Category Archives: News

Capital Group and KKR Launch Their First Two Public-Private Investment Solutions and Announce Plans to Expand Their Exclusive Strategic Partnership

KKR
  • Subsequent strategies will include two public-private equity-oriented solutions, expected to launch in the U.S. in 2026
  • Work is underway to extend access for individuals interested in private markets through vehicles such as model portfolios and target date funds

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Leading global investment firms Capital Group and KKR today launched two interval funds focused on credit strategies, Capital Group KKR Core Plus+ and Capital Group KKR Multi-Sector+. Since their strategic partnership was announced in May 2024, the organizations have been working together on opportunities to further broaden access to private market investment solutions and provide education for individual investors, financial advisors and institutional clients.

Capital Group and KKR are already working on additional strategies and expect to deliver two equity-focused strategies intended to address different client needs and offer access to additional private markets asset classes.

“These solutions demonstrate the power of our combined scale and experience. We believe what Capital Group and KKR can do together is unmatched — blending best-in-class public and private market exposures to deliver diversified and differentiated investment outcomes at a compelling fee. I think of these public-private solutions as the best of both worlds,” said Capital Group President and CEO, Mike Gitlin.

The two new interval funds employ a thoughtful and deliberate approach, designed from the ground up to deliver blended public-private markets exposure with a risk, return and liquidity profile driven by input from financial advisors and a focus on investor needs and outcomes. Defining features include:

  • Public credit and private credit exposures combined into a single, holistic solution: over time, and subject to market conditions, each fund will seek to allocate approximately 60% of net assets to public fixed income and 40% to private credit consisting of direct lending and asset-based finance investments.
  • Improved liquidity relative to standalone alternatives: quarterly repurchase offers up to 10% of the fund’s outstanding shares at net asset value (NAV). Most interval funds offer 5% quarterly liquidity1.
  • Highly competitive total expense ratios2:
    • Capital Group KKR Core Plus+ at 84 basis points
    • Capital Group KKR Multi-Sector+ at 89 basis points
  • Low investment minimum of $1,000 for all share classes.

Just getting started

“Together with Capital Group, we are aiming to unlock the benefits of private investments for the 95%3 of individual investors who have not historically been able to invest in the private markets. We have only scratched the surface of what we can offer investors as we look to expand our collaboration across additional asset classes, geographies and formats. We entered this partnership knowing that our firms are highly aligned with collaborative cultures and complementary strengths―the launch of these first two funds shows what’s possible when our teams come together,” said Joe Bae and Scott Nuttall, Co-CEOs of KKR.

“Expanding access to private markets is much more than two public-private credit solutions. A joint, cross-company project team is already working on public-private equity solutions. We’re discussing how we can bring public-private model portfolio solutions to our clients,” said Gitlin. “We believe there is a role for private market solutions in retirement, including target date strategies. We’re working on the best way to bring public-private solutions to clients outside the U.S. And we’re also seeing how Capital Group can work more closely with KKR to support their insurance business. Needless to say, there’s a lot going on as we partner to build this category and best serve our clients,” Gitlin added.

Investing in education

Bringing public-private solutions to a broader audience is a critical first step in expanding access to private markets, and Capital Group and KKR are intent on ensuring the solutions can be successfully integrated into client portfolios and form part of turnkey solutions.

“Our partnership extends beyond products to the power of financial advice. Capital maintains relationships with more than 200,000 financial advisors across the United States. We have an opportunity as a trusted partner to help advisors deliver this significant advancement in our industry to their clients. We’ve built a knowledge platform to aide with understanding the category and are providing the tools needed to build client-centric portfolios using these strategies,” said Matt O’Connor, CEO of Capital Group’s Client Group.

The firms have built a robust educational platform to help financial advisors understand how to utilize private markets in client portfolios, which includes:

  • A modular, digital experience calibrated for financial advisors with varying levels of familiarity and experience with private markets.
  • A variety of formats including articles, videos and data interactives so advisors can learn in a way that suits their needs.
  • Actionable insights from portfolio managers, investment specialists and portfolio strategists across Capital Group and KKR.
  • Access to Capital Group’s portfolio construction desk for support with asset allocation and portfolio construction.

“The opportunity set for public-private solutions is untapped both globally and across asset classes,” said Eric Mogelof, KKR’s Global Head of Client Solutions. “Together, we are building a new public-private category for investors and the educational resources to equip advisors and individuals to learn more about private markets and the potential benefits of incorporating private assets into diversified portfolios. We are laser focused on serving the needs of investors, and we could not be more thrilled to take this next step in our partnership with Capital Group.”

Capital Group manages more than $2.8 trillion in assets, while KKR manages more than $600 billion across private equity, real assets, insurance and credit.

1Source: Morningstar’s Guide to Interval Funds; Exhibit 8 Redemption Frequencies and Percentages; Fund company filings data as of May 31, 2024.

