Backed ATI Physical Therapy set to go public through business combination with Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II

Advent International
  • ATI Physical Therapy is a premier outpatient physical therapy company, leveraging an outcomes database of 2.5+ million unique patient cases and an industry-leading, scalable platform to drive high-quality musculoskeletal outcomes and outstanding customer satisfaction
  • Transaction values ATI at an enterprise value of $2.5 billion and is expected to provide up to $645 million in cash proceeds, including $300 million of fully committed PIPE
  • Investment funds affiliated with Fortress Investment Group LLC are investing $75 million into the PIPE and are joined by institutional investors including Wells Capital Management, Weiss Asset Management and Monashee Investment Management
  • Proceeds will be primarily used to repay existing debt and preferred equity, delivering financial flexibility to fuel ATI’s significant organic and acquisition growth opportunities
  • Advent International and Management are rolling 100 percent of existing equity; Advent will remain the Company’s largest stockholder and be closely aligned with Fortress and public stockholders at transaction close
  • Existing preferred holders for ATI, including GCM Grosvenor, are also rolling a significant portion of their existing stake

Bolingbrook, IL and New York, NY — February 22, 2021 — Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II (“FVAC II”) (NYSE: FAII), a special purpose acquisition company, and ATI Physical Therapy (“ATI” or the “Company”), a portfolio company of Advent International (“Advent”) and the largest single-branded outpatient physical therapy provider in the United States, announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will operate as “ATI Physical Therapy, Inc.” and remain NYSE-listed under a new ticker symbol. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of this year, subject to approval by FVAC II’s stockholders and other customary closing conditions.

ATI owns and operates nearly 900 physical therapy clinics across 25 states. The Company operates its business based on data and analytics, augmented by a relentless focus on delivering superior patient outcomes that exceed industry benchmarks and service excellence to its patient, provider and payor customers.

The existing management team, led by CEO Labeed Diab, CFO Joe Jordan and COO Ray Wahl, will continue to lead the business, and Advent will remain ATI’s largest stockholder.

A Record of Growth in an Evolving Industry

ATI operates in the growing outpatient physical therapy segment of the musculoskeletal (“MSK”) treatment industry, which represents an estimated $22 billion market, within a broader MSK treatment industry representing $300-$400 billion in total spend1. Multiple secular tailwinds are driving increased demand for outpatient physical therapy services, including: favorable demographic trends, specifically the rise in individuals over the age of 65; greater desire for active lifestyles throughout life; and continued shift towards outpatient care. In addition, there is an increasing shift away from invasive and cost inefficient treatment modalities such as surgeries and opioids to physical therapy as an effective first line of treatment for many MSK conditions.

The combination of a fast-growing market and transition to value-based healthcare has allowed ATI to execute a strategy of organic growth, accretive acquisitions and market-leading profitability in a highly fragmented industry. Since 2016, ATI has opened approximately 300 new clinics and acquired and integrated approximately 125 clinics. And with its EMR database of 2.5+ million patient cases, the Company believes it is uniquely equipped to not only deliver consistent, high-quality patient outcomes but also intelligently design and capitalize on value-based healthcare risk sharing arrangements.

“I am extremely proud of our team and the leadership role ATI plays across the nation in consistently delivering exceptional musculoskeletal outcomes, driving efficiencies and cost savings that benefit the healthcare ecosystem and delivering great results for our patients, providers and payors,” said Labeed Diab, CEO of ATI. “We expect to remain an active participant in the evolution of the industry and look forward to this next, exciting phase of our growth.”

Drew McKnight, CEO of FVAC II, commented, “We have followed ATI for a long time, having been an investor in the credit for over ten years. Since Advent bought the business in 2016, we’ve watched and admired the company’s growth, in particular their approximately 300 new clinics through their de novo growth effort. With this strong leadership team and strong balance sheet, we believe ATI is well positioned to continue this de novo growth as well as be a primary and preferred acquirer in what is still a fragmented industry.”