2Total expense ratios indicated for the F3 share class of Capital Group KKR Core Plus+ and Capital Group KKR Multi-Sector+. Expense ratios are as of the fund’s prospectus available at the time of publication and are estimated. The investment adviser is currently waiving/reimbursing a portion of other expenses. Net expense ratios reflect the waiver/reimbursement, without which they would have been higher. The waiver/reimbursement will be in effect through at least April 22, 2026. Please see the fund’s most recent prospectus for details.

3Source: Capgemini Research Institute for Financial Services Analysis, 2024 and KKR analysis.

About Capital Group
Capital Group has been singularly focused on delivering superior results for long-term investors using high-conviction portfolios, rigorous research and individual accountability since 1931.

As of December 31, 2024, Capital Group manages more than $2.8 trillion in equity and fixed income assets for millions of individuals and institutional investors around the world. Capital Group manages equity assets through three investment groups. These groups make investment and proxy voting decisions independently. Fixed income investment professionals provide fixed income research and investment management across the Capital organization; however, for securities with equity characteristics, they act solely on behalf of one of the three equity investment groups.

For more information, visit capitalgroup.com.

About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as 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 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 https://kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at https://www.globalatlantic.com/

All Capital Group trademarks mentioned are owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc., an affiliated company or fund. All company and product names mentioned are the property of their respective companies.

Capital Client Group, Inc.

Investments are not FDIC-insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity, so they may lose value.

Media Contacts

Lizzie Lowe

Julia Kosygina

Investors should carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectuses, which can be obtained from a financial professional and should be read carefully before investing.

KKR Credit Advisors (US) LLC serves as the sub-adviser with respect to the management of the private credit assets for Capital Group KKR Core Plus+ and Capital Group KKR Multi-Sector+. Capital Group and KKR are not affiliated. The two firms maintain an exclusive partnership to manage and deliver public-private investment solutions to investors. The equity-focused solutions may come in different product structures and respective roles for the parties than the first two products.

The funds are interval funds that provide liquidity to shareholders through quarterly repurchase offers for up to 10% of their outstanding shares under normal circumstances. To the extent more than 10% of outstanding shares are tendered for repurchase, the redemption proceeds are distributed proportionately to redeeming investors (“proration”). Due to this repurchase limit, shareholders may be unable to liquidate all or a portion of their investment during a particular repurchase offer window. In addition, anticipating proration, some shareholders may request more shares to be repurchased than they actually wish, increasing the likelihood of proration. Shares are not listed on any stock exchange, and we do not expect a secondary market in the shares to develop. Due to these restrictions, investors should consider their investment in the funds to be subject to illiquidity risk.

Investment strategies are not guaranteed to meet their objectives and are subject to loss. Investing in the funds is not suitable for all investors. Investors should consult their investment professional before making an investment decision and evaluate their ability to invest for the long term. Because of the nature of the funds’ investments, the results of the funds’ operations may be volatile. Accordingly, investors should understand that past performance is not indicative of future results.

Bond investments may be worth more or less than the original cost when redeemed. High‐yield, lower‐rated securities involve greater risk than higher‐rated securities; portfolios that invest in them may be subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk than portfolios that do not. The funds may invest in structured products, which generally entail risks associated with derivative instruments and bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation. These securities include asset-based finance securities, mortgage-related assets, and other asset-backed instruments, which may be sensitive to changes in interest rates, subject to early repayment risk, and their value may fluctuate in response to the market’s perception of issuer creditworthiness; while generally supported by some form of government or private guarantee, there is no assurance that private guarantors will meet their obligations. While not directly correlated to changes in interest rates, the values of inflation-linked bonds generally fluctuate in response to changes in real interest rates and may experience greater losses than other debt securities with similar durations. The use of derivatives involves a variety of risks, which may be different from, or greater than, the risks associated with investing in traditional securities, such as stocks and bonds. For example, the funds may purchase and write call and put options on futures, giving the holder the right to assume a long (call) or short (put) position in a futures contract at a specified price. There is no assurance of a liquid market for any futures or futures options contract at any time. Investing outside the United States involves risks, such as currency fluctuations, periods of illiquidity, and price volatility. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in developing countries.

The funds invest in private, illiquid credit securities, consisting primarily of loans and asset-backed finance securities. The funds may invest in or originate senior loans, which hold the most senior position in a business’s capital structure. Some senior loans lack an active trading market and are subject to resale restrictions, leading to potential illiquidity. The funds may need to sell other investments or borrow to meet obligations. The funds may also invest in mezzanine debt, which is generally unsecured and subordinated, carrying higher credit and liquidity risk than investment-grade corporate obligations. Default rates for mezzanine debt have historically been higher than for investment-grade securities. Bank loans are often less liquid than other types of debt instruments and general market and financial conditions may affect the prepayment of bank loans, as such the prepayments cannot be predicted with accuracy.