John Maldonado, a Managing Partner at Advent, said, “We are proud of what we have achieved in our partnership with ATI. Together, we strengthened ATI’s industry leadership through a focus on outcomes and value-based care initiatives that have further differentiated the Company’s physical therapy offering. Our tech and operational investments have enabled ATI to grow its clinic footprint by 50 percent while consistently putting patient care first and further enhancing its clinician-centric culture. We look forward to working more closely with Fortress in supporting ATI’s continued growth.”

Key Transaction Terms

The combined company represents an enterprise value of approximately $2.5 billion at closing, or 14.0x 2022E Adjusted EBITDA.

In connection with this transaction:

  • Cash proceeds raised will consist of FVAC II’s cash in trust of $345 million and a fully committed common stock PIPE of $300 million at $10.00 per share from institutional investors including Fortress Investment Group LLC, Wells Capital Management, Weiss Asset Management and Monashee Investment Management.
  • FVAC II has amended the terms of its founder equity to align with long-term value creation and performance of the Company. FVAC II’s sponsor will defer 100 percent of its founder shares in accordance with the following vesting schedule: 33 percent at $12.00 per share, 33 percent at $14.00 per share and 33 percent at $16.00 per share. FVAC II’s sponsor will also cancel 50 percent of private warrants.
  • Advent and other existing common equity holders of ATI, including management, will remain 100 percent invested following the closing, rolling approximately $1.3 billion of investment holdings into equity of the combined company.
  • ATI’s preferred equity holders, including GCM Grosvenor, who has been a decade-long investor in ATI, will continue to be significant investors and are converting approximately $130 million of existing stake into equity of the combined company.
  • Cash proceeds will be used to pay down ATI’s existing debt and remaining preferred equity, significantly reducing leverage. Pro forma net debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio is expected to be reduced from 5.2x to 2.1x based on 2022E Adjusted EBITDA.
  • ATI common equity holders, ATI preferred equity holders, FVAC II stockholders and PIPE investors (including investment funds affiliated with Fortress Investment Group LLC ) are expected to own approximately 63 percent, 6 percent, 17 percent and 14 percent, respectively, of the outstanding common shares of the combined company immediately following the merger.2

The Boards of Directors of both FVAC II and ATI have unanimously approved the proposed business combination, and, following such approval, ATI stockholders adopted the merger agreement. No further approval by ATI stockholders is required to consummate the proposed business combination. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021, subject to, among other customary closing conditions, approval by FVAC II stockholders and FVAC II having minimum cash of $472.5 million.

Additional information about the proposed business combination, including a copy of the merger agreement and investor presentation, will be included in a current report on Form 8-K to be filed by FVAC II with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and available at www.sec.gov.

Advisors

Deutsche Bank Securities and BofA Securities are serving as joint financial advisors to FVAC II. Barclays, Citi, Deutsche Bank Securities, and BofA Securities are serving as placement agents to FVAC II. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as legal advisor to FVAC II.

Barclays and Citi are acting as joint financial advisors and capital markets advisors to ATI. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is serving as legal counsel to ATI.

Investor Management Presentation

FVAC II and ATI management will host a conference call on February 22, 2021 at 8:00 a.m., EST, to review an investor presentation. The conference call can be accessed in the “Investors” section of the ATI website at https://www.atipt.com/investors and the FVAC II website at https://www.fortressvalueac2.com/. A recording of the webcast will be available online following the conference call at the same links.

The presentation and a transcript of the call will also be filed by FVAC II with the SEC under the cover of a Current Report on Form 8-K, which can be viewed through the SEC’s EDGAR website at www.sec.gov. A link to Fortress Value Acquisition Corp.’s SEC filings can be found at https://www.fortressvalueac2.com/sec-filings.

About ATI Physical Therapy

At ATI Physical Therapy, we are passionate about potential. Every day, we restore it in our patients and activate it in our team members in close to 900 locations across the U.S. With proven results from more than 2.5 million unique patient cases tracked in its EMR database, ATI is leading the industry by setting best practice standards that deliver predictable outcomes for our patients with MSK issues. ATI’s offerings span the healthcare spectrum for MSK-related issues. From preventative services in the workplace and athletic training support to home health, outpatient clinical services and online physical therapy via its CONNECT™ platform,

a complete list of our service offerings can be found at www.ATIpt.com

About Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II

FVAC II is a $345 million Special Purpose Acquisition Company sponsored by Fortress Credit and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker FAII. Fortress Credit is a business of Fortress Investment Group LLC (“Fortress”).

Fortress is a leading, highly diversified global investment manager. Founded in 1998, Fortress manages $49.9 billion of assets under management as of September 30, 2020, on behalf of approximately 1,800 institutional clients and private investors worldwide across a range of credit and real estate, private equity and permanent capital investment strategies.

About Advent International

Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in over 350 private equity transactions in 41 countries, and as of September 30, 2020, had $66.2 billion in assets under management. With 15 offices in 12 countries, Advent has established a globally integrated team of over 200 investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; health care; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology. After 35 years dedicated to international investing, Advent remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies.

For more information, visit www.adventinternational.com or www.linkedin.com/company/advent-international

About GCM Grosvenor

GCM Grosvenor (Nasdaq: GCMG) is a global alternative asset management solutions provider across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and absolute return investment strategies. The firm is in its 50th year of operation and is dedicated to delivering value for clients in the growing alternative investment asset classes. GCM Grosvenor’s experienced team of approximately 500 professionals serves a global client base of institutional and high net worth investors. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Seoul.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This press release is being made in respect of the proposed business combination involving FVAC II and ATI. In connection with the proposed business combination, FVAC II intends to file with the SEC a preliminary proxy statement relating to the proposed business combination, which will be mailed (if and when available) to its stockholders once definitive. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed business combination and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the proposed business combination. FVAC II’s stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the preliminary proxy statement, any amendments thereto, the definitive proxy statement and any other documents filed in connection with FVAC II’s solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve the proposed business combination and other matters, as these materials will contain important information about the Company, FVAC II and the proposed business combination.

When available, the definitive proxy statement and other relevant materials for the proposed business combination will be mailed to stockholders of FVAC II as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination. Stockholders of FVAC II will also be able to obtain copies of the proxy statement and other documents filed with the SEC, without charge, once available, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by FVAC II may be obtained free of charge from FVAC II at https://www.fortressvalueac2.com/sec-filings or upon written request to FVAC II at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, Attn: Investor Relations, or by calling (212) 798-6100.

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereof.
Participants in the Solicitation