Illiquid assets are more difficult to sell and may become impossible to sell in volatile market conditions. Reduced liquidity may have an adverse impact on the market price of such holdings, and the funds may be unable to sell such holdings when necessary to meet their liquidity needs or to try to limit losses, or may be forced to sell at a loss. Illiquid assets are also generally difficult to value because they rarely have readily available market conditions. Such securities require fair value pricing, which is based on subjective judgments and may differ materially from the value that would be realized if the security were to be sold.

The funds are non-diversified funds that have the ability to invest a larger percentage of assets in the securities of a smaller number of issuers than diversified funds. As a result, poor results by a single issuer could adversely affect fund results more than if the funds were invested in a larger number of issuers. The funds intend to declare daily dividends from net investment income and distribute the accrued dividends, which may fluctuate, to investors each month. Generally, dividends begin accruing on the day payment for shares is received by the funds. In the event the funds’ distribution of net investment income exceeds their income and capital gains paid by the funds’ underlying investments for tax purposes, a portion of such distribution may be classified as return of capital. The funds’ current intention not to use borrowings other than for temporary and/or extraordinary purposes may result in a lower yield than they could otherwise achieve by using such strategies and may make it more difficult for the funds to achieve their investment objective, than if the funds used leverage on an ongoing basis. There can be no assurance that a change in market conditions or other factors will not result in a change in the funds’ distribution rate at a future time.

SOURCE Capital Group Companies

 

Download PDF

Categories: News

Blackstone launches PROXITY, a new pan-European logistics platform

Blackstone

LONDON, UK and FRANKFURT, GERMANY – 29 April 2025 – Blackstone (NYSE: BX) has today announced the launch of Proxity, a new pan-European logistics operator and developer.

The newly created platform will deliver high-quality, flexible warehousing solutions to a diverse customer base in Europe’s most vibrant metropolitan regions.

Proxity will initially comprise a portfolio of approximately 500 properties and development projects, totaling more than seven million square meters of lettable area, which are owned by real estate funds managed by Blackstone.

Headquartered in Frankfurt and led by Guido Piñol, Chief Executive Officer, the company will operate across key markets in Continental Europe, the Nordics and Ireland, with plans to expand the portfolio in both existing and new markets as it scales further.

Also joining the newly formed leadership team is Jonas Kriebel, CFO. Both Mr. Piñol and Mr. Kriebel have been managing Office First, a leading German real estate investor and manager, and have an exceptional track record leading real estate businesses across Europe, having worked alongside Blackstone Real Estate for over a decade.

Finally, Yvo Postleb, former Country Head Germany at Cushman & Wakefield, will complete Proxity’s senior management team and serve as the company’s COO.

The company is expected to be fully operational by 2026, with recruitment initiatives across Germany and other European markets underway.

James Seppala, Head of Real Estate Europe at Blackstone, said: “Logistics is one of our highest conviction themes globally, with the sector continuing to benefit from highly favourable long-term fundamentals. The creation of Proxity is further testament to Blackstone’s conviction and our funds’ ability to deploy capital in fragmented markets to build a scalable logistics platform able to capitalize on growing and evolving customer demand.”

Guido Piñol, CEO of PROXITY, added: “As global e-commerce and supply chain trends continue to drive occupier demand, we are excited by the opportunity to establish a truly pan-European platform which provides tailored warehousing solutions to its customers. With Blackstone’s support, we are well placed to deploy capital and deliver growth, including through our ambitious development pipeline.”
 
About Blackstone Real Estate 
Blackstone is a global leader in real estate investing. Blackstone’s real estate business was founded in 1991 and has US $320 billion of investor capital under management. Blackstone is the largest owner of commercial real estate globally, owning and operating assets across every major geography and sector, including logistics, data centers, residential, office and hospitality. Our opportunistic funds seek to acquire undermanaged, well-located assets across the world. Blackstone’s Core+ business invests in substantially stabilized real estate assets globally, through both institutional strategies and strategies tailored for income-focused individual investors including Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (BREIT). Blackstone Real Estate also operates one of the leading global real estate debt businesses, providing comprehensive financing solutions across the capital structure and risk spectrum, including management of Blackstone Mortgage Trust (NYSE: BXMT).

Media Contact
Matt Thomas
Matthew.Thomas@blackstone.com
+44 7350 445003

Categories: News

Tags:

Ardian and Reneo establish strategic operating partnership for sustainable residential investments – first transaction in Frankfurt signed

Ardian

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, and Hamburg-based technology and asset management platform Reneo have established a strategic operating partnership for residential real estate investments. This is the first investment of Ardian in the German residential real estate market, relying on Reneo as the leading operating partner with strong decarbonisation and digitalisation expertise. In the first phase, the partners plan to invest around €100 million in develop-to-green projects in Germany by the end of 2026.

This cooperation marks a strategic platform expansion for Reneo. With Ardian as its new institutional partner, the company is beginning to offer its technology and asset management solutions to other investors in a targeted manner – a key step in the qualitative development of its business model. Reneo now has a total of over €700 million in capital available for investments and further growth.

The strategic operating partnership pursues a value-add strategy, focusing on existing properties with high development and ESG potential. Given Ardian’s international presence, it is envisaged to expand the joint investment activities to other European countries in the future.

First Investment in Frankfurt am Main

The first joint investment is a residential asset in Frankfurt-Ginnheim. The approximately 4,000 sqm-property with over 60 residential units will be extensively modernized and upgraded to KfW 55 standard, improving its energy efficiency rating from E to A. An additional increase in floor space is also planned. The property has been acquired from the insolvency estate of a fund managed by d.i.i. Deutsche Invest Immobilien AG.

“In Germany, the tight housing market is keeping demand steady and offering investors attractive opportunities for value creation, especially in existing properties that require modernization. With Reneo, we’ve chosen the operating partner with the strongest track record in residential refurbishment and a high digital presence. The property we’ve just acquired in Frankfurt is a great example of the kind of investments we’re looking for.“ Moritz Pohlmann, Director Real Estate, Ardian

“We continue to diversify our investment activities in the real estate sector. While our initial focus in Germany’s residential segment is on value-add properties, we also see attractive opportunities in the core and core+ segments, which we intend to evaluate and realize together with Reneo.“ Bernd Haggenmüller, Senior Managing Director Real Estate, Ardian

“The partnership with the leading European private equity house Ardian is an important milestone in the further development of Reneo. It underlines our expertise in ESG and digitalisation in the residential sector and at the same time marks the first opening to additional investors. This strategic operating partnership is another important step in building the leading scalable and digital investment platform that combines modern asset management with sustainable real estate development.“ Lennart Börner and Alexander Graubner-Müller, Founder and Co-CEOs, Reneo

Ardian was advised by Clifford Chance on the legal aspects of structuring the strategic operating partnership, while Reneo was advised by Hogan Lovells. The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the partnership.

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $177 billion of assets on behalf of more than 1,850 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian’s main shareholding group is its employees and we place great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,050+ employees, spread across 19 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.

At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

ardian.com

ABOUT RENEO GROUP

Reneo offers a comprehensive solution for the investment and decarbonization process of residential real estate. As a technology and asset management platform, Reneo leverages expertise in AI to enhance the value of residential properties through a programmatic and standardized approach to decarbonization. Reneo serves both private and institutional investors looking to invest in condominiums and multi-family properties. Operating under the brands CONDO and Reneo, the company has a proven track record with over €500 million of transaction volume since 2020.

Reneo was founded by Lennart Börner and Alexander Graubner-Müller, who lead the company as Co-CEOs. Today, the company has more than 100 employees at five locations in Germany, primarily working in software development, investments, renovation, and asset management. Reneo’s shareholders include the venture capital investors Eurazeo, Lakestar and Foundamental, the family businesses Goldbeck and Bauwens as well as renowned business angels such as Stefan Wiskemann and Fabian & Ferry Heilemann, which have invested a total of €45 million equity in the company.

reneo.de

Media Contacts

ARDIAN

CHARLES BARKER

ardian@charlesbarker.deTobias Eberle +49 69 79409024 / Jan P. Sefrin +49 69 79409026

RENEO

JFP Communications

jorge.person@jfp-communications.comJorge F. Person +49 151 21256448

Categories: News

Tags:

Apollo Funds to Acquire Pan-European, Highly Interconnected Colocation Data Center Business from STACK Infrastructure, a portfolio company of Blue Owl Digital Infrastructure

Apollo logo

LONDON and NEW YORK, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced that Apollo-managed infrastructure funds (the “Apollo Funds”) have agreed to acquire the European colocation business (the “Company”) developed and managed by STACK Infrastructure, a portfolio company of Blue Owl Digital Infrastructure Advisors LLC (“BODI”) in a carve-out transaction.

The Company comprises seven data center assets in strategic, highly interconnected locations across five key European markets – Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Milan and Geneva – serving the data center and connectivity needs of a diverse portfolio of blue-chip enterprise clients, including telecommunications carriers, IT and services companies and financial institutions.

Sherif Rizkalla, CEO of the Company, said: “We are delighted to partner with Apollo to accelerate growth of our business as a new, standalone company. Leveraging Apollo’s expertise in infrastructure, significant access to resources and support, we believe we are extraordinarily well-positioned to capitalize on our industry’s tailwinds and bring even more value to our customers, employees and other stakeholders.”

Adam Petrie, Partner at Apollo, said: “We are strong believers in the fundamental tailwinds behind the demand for data center infrastructure. In particular, we believe high-quality, interconnected colocation businesses with differentiated value propositions like the Company’s offer an attractive, secular growth opportunity for the long-term. We are very excited to partner with Sherif and his team in taking this business to the next level and expanding its presence across Europe.”

“A client-first approach is at the heart of STACK, which is why we established a dedicated enterprise colocation business unit in EMEA last year,” said John Eland, Chief Executive Officer, STACK EMEA. “The strategic creation of the colocation business unit enabled us to support the specialised requirements of the hyperscale sector, whilst also enabling our colocation experts to deliver exclusively on the needs of the enterprise sector. As STACK EMEA evolves to focus primarily on hyperscale clients, this transaction solidifies our commitment to hyperscale data center development and operations whilst our former enterprise colocation clients will continue to receive the highest standard of performance and support from dedicated experts.”