FVAC II, ATI and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from FVAC II’s stockholders in connection with the proposed business combination. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of FVAC II’s stockholders in connection with the proposed business combination will be set forth in FVAC II’s proxy statement when it is filed with the SEC. You can find more information about FVAC II’s directors and executive officers in FVAC II’s final prospectus dated August 11, 2020 and filed with the SEC on August 13, 2020.
Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in FVAC II’s preliminary and definitive proxy statement when it becomes available. Stockholders, potential investors and other interested persons should read the proxy statement carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions. When available, these documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” “target” or other similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or 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 (including pro forma net debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio), projections of market opportunity and market share, the satisfaction of closing conditions to the potential transaction and the PIPE, the level of redemptions by FVAC II’s public stockholders and the timing of the completion of the potential transaction, including the anticipated closing date of the proposed business combination and the use of the cash proceeds therefrom. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of ATI’s and FVAC II’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 by any investor 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, and such differences may be material. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of ATI and FVAC II. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including (i) changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; (ii) the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed business combination, including the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed business combination or that the approval of the stockholders of FVAC II is not obtained; (iii) the ability to maintain the listing of the combined company’s securities on NYSE; (iv) the inability to complete the PIPE; (v) the risk that the proposed business combination disrupts current plans and operations of FVAC II or ATI as a result of the announcement and consummation of the transaction described herein; (vi) the risk that any of the conditions to closing are not satisfied in the anticipated manner or on the anticipated timeline; (vii) the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed business combination; (viii) risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to ATI and costs related to the proposed business combination; (ix) risks related to the rollout of ATI’s business strategy and the timing of expected business milestones; (x) the effects of competition on ATI’s future business and the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees; (xi) risks related to political and macroeconomic uncertainty; (xii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against FVAC II, ATI or any of their respective directors or officers, following the announcement of the potential transaction; (xiii) the amount of redemption requests made by FVAC II’s public stockholders; (xiv) the ability of FVAC II or the combined company to issue equity or equity-linked securities or obtain debt financing in connection with the proposed business combination or in the future; (xv) the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on any of the foregoing risks; and (xvi) those factors discussed in FVAC II’s final prospectus dated August 11, 2020 and any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in each case, under the heading “Risk Factors,” and other documents of FVAC II filed, or to be filed, with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or FVAC II’s or ATI’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 FVAC II nor ATI presently know or that FVAC II and ATI 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 FVAC II’s and ATI’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. FVAC II and ATI anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause FVAC II’s and ATI’s assessments to change. However, while FVAC II and ATI may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, FVAC II and ATI specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, unless required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing FVAC II’s and ATI’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.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Certain financial information and data contained in this press release is unaudited and does not conform to Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act. Accordingly, such information and data may not be included in, may be adjusted in or may be presented differently in, any proxy statement/prospectus or registration statement to be filed by FVAC II with the SEC. Some of the financial information and data contained in this press release, such as Adjusted EBITDA, have not been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). FVAC II and ATI believe these non-GAAP measures of financial results provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to ATI’s financial condition and results of operations. ATI’s management uses these non-GAAP measures for trend analyses, for purposes of determining management incentive compensation and for budgeting and planning purposes. FVAC II and ATI believe that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating projected operating results and trends in and in comparing ATI’s financial measures with other similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. However, ATI’s method of determining these measures may be different from other companies’ methods and, therefore, may not be directly comparable to those used by other similar companies. Management does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitation of these non-GAAP financial measures is that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded in ATI’s financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expense and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. In order to compensate for these limitations, management presents non-GAAP financial measures in connection with GAAP results and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measure are included at the end of this press release.

1 According to a third-party market study as of December 11, 2020.

2 Assumes no redemption by public stockholders in connection with the transaction and excludes the impact of Fortress warrants (9.9 million warrants with a strike price of $11.50 per warrant). Assumes new shares are issued at a price of $10.00 per share.

Media contacts

ATI Physical Therapy

Investor Relations
Bob East / Jordan Kohnstam
Westwicke/ICR
ATIIR@westwicke.com

Media Relations
Sean Leous
Westwicke/ICR
646-866-4012
Sean.Leous@westwicke.com

Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II

Gordon E. Runté
Managing Director
Fortress Investment Group LLC
212-798-6082
grunte@fortress.com

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3i invests in WilsonHCG to build the leader in global talent solutions

3I

3i Group plc (“3i Group”) announces that it has agreed to invest $120m of equity in Wilson Human Capital Group (“WilsonHCG”), an award-winning global leader in talent solutions.

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, WilsonHCG is a global business with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The company provides a full suite of configurable talent solutions including recruitment process outsourcing (“RPO”), executive search, contingent talent solutions and talent consulting. The Company has operated as a strategic partner to some of the world’s most admired brands in helping them plan and execute on talent acquisition on a global basis.

WilsonHCG is widely known for its high-performance culture including its core values of collaboration, ownership, integrity, passion and communication. As a result, the Company is recognised as a leader by various industry trade associations such as HRO Today, Everest Group, NelsonHall and SIA and has also won a Gold Stevie Award and the Best Onsite RPO award in recent years.

The recruitment process outsourcing sector, which is one of WilsonHCG’s core areas of focus, has grown at a double-digit growth rate due to continued outsourcing adoption by new clients, further penetration with existing clients and increased hiring driven by greater employee mobility. Post the Covid-19 pandemic, the market is expected to return to historical levels of growth as companies increasingly value the superior outcomes, flexibility and efficiency that RPO providers such as WilsonHCG provide their clients.