As part of the carve-out transaction, the management team and all employees currently operating the EMEA colocation business within STACK are expected to migrate with the Company, which will be re-branded and will no longer bear the “STACK Infrastructure” name or logo. STACK will continue its growth trajectory with a focus on hyperscale development and operations across key EMEA markets.

The transaction is subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to the Apollo Funds.

About Apollo

Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of December 31, 2024, Apollo had approximately $751 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

About BODI

BODI is part of Blue Owl’s Real Assets platform and a leading manager of global real estate private equity funds focused exclusively on investing in the digital infrastructure sector. BODI makes investments in digital infrastructure assets, including data center assets and other technology and connectivity-related assets and service providers all on a global basis. As of December 31, 2024, the funds managed by BODI had approximately $14.2 billion in assets under management. Blue Owl is a global alternative asset manager with $251.1 billion AUM as of December 31, 2024.

About STACK Infrastructure

STACK provides digital infrastructure to scale the world’s most innovative companies. With a client-first approach, STACK delivers a comprehensive suite of campus, build-to-suit, colocation, and powered shell solutions in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions. With robust existing and flexible expansion capacity in the leading availability zones, STACK offers the scale and geographic reach that rapidly growing hyperscale and enterprise companies need. The world runs on data. Data runs on STACK.

For more information about STACK, please visit: www.stackinfra.com.

Apollo Contacts
Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com

Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com

STACK Infrastructure Contacts
Stephanie Srikandarajah
press-emea@stackinfra.com

Categories: News

Tags:

SAMY Alliance expands European footprint with acquisition of Intermate

Bridgepoint

In a strategic move to solidify its position as the leading independent social-first marketing group, Bridgepoint portfolio company SAMY Alliance has announced the acquisition of Intermate, a top-tier German social media and influencer marketing agency. This acquisition, backed by Bridgepoint’s recent reinvestment in SAMY Alliance, represents a significant milestone in the company’s ambitious growth strategy.

Intermate: A Social-first powerhouse in Germany

Founded in 2015, Intermate has emerged as a category leader in end-to-end social media marketing, leveraging proprietary technology and a data-driven platform to deliver best-in-class execution and creator-led strategies. With a focus on maximum brand reach, superior efficiency, and data-driven insights, the company has established itself as a trusted partner for blue-chip leading brands across industries such as automotive, telecommunications, and consumer goods. Operating with a team of 250 employees across Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne, Intermate generates nearly 100% of its revenue in Germany, making it a dominant force in the market.

Strengthening Intermate’s leadership in Germany

This move will provide Intermate with access to SAMY’s capabilities and tools to deliver enhanced service to its clients. It will also position Intermate as a global social powerhouse, allowing them to offer not only excellence across DACH, but also a unified, data-driven social media and creator approach that can scale locally across markets in Europe and the Americas.

The founders and management team at Intermate will continue to focus on delivering the best service and social first experience to their clients in DACH and beyond as key stakeholders in the ongoing creation of a global independent social first leader.

A transformative move for SAMY Alliance

This acquisition marks a significant step forward for SAMY Alliance, expanding its reach into the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)—a key European market for social media and influencer marketing. By integrating Intermate’s advanced technology, deep market expertise, and strong client relationships, SAMY also strengthens its position in complementary verticals including healthcare, retail, and e-commerce, while further enhancing its capabilities in paid social, content production, and data-driven consulting.

With Intermate’s social-first approach and proprietary tech, SAMY will scale its services across key platforms like YouTube and TikTok, reinforcing its ability to help brands stay culturally relevant and ahead of digital trends.

This acquisition is also a milestone in SAMY Alliance’s ongoing European expansion, following the opening of its Milan office. With an established presence in the UK, Iberia, Finland, Italy and now Germany, SAMY continues to build a robust network, solidifying its status as a leading independent force in social-first marketing.

Juan Andrés Elhazaz, CEO of SAMY Alliance commented: “Since starting out, in 2012 for SAMY and 2015 for Intermate, both companies have shared the same ambition: to lead and shape social media communication with the boldest brands. We’ve always seen ourselves as pioneers, challenging the status quo and helping brands connect with people in more authentic, creative and impactful ways. Together, we are ready to lead the evolution of communications and shape the future of social media marketing at a global scale.”

Philip Papendieck Co-Founder/ CEO of Intermate added: “For the past ten years, Intermate has been on a mission to shape the social media landscape. In this new chapter, we are incredibly proud to join forces with SAMY Alliance, becoming one of the world’s largest independent social and influencer agency networks with over 800 colleagues across 15 countries. What excites us most is our shared dynamic and social-first mindset. Our teams, especially in the fields of tech and AI, are already working together to leverage our combined capabilities for our clients’ benefit.”