Andrew Olinick, Partner, 3i, commented: “We are delighted to be backing John and his management team and investing in WilsonHCG. We have tracked the RPO space and WilsonHCG for several years. WilsonHCG’s high-performance culture and deep commitment to driving superior outcomes for its clients give us conviction that the Company will continue to grow rapidly in its markets. The business is highly regarded and is continuing its international expansion journey, following the recent acquisition of Profile in Asia, where we see the opportunity for WilsonHCG to serve its clients across all talent acquisition solutions.”

John Wilson, Founder and CEO, WilsonHCG, added: “We have known the 3i team for a number of years and they have demonstrated a clear commitment to investing in our space. There is a strong cultural fit between our organisations and a shared ambition to continue building WilsonHCG into the global talent solutions leader. Further, 3i’s international network will enable us to continue expanding our already global footprint so we can serve our customers in even more international locations.”

 

-ends-

Download this press release   

 

For further information, contact:

3i Group plc

Silvia Santoro
Investor enquiries
Tel: +44 20 7975 3258
Email: silvia.santoro@3i.com
Kathryn van der Kroft
Media enquiries
Tel: +44 7721 886 304
Email: kathryn.vanderkroft@3i.com

 

About 3i Group

3i is an investment company with two complementary businesses, Private Equity and Infrastructure, specialising in core investment markets in Northern Europe and North America.

3i’s Private Equity team provides investment solutions for growing companies, backing entrepreneurs and management teams of mid-market companies with an EV typically between €100m – €500m. We back international growth plans, providing access to our network and expertise to accelerate the growth of companies across the consumer, industrial, healthcare and business and technology services industries.

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

 

About WilsonHCG

WilsonHCG is an award-winning, global leader in total talent solutions. Operating as a strategic partner, it helps some of the world’s most admired brands build comprehensive talent functions. With a global presence spanning more than 65 countries and six continents, WilsonHCG provides a full suite of configurable talent services including recruitment process outsourcing (“RPO”), executive search, contingent talent solutions and technology advisory.

TALENT. ™ It’s more than a solution; it’s who we are.

 

Regulatory information

This transaction involved a recommendation of 3i Corporation, a US wholly owned subsidiary of 3i Group.

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Longship Fund II acquires GEXCON AS

Longship

Longship Fund II (“Longship”) has as of February 19th, 2021 acquired 100% of the shares in Gexcon AS from NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS (“NORCE”).

Gexcon is a global leader in process safety software, safety consulting and testing services, and specializes in analysis of dispersion, explosion and fire related risk and consequences. Based on experience developed in cooperation with the oil and gas industry, Gexcon has become the preferred supplier of safety studies also to the global Hydrogen industry, as well as other industries requiring high-end safety solutions. In 2020, consolidated revenues were NOK 180 million and Gexcon employed a total of 147 employees. Gexcon is headquartered in Bergen, Norway, with 11 subsidiaries and branch offices across the globe.

“Gexcon has developed world class software and services, based on decades of significant R&D investments and achievements. Longship has thoroughly enjoyed the process of getting to know the people and the company and we are looking forward to supporting Gexcon, as it is now further commercialising its products and services for a global market”, says Bernt Østhus, lead partner for Longship’s investment in Gexcon.

“This transaction will enable Gexcon to further strengthen the company’s wide range of software products and consulting services and expand its global presence. In this way, NORCE will conclude many years of guidance and ownership with a lasting contribution towards reaching the vision for Gexcon, which is to make the world a safer place.”, says Christopher Giertsen, Executive Vice President Commercialisation, NORCE.

Longship is a transformational growth investor, developing successful lower mid-market companies into mature growth businesses with institutional and strategic value. We aim to create a scalable platform for sustainable growth and profitability in our portfolio companies and support them on their accelerated growth journey. Longship is targeting excess return from its transformational approach.

Management and employees will become owners in Gexcon AS, as part of a broad Management Investment Program.

Longship was advised by McKinsey & Co, Schjødt, Deloitte, Simula Consulting and Lighthouse8. NORCE was advised by Alpha Corporate Finance, Thommessen, KPMG and Bearingpoint.

For more information, please contact:

Bernt Østhus, Partner, Longship AS
+47 93 44 99 10
bernt.osthus@longship.no

Christopher Giertsen, Executive Vice President Commercialization, NORCE,
+47 957 52 125
chgi@norceresearch.no

About Longship:

Longship is a Norwegian private equity investor established by a group of experienced investment professionals in 2015. Longship identifies and invest in companies with significant growth potential in the Norwegian lower mid-market and are applying a transformational growth approach. The investment team currently consists of eleven professionals, making it the leading player in the Norwegian lower mid-market. Longship closed its second fund in November 2020 with commitments of NOK 1.7 billion.

About NORCE:

NORCE is a Norwegian research institute, with expertise in a wide range of fields and strong communities of knowledge. NORCE deliver research and innovation in energy, health care, climate, the environment, society and technology. The solutions from NORCE address key challenges for the society and contribute to value creation for numerous public and private organisations on local, national, and global levels. Commercialisation of results from research and innovation is an integrated part of the core activities in NORCE. At the corporate level (2020), NORCE had about 1000 employees, and a turnover of about NOK 1.4 billion.

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Navamedic ASA – Q4 2020 financial results

Reiten

Today, 18th February 2021, Navamedic ASA presented the fourth quarter of 2020. The company grew revenues by 17% in Q4 2020 compared to the same quarter last year. Navamedic reported revenues of NOK 55.3 million in Q4 2020 with an EBITDA of negative NOK 3.7 million driven by both new product launches and investments in further growth initiatives. The company reiterates its mid- to long-term ambition of building a NOK 500 million company.

Revenues in the fourth quarter of 2020 were NOK 55.3 million (47.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2019). The gross margin was 40.4% (29.7%), while the EBITDA was negative NOK 3.7 million (-8.0). In full-year 2020, revenues increased by 11% to NOK 209.9 million (188.8), while EBITDA came in at negative NOK 1.3 million (-6.5).

“The fourth quarter of 2020 displayed strong growth in our underlying portfolio and new products introduced during the second half of the year. Key growth drivers continued to be Mysimba and Alflorex, while we were also pleased that the uptake of newly added products such as ThermaCare developed as planned. During 2020, we have made strategically important investments in our organisation and platform. These investments will be key as we embark on 2021 and continue to launch new products and push for continued growth in our existing portfolio,” says Kathrine Gamborg Andreassen, Chief Executive Officer of Navamedic ASA, and continues.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is evolving. We are monitoring the situation closely and will continuously evaluate measures to limit effects on supply and demand going forward. In the fourth quarter, we experienced volatility for Imdur caused by an out of stock situation. The impact was however offset by strong performance in our consumer health, medical nutrition and specialty pharma product categories.”

Shortly after the quarter, Navamedic launched Cysticina® in Norway, a nonprescription drug for treatment of symptoms of urinary infection. The company estimates an addressable Norwegian market of NOK 100 million, with no real nonprescription alternatives available in Norwergian pharmacies.

“Urinary infection is a troublesome and unfortunately returning problem for women, and we are pleased to introduce Cysticina as the first real nonsubscription alternative for treatment of urinary infection symptoms. Women’s health is key to us and we plan to launch more products in this area going forward,” says Gamborg Andreassen.

Navamedic will launch products in at least one country in each launch window going forward. The company targets 20% annual growth from 2021 and reiterates its mid- to long-term ambition of building a NOK 500 million company with strong gross margins and underlying profitability.

Navamedic ASA

 

Navamedic ASA is a Nordic pharma company and reliable provider of high-quality products, delivered to hospitals and through pharmacies, meeting the specific needs of patients and consumers by leveraging its highly scalable market access platform, leading category competence and local knowledge. Navamedic is present in all the Nordic countries, the Baltics and Benelux, with sales representation in the UK and Greece. Navamedic is headquartered in Oslo.

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