Héctor Pérez, Deputy Managing Partner of Bridgepoint Europe concludes: “This marks another important milestone in SAMY Alliance’s international growth journey, and Bridgepoint is pleased to support the team as they continue to scale globally. Expanding into the DACH region with a partner like Intermate strengthens SAMY’s integrated proposition and brings together two highly complementary businesses with deep local expertise and a shared vision. This is a strong step forward in realising SAMY’s potential as a global category leader in social-first digital marketing.”

Building the future of social media marketing

As SAMY Alliance continues to expand through strategic acquisitions and organic growth, it remains committed to becoming the leading independent force in social media marketing. By leveraging technology, data, and intelligence-fueled creativity, SAMY aims to shape the future of the industry, helping bold brands stay culturally relevant in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

The acquisition of Intermate is another milestone in this journey, reinforcing SAMY Alliance’s position as the go-to partner for brands looking to harness the power of social-first marketing.

The transaction is supported by SAMY Alliance’s existing investment partner Bridgepoint, which became the company’s majority shareholder in 2025.

Categories: News

Tags:

Platinum Equity’s Credit Team Leads Refinancing for Impact Climate Technologies

Platinum

Incumbent lender Platinum steps up again with new financing solution to support ICT’s continued growth

LOS ANGELES (April 30, 2025) – Platinum Equity announced today it led a financing for Impact Climate Technologies to refinance its existing indebtedness and support future growth of the business.

ICT is a leading supplier of design-assist engineering and manufacturers’ representation services to the commercial HVAC industry across data center, healthcare, life sciences, education, government, industrial and other commercial end markets.  ICT offers a comprehensive range of HVAC product lines, including custom air handling units, packaged equipment, precision cooling equipment, air distribution, fans, sheet metal products and a variety of other specialty applied equipment and commercial components.

ICT’s operating companies include local firms like Tom Barrow Company (Southeast), RF Peck (upstate NY), H&B Engineered Products (Mid Atlantic), Indiana Thermal Solutions (Midwest), Keller Rivest (Midwest), DMR Associates (Mid Atlantic), Texas Air Products (Texas), Fontanesi & Kann (Midwest), Biogrid (Midwest) and Architectural Building Products (Midwest).

“ICT and Ardian have been excellent partners, and the ICT platform continues to grow. We are enthusiastic to partner with Ardian again and continue supporting their next chapter.”

Jacob Kotzubei and Louis Samson, Co-Presidents, Platinum Equity

In 2023, Platinum Equity provided a loan to Tom Barrow Company in connection with Ardian’s acquisition of a majority stake in the business. Since that time, the company has grown both organically and inorganically, expanded its geographic reach, and deepened its relationship with both vendors and customers.   Platinum Equity’s latest financing sets the stage for ICT’s continued growth in the years to come.

“ICT and Ardian have been excellent partners, and the ICT platform continues to grow,” said Platinum Equity Co-Presidents Jacob Kotzubei and Louis Samson in a joint statement.  “We are enthusiastic to partner with Ardian again and continue supporting their next chapter.”

The ICT refinancing was led by Platinum Equity’s dedicated credit team, which seeks opportunities to provide debt capital to companies for a variety of uses, including acquisitions, refinancings and recapitalizations.

“As an incumbent lender, we know ICT’s operations, leadership team and industry well and are in a great position to provide a new financing solution to support the company’s continued growth,” said Platinum Equity Managing Director and Global Head of Credit Michael Fabiano. “Our aim is to establish meaningful long-term partnerships with borrowers where we can truly add value and continually meet their needs as strategies evolve.”

Platinum’s credit team targets companies that generally have $15 to $75 million of EBITDA and are primarily based in North America.

About Platinum Equity

Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with approximately $50 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 60 operating companies that serve customers around the world. Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy it calls M&A&O® – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, metals services, media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications and other industries. Over the past 30 years Platinum Equity has completed more than 500 acquisitions and debt financings.

Categories: News

Tags:

CapMan Infra’s data centre platform expands with acquisition of three high quality data centers in Sweden

Capman

CapMan Infra’s data centre platform expands with acquisition of three high quality data centers in Sweden

CapMan Infra’s data centre platform acquires three data centres from EcoDataCenter, two in Stockholm and one in Piteå, northeast Sweden. The three data centres provide an excellent strategic fit for CapMan Infra’s northern European platform by allowing for growth opportunities in the Swedish market.

CapMan Infra’s data centre platform, soon to be renamed to Kolo DC, has agreed to acquire two data centres in Stockholm and one in Piteå from EcoDataCenter. These facilities offer Tier 3 equivalent redundancy, high security, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and a clientele that includes blue-chip customers. They also feature sustainable solutions such as solar panels and connections to district heating networks for heat reuse and support for high performance computing (HPC) and AI workloads.

This is CapMan Infra’s third investment in its growing northern European data centre platform providing European-wide connectivity. The platform currently operates data centres in the Netherlands and Denmark, and these new investments will mark an entry to the Swedish market, creating opportunities to accelerate growth in the region and attract a diverse range of international clients. The Piteå data centre, in particular, offers a cold climate, low total cost of ownership, and proximity to renewable energy sources, making it ideal for AI customers seeking sustainable and cost-effective solutions.

“We are very pleased to make this investment into three high-quality data centres and grow our data centre platform in Sweden, a market where we see vast potential. We look forward to continue developing the sites as part of our growing platform,” says Harri Halonen, Partner at CapMan Infra.

”We believe we’ve found the ideal buyer in CapMan, a partner with a commitment to further develop these data centres and maximize the potential they have”, shares Peter Michelson, CEO at EcoDataCenter.

“I am excited to welcome these three data centers into our expanding platform. Their advanced capabilities, particularly in supporting AI workloads, position us to serve a rapidly growing market demand. This strategic expansion strengthens our presence in the Nordic region and offers our existing and prospective clients cutting-edge infrastructure to advance their AI initiatives,” says Maria Sundvall, CEO at CapMan Infra’s Datacenter Platform.

The transaction is expected to be completed within the second quarter of 2025.

The CapMan Nordic Infrastructure II fund is an Article 8 fund with a clear sustainability strategy, aiming to create value by accelerating the green transition in its portfolio companies. The fund has already made six investments: two in its growing data centre platform, in solar energy company Skarta Energy, in Napier, a leading provider of transportation infrastructure for the aquaculture industry, in Haminan Energia’s district heating and electricity network businesses and in ProPellet, a heat-as-a-service operator and bioenergy producer.

CapMan Infra is an active and committed owner, and its activities are based on the operational development and growth of infrastructure companies through additional investments. Based in Helsinki and Stockholm, its team of 15 professionals actively seeks to find the best possible solutions for developing and growing infrastructure together with asset owners, management, personnel and customers.

For more information:

Harri Halonen, Partner, CapMan Infra, +46 768 710 062

Maria Sundvall, CEO, Capman Infra’s Datacenter Platform, +46 767 633 300

About CapMan

CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset expert with an active approach to value creation and €6.1 billion in assets under management. As one of the private equity pioneers in the Nordics we have developed hundreds of companies and assets creating significant value for over three decades. Our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions to investors by enabling change across our portfolio companies. An example of this is greenhouse gas reduction targets that we have set under the Science Based Targets initiative in line with the 1.5°C scenario and our commitment to net-zero GHG emissions by 2040. We have a broad presence in the unlisted market through our local and specialised teams. Our investment strategies cover real estate and infrastructure assets, natural capital and minority and majority investments in portfolio companies. We also provide wealth management solutions. Altogether, CapMan employs around 200 professionals in Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, London and Luxembourg. We are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki since 2001. www.capman.com

About EcoDataCenter

EcoDataCenter is a Swedish company dedicated to providing sustainable and high-performance data center solutions. In 2019, EcoDataCenter opened its first data center, combining cutting-edge technology with a commitment to environmental responsibility, establishing itself as a leader in sustainable data center operations. For more information, visit https://ecodatacenter.tech/

 

Categories: News

Tags:

Ardian Consolidates Ownership in Hill Top Energy Center

Ardian

Ardian to build on strong existing partnership with Hill Top Energy Center team to drive continued long-term growth as sole owner

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, today announced it has acquired the remaining equity stake in Hill Top Energy Center (“Hill Top”), a state-of-the-art combined cycle gas turbine in Western Pennsylvania. Ardian first acquired a 41.9% stake in Hill Top in July 2019, and, with this transaction, has secured 100% ownership and full operational control of the project

The 620-megawatt natural gas-fired facility sells capacity and energy to the Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland (“PJM”) regional transmission organization, the largest competitive power market in the U.S. Since beginning operations in July 2021, Hill Top has been one of the most efficient and reliable power generation facilities in PJM, with a capacity factor in 2024 of more than 93%.

“The proliferation of new data centers and the continued electrification of industry are driving electricity growth at rates not seen in decades. New, efficient assets like Hill Top, utilizing state-of-the-art gas turbine technology, will provide around-the-clock reliable power to satisfy this growing demand. Hill Top is emblematic of Ardian’s commitment to the energy transition, providing reliable clean energy to power the region’s economic growth.” Mathias Burghardt, Executive Vice-President, Head and Founder of Infrastructure, Ardian

“Hill Top’s strategic location in the heart of the Marcellus shale provides long-term access to abundant, low-cost, clean-burning natural gas, ensuring that the project will remain among the most efficient producers of electricity in the region.” Mark Voccola, Senior Managing Director and Co-head of Ardian Infrastructure US, Ardian

This acquisition is the first energy investment for Ardian Americas Infrastructure Fund V (“AAIF V”) and aligns with the fund’s focus on investing in essential infrastructure assets in the energy, digital and transportation sectors. Ardian is an international leader in essential infrastructure. With assets of $36bn managed or advised, the Infrastructure team of 70+ investment professionals are committed to drive innovation and anticipate the future of Infrastructure.

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $177bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,850 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian’s main shareholding group is its employees and we place great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,050+ employees, spread across 19 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.

At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

ardian.com

Press contact

ARDIAN

ardian@h-advisors.global

ardian@h-advisors.global212-371-5999

Categories: News

Tags:

Elysian Capital III LP acquisition with management of IMS Euro Group Limited

Elysian Capital

Elysian Capital III LP is pleased to announce, in conjunction with management, its acquisition and investment in IMS Euro Group Limited, “IMS”. This represents the eighth platform investment in the Elysian Capital III LP Fund which closed in September 2020 at £325million.

IMS supplies medical and non-medical consumables to the veterinary sector in the UK and Europe, having recently set up an operation in The Netherlands serving customers across Northern Europe.

Led by Sam Collard, who became CEO in 2023 having joined as CFO, the business has grown significantly in recent years supported by strong tailwinds of veterinary clinic consolidation, growth in pet ownership and increasing penetration of pet insurance driving growth in the number of procedures and therefore increased consumables requirements.

Sam Collard, CEO said: “We are delighted to have Elysian’s support in enabling us to build on our position as a leading provider of high quality, cost-effective medical consumables across the UK and Europe and in establishing IMS as the medical consumables partner of choice – Our vision remains to be the number one global supply partner for all veterinary and medical professionals and this partnership marks another milestone on that journey.”

David Colclough, Partner at Elysian Capital said: “We are excited about this partnership with Sam and the IMS team. We have been struck by the market leadership shown by the business, its customer-centric focus and approach to high quality innovative products of exceptional value. We look forward to working closely with IMS on the next stage of its journey.”

Elysian Capital was advised by: DWF (legal); Aon (insurance); PwC (tax); EY Parthenon (commercial); KPMG (financial).

Contact

Elysian Capital LLP

Manfield House

1 Southampton Street

London

WC2R 0LR

T: +44 (0) 207 925 80 50

Categories: News

Electronic Trading Systems Provider MACD Acquired by Main Capital Partners Portfolio Company Foconis

Main Capital Partners

Foconis acquires Swiss trading systems provider MACD, expanding into Switzerland and the UK while enhancing its financial software offerings with complementary electronic trading and settlement solutions.

Dusseldorf, April 24th 2025 – Today, Foconis announces the acquisition of the Swiss electronic trading systems provider MACD. This marks the 6th add-on acquisition for Foconis since it joined the Main Capital Partners portfolio in 2021. With locations in Switzerland, Germany and the UK, joining forces with MACD reinforces Foconis’ position in existing markets, while extending its footprint into Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

MACD has been active as a service provider in the financial sector for over 25 years, serving customers such as Schroders, BX Swiss AG, and a wide range of Swiss private and cantonal banks. The company offers customised solutions for electronic securities and derivatives trading as well as in fund settlement, FX and crypto trading.

By acquiring MACD, Foconis is not only further diversifying its customer base, but also gains an immediate market presence in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Thanks to a complementary product offer, the partnership between these two companies will be highly beneficial to its customers and other stakeholders. In particular, the MACD solutions MAX and AIXECUTE optimally complement the DECIDE product portfolio of Foconis.

We started the growth of Foconis with the ambition to build a leading German financial software group. Now, we are expanding across borders as growth accelerates.

– Sven van Berge, Managing Partner and Head of DACH at Main

Olaf Pulwey, CEO of Foconis: “The acquisition of MACD is a significant step for our company. By pooling our expertise, we can offer our customers innovative, customised solutions for electronic trading and continue to grow internationally together.”

George Macdonald, CEO of MACD: “For over 25 years, banks, stock exchanges, brokers and asset managers have relied on our comprehensive software solutions and services in the trading business. The merger with Foconis opens up new opportunities for us to expand our product range and grow our client base. I am very much looking forward to working with the Foconis team.”

Sven van Berge, Managing Partner and Head of DACH at Main: “We started the growth of Foconis with the ambition to build a leading German financial software group. Now, we are expanding across borders as growth accelerates. Building a large group benefits all customers as complementary product suites expand. I am excited about the new opportunities this opens up for Foconis.

About MACD

MACD is an established provider of electronic trading systems with over 25 years of experience. The company offers customised solutions for electronic securities and derivatives trading as well as in fund settlement, FX and crypto trading.

About Foconis Group

Foconis combines highly specialised expertise from many years of project experience with a unique portfolio of innovative software solutions. The 380 employees of the Foconis Group support more than 800 companies, public institutions, banks, savings banks, cooperative banks and financial service providers throughout Europe with highly adaptable standard solutions for key core processes in finance and banking. The company focuses on the areas of data analytics, payment and trading.

Nothing contained in this Press Release is intended to project, predict, guarantee, or forecast the future performance of any investment. This Press Release is for information purposes only and is not investment advice or an offer to buy or sell any securities or to invest in any funds or other investment vehicles managed by Main Capital Partners or any other person.

Categories: News

Tags: