Category Archives: News

Achilles strengthens AI capability with Acquisition of InfoControl

Bridgepoint

Latest acquisition by Bridgepoint portfolio company Achilles brings advanced AI capabilities in-house, accelerating smarter, more accurate risk management through automation and intelligent data insights.

Achilles, a global leader in supply chain risk and performance management, has announced the acquisition of InfoControl, a specialist artificial intelligence (AI) and contractor management company based in Latin America. The acquisition deepens a successful long-term collaboration and marks a significant step forward in Achilles’ commitment to the responsible use of technology and data to deliver trusted, intelligent solutions for supply chain management and compliance.

The move will strengthen Achilles’ AI capabilities, enhance contractor management offerings, and unlock new opportunities in data extraction, analysis, and reporting for customers worldwide.

InfoControl brings advanced AI expertise in reading, interpreting, and extracting narrative data from complex documentation to deliver highly efficient and accurate supply chain data capture and non-financial reporting. The company’s Contractor Access Evaluation (CAE) tools are used across a range of industries in Latin America, complementing and extending Achilles’ Controlar solution.

As a leader in supply chain risk management, Achilles is committed to the ethical development and deployment of AI to enhance transparency, mitigate risks, and protect businesses’ reputations globally. With this latest acquisition, Achilles will continue to align its use of AI with its core values, the evolving expectations of stakeholders, and all relevant regulatory frameworks—ensuring its technology serves the purpose of building safer, more sustainable supply chains.

“Businesses are under increasing pressure to provide robust data in support of sustainability, due diligence, and disclosure frameworks such as CSRD, BRSR, LkSG, and Åpenhetsloven — while also navigating an increasingly complex global landscape,” said Paul Stanley, CEO at Achilles. “Accessing high-quality, reliable data remains a major challenge. This acquisition strengthens Achilles’ ability to efficiently and effectively deliver intelligent insights with greater speed and accuracy, helping our customers manage risk and build more resilient supply chains. I’m delighted to welcome the InfoControl team to Achilles.”

Matt Legg, Partner at Bridgepoint, majority shareholder in Achilles, commented: “Achilles continues to demonstrate strong strategic momentum through targeted acquisitions that enhance its technology leadership and global proposition. The acquisition of InfoControl brings highly relevant AI capabilities into the group, accelerating the delivery of scalable, data-driven solutions for customers worldwide.”

Achilles has already delivered several successful AI-driven features in the Achilles platform, including:

  • Predictive Risk Scoring: Using publicly available data to identify emerging supplier risks and reduce assessment costs for lower tier suppliers.
  • Real-time Data Validation: Increasing ‘right first time’ rates by automating validation of supplier responses.
  • AI-powered Data Mining: Extracting information in multiple languages to improve accuracy and reduce manual effort.
  • Smarter Supplier Onboarding: Streamlining supply chain data collection with pre-populated data from trusted sources.

 

“This partnership allows us to accelerate our vision and bring our capabilities to a much broader market,” said Francisco Pontoriero, co-founder of InfoControl. “Achilles’ global reach and deep industry expertise are a perfect match for our AI solutions. We are excited to join the Achilles group and begin this next chapter together.”

The acquisition of InfoControl follows Achilles’ purchases of GoSupply and Global Risk Management Solutions (GRMS), which expanded its capabilities in supplier evaluation and risk management across key global markets.

Achilles’ continued growth journey is supported by Bridgepoint, one of the world’s leading private asset growth investors, which partnered with the company in 2021 via its lower middle-market franchise, Bridgepoint Development Capital.

The partnership leverages Bridgepoint’s track record in scaling risk management, certification and consultancy businesses globally, including previous investments such as Element Materials Technology, ERM and HKA.

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Intel Announces Strategic Investment by Silver Lake in Altera

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Silverlake

Raghib Hussain Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Altera

Sale of 51% Stake to Silver Lake to Accelerate Altera’s Independence and Leadership in Programmable Semiconductor Solutions

Advances Intel’s Strategy to Focus on its Core Business and Strengthen its Financial Position

SANTA CLARA, Calif.; SAN JOSE, Calif.; and Menlo Park, Calif., April 14, 2025 – Intel Corporation today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell 51% of its Altera business to Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing.

The transaction, which values Altera at $8.75 billion, establishes Altera’s operational independence and makes it the largest pure-play FPGA (field programmable gate array) semiconductor solutions company. Altera offers a proven and highly scalable architecture and tool chain and is focused on driving growth and FPGA innovation to meet the demands and opportunities of an AI-driven market.

Intel will own the remaining 49% of the Altera business, enabling it to participate in Altera’s future success while focusing on its core business.

Intel also announced that Raghib Hussain will succeed Sandra Rivera as chief executive officer of Altera, effective May 5, 2025. Hussain is a highly accomplished and visionary technology executive with strong business acumen and engineering credentials. He joins Altera from his previous role as president of Products and Technologies at Marvell. Prior to joining Marvell in 2018, Hussain served as chief operating officer of Cavium, a company he co-founded. Prior to Cavium, Hussain held engineering roles at both Cisco and Cadence and helped found VPNet, an enterprise security company.

“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to sharpening our focus, lowering our expense structure and strengthening our balance sheet,” said Lip-Bu Tan, chief executive officer of Intel. “Altera continues to make progress repositioning its product portfolio to participate in the fastest growing and most profitable segments of the FPGA market. We are grateful for Sandra’s strong leadership and lasting impact throughout her 25-year Intel career and wish her continued success as she begins a new chapter. Raghib is a superb executive we selected to lead the business forward based on his vast industry experience and proven track record of success. We look forward to partnering with Silver Lake upon closing of the transaction, as their industry expertise will help to accelerate Altera’s efforts and unlock additional economic value for Intel.”

“This investment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in a scale leader in advanced semiconductors. Together with Raghib, we will be focused on strengthening Altera’s technology leadership position and investing in emerging AI-driven markets such as edge computing and robotics,” said Kenneth Hao, chairman and managing partner of Silver Lake. “We look forward to working closely with Intel as a strategic partner who will continue to provide U.S.-based foundry services and complementary engagement with customers.”

“I am excited to lead Altera in its next chapter, and this milestone with Silver Lake furthers Altera’s journey to be the world’s No. 1 FPGA solutions provider,” said Hussain. “Backed by Silver Lake’s strong track record and now with clarity of focus as an independent company, Altera is well-positioned to build on its momentum and deliver breakthrough FPGA-based solutions that are shaping the future of compute driven by AI. I am grateful for the impact Sandra has made and the team she has built as we begin Altera’s next phase of growth.”

Altera has been at the forefront of driving FPGA innovations for more than 40 years. The company provides leading programmable solutions that are easy-to-use and deploy in a range of strategically important segments such as industrial, communications, data center and military, aerospace, and government, as well as emerging markets such as AI/edge and robotics. Its broad portfolio of programmable semiconductor solutions, software and development tools deliver the reliability and flexibility needed to accelerate customer technology innovation.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

Upon closing, Intel expects to deconsolidate Altera’s financial results from Intel’s consolidated financial statements. In Fiscal Year 2024, Altera generated revenues of $1.54 billion, GAAP gross margin of $361 million and GAAP operating loss of $615 million. Altera’s Fiscal Year 2024 non-GAAP gross margin was $769 million and non-GAAP operating income was $35 million. Reconciliations between the GAAP and non-GAAP measures are provided below.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor to Intel.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including with respect to the terms and anticipated timing of closing the agreed upon sale of a controlling interest in Altera and the potential benefits of such sale to Intel and Altera. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied, including:  the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, including as a result of a failure to receive regulatory approvals; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the transaction; the risk that the expected benefits of the transaction, including as a result of the increased independence of Altera, may not be realized; the risk of future loss of the Altera business by Intel as a result of the sale of a controlling interest in Altera; disputes or potential litigation related to the transaction or the ownership, control and operation of the Altera business, including as it relates to Intel; unanticipated costs related to the transaction or the Altera business that may be incurred; risks as to the retention of key Altera personnel and customers; risks related to the diversion of management’s attention during the pendency of the transaction; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction; changes in demand for Altera’s semiconductor products; the high level of competition and rapid technological change in the semiconductor industry; and other risks and uncertainties described in Intel’s 2024 Form 10-K and our other filings with the SEC.

Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in this release and in other documents we file from time to time with the SEC that disclose risks and uncertainties that may affect our business.

All information in this press release reflects Intel management views as of the date hereof unless an earlier date is specified. Intel does not undertake, and expressly disclaims any duty, to update such statements, whether as a result of new information, new developments, or otherwise, except to the extent that disclosure may be required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release contains references to non-GAAP financial measures: Altera non-GAAP gross margin and Altera non-GAAP operating income / (loss) measures. Set out below are reconciliations of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures disclosed herein should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Please refer to “Explanation of Non-GAAP Measures” in Intel’s earnings release dated Jan. 30, 2025 for a detailed explanation of the adjustments made to the comparable GAAP measures, the ways management uses the non-GAAP measures, and the reasons why management believes the non-GAAP measures provide investors with useful supplemental information.

Twelve Months Ended
(in Millions; Unaudited) Dec 28, 2024
GAAP gross margin             $       361
Acquisition-related adjustments                      402
Share-based compensation                          6
Non-GAAP gross margin             $       769
   
GAAP operating income / (loss)             $      (615)
Acquisition-related adjustments                      491
Share-based compensation                      122
Restructuring and other charges                        37
Non-GAAP operating income / (loss)             $         35

About Intel

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) is an industry leader, creating world-changing technology that enables global progress and enriches lives. Inspired by Moore’s Law, we continuously work to advance the design and manufacturing of semiconductors to help address our customers’ greatest challenges. By embedding intelligence in the cloud, network, edge and every kind of computing device, we unleash the potential of data to transform business and society for the better. To learn more about Intel’s innovations, go to newsroom.intel.com and intel.com.

About Altera

Altera is a leading supplier of programmable hardware, software, and development tools that empower designers of electronic systems to innovate, differentiate, and succeed in their markets. With a broad portfolio of industry-leading FPGAs, SoCs, and design solutions, Altera enables customers to achieve faster time-to-market and unmatched performance in applications spanning data centers, communications, industrial, automotive, and more. For more information, visit www.altera.com.

About Silver Lake

Silver Lake is a global technology investment firm, with approximately $104 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital and a team of professionals based in North America, Europe and Asia. Silver Lake’s portfolio companies collectively generate nearly $252 billion of revenue annually and employ approximately 433,000 people globally.

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KKR to Acquire OSTTRA from CME Group and S&P Global for $3.1 Billion

KKR

New York, NY, April 14, 2025— KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which investment funds managed by KKR will acquire OSTTRA, a leading provider of post-trade solutions for the global OTC market, from CME Group and S&P Global. The terms of the deal for OSTTRA equaled total enterprise value at $3.1 billion, subject to customary purchase price adjustments, which will be divided evenly between S&P Global and CME Group pursuant to their 50/50 joint venture.

Established in 2021 as a joint venture between CME Group and S&P Global, OSTTRA serves the global financial ecosystem with a comprehensive suite of critical post-trade offerings across interest rates, FX, credit and equity asset classes. OSTTRA provides end-to-end connectivity and workflow solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, and other market participants across trade processing, trade lifecycle, and optimization.

The OSTTRA management team, led by co-CEOs Guy Rowcliffe and John Stewart, will continue to lead the company in their current roles. KKR will support OSTTRA’s customer-centric growth and role as a critical market infrastructure provider by increasing OSTTRA’s investments in technology and innovation across its leading post-trade solutions platform.

“We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with CME Group and S&P Global over the past several years and delighted to have KKR’s backing as we embark on this exciting new chapter for OSTTRA,” said Guy Rowcliffe and John Stewart, co-CEOs of OSTTRA. “With KKR’s support, we will further accelerate our strategic initiatives to enhance our market-leading post-trade solutions, drive innovation, and expand our global footprint. Together, we look forward to delivering even greater value to our customers and helping them navigate the ever-evolving OTC landscape.”

“We have long admired OSTTRA for its mission-critical solutions, deep customer relationships, and strong market position, which we believe provide a great foundation for future growth,” said Webster Chua, Partner at KKR. “We look forward to working with the OSTTRA team and leveraging our experience in the tech-enabled and financial services sectors to help the company further innovate and drive value for its customers.”

“OSTTRA has generated significant growth over the past several years, and we are pleased with the role our joint venture played in driving the company forward,” said CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy. “Looking ahead, as the post-trade marketplace continues to evolve, we are confident that KKR will further scale this business and extend the important efficiencies that OSTTRA delivers to clients.”

“We’re thrilled about this next chapter for OSTTRA, which, together with KKR, is ideally positioned to tackle today’s complex post-trade challenges and proactively meet future operational demands,” said John Barneson, Chairman of the Board of OSTTRA and Head of Enterprise Solutions at S&P Global Market Intelligence. “This transaction reflects S&P Global’s continued commitment to active portfolio optimization in support of our strategy and to fuel future growth.”

KKR is making its investment in OSTTRA primarily through its North American private equity strategy. Following the close of the transaction, KKR will support OSTTRA in creating a broad-based equity ownership program to provide all of the company’s nearly 1,500 employees the opportunity to participate in the benefits of ownership. This strategy is based on the belief that team member engagement through ownership is a key driver in building stronger companies. Since 2011, more than 60 KKR portfolio companies have awarded billions of dollars of total equity value to over 150,000 non-senior management employees.

Further financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and receipt of required regulatory approvals.

Barclays and Davis Polk served as financial and legal advisors, respectively, to S&P Global. Citi and Skadden served as financial and legal advisors, respectively, to CME Group. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and BofA Securities, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett served as financial and legal advisors, respectively, to KKR.

 

About OSTTRA

Formed in September 2021 as a 50/50 joint venture between CME Group’s optimization businesses (Traiana, TriOptima, and Reset) and S&P Global’s middleware business (MarkitSERV), OSTTRA has established itself as a critical infrastructure provider in the post-trade space, processing over 80 million trades monthly.

About CME Group

As the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products and metals.  The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform.  In addition, it operates one of the world’s leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing.

CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.  NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.  COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec is a trademark of BrokerTec Americas LLC and EBS is a trademark of EBS Group LTD. The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P DJI”). “S&P®”, “S&P 500®”, “SPY®”, “SPX®”, US 500 and The 500 are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones®, DJIA® and Dow Jones Industrial Average are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. These trademarks have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Futures contracts based on the S&P 500 Index are not sponsored, endorsed, marketed, or promoted by S&P DJI, and S&P DJI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

 

About S&P Global

S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) provides essential intelligence. We enable governments, businesses and individuals with the right data, expertise and connected technology so that they can make decisions with conviction. From helping our customers assess new investments to guiding them through sustainability and energy transition across supply chains, we unlock new opportunities, solve challenges and accelerate progress for the world.

We are widely sought after by many of the world’s leading organizations to provide credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help the world’s leading organizations plan for tomorrow, today.

S&P Global provides essential intelligence. We enable governments, businesses, and individuals with the right data, expertise, and connected technology to make informed decisions. S&P Global is a leader in credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity, and automotive markets.

 

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 www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

 

 

 

Media Contacts

CME Group
Laurie Bischel
laurie.bischel@cmegroup.com

S&P Global
Farhan Husain
farhan.husain@spglobal.com

KKR
Julia Kosygina or Lauren McCranie
media@kkr.com

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Bain Capital reaches agreement with Ageas to sell esure and establish a top-3 UK personal lines platform

BainCapital

Ageas and Bain Capital agree to a c. €1.510 billion cash transaction for esure
Ageas/esure combination creates multi-channel motor and home insurer with broad customer appeal across the UK

LONDON – April, 14, 2025 – Bain Capital today announced that it has reached an agreement with Ageas to sell esure, a leading digital personal lines insurer with strong positioning on price comparison websites (PCW) in the UK. The proposed transaction is fully aligned with Ageas’s strategic priorities for M&A in Europe under Elevate27. It increases Ageas’s European markets presence through the acquisition of a controlled entity, reinforces its positioning in the UK, generates shareholder value from the realization of synergies and enhances the cash generation of the Group.

The combination of Ageas UK and esure will create the third largest UK personal lines platform with a balanced and diversified distribution spanning Direct, PCW, brokers and partnerships. The acquisition of esure will enable Ageas UK to accelerate the diversification of its distribution strategy into the important PCW channel in the UK market. Its underwriting footprint will widen Ageas UK’s target customer demographics and enable growth to a top-line of £3.25 billion (€3.8 billion) by 2028.

Ageas UK has established itself as an accomplished insurer over the past four years by focusing on profitable growth solely in the personal lines business with a specialism in broker distribution, outstanding technical insurance skills and technology, and successfully delivering insurance solutions for its distribution partners and over four million customers.

esure is a leading UK personal lines insurer with a fully digital distribution model through the PCW channel and three popular brands – esure, Sheilas’ Wheels and First Alternative. In 2024, esure had more than 2.1 million policies and GWP of over £1 billion (€ 1.2 billion).

The acquisition of esure creates significant potential for operational synergies and capital benefits to be realized in the medium term. We expect economies of scale in our UK personal lines portfolio and the accelerated implementation of the EIS IT platform, including esure’s complementary claims module, to drive operational efficiencies and cost avoidance for Ageas UK. Continued focus on technology, data and AI is expected to create further competitive advantages. In addition, capital benefits from enhanced diversification and the inclusion of esure in Ageas’s partial internal model are expected to emerge over time.

Under the terms of the transaction, Ageas will pay Bain Capital a cash consideration of £1.295 billion (€ 1.510 billion) for esure, respecting a Solvency II target ratio of 150 percent as at year-end 2024.  The Group’s capital position will remain robust with Solvency II ratio expected to decrease by approximately only 10pp thanks to the inclusion of around €1 billion of Own Funds instruments in the financing mix.

The transaction will be financed through a combination of surplus cash and newly issued senior and hybrid debt and/or equity within the existing authorizations and subject to market conditions. A fully underwritten 2-year bridge facility is provided by BofA Securities and Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A..

The integration of Ageas UK and esure is anticipated to be completed, in all material respects, during the Elevate27 strategic cycle. Entering the next strategic period, we project that the transaction will generate a full cost saving potential in excess of  100 million (c. €115 million) per annum, before tax. On a run-rate basis, this transaction is expected to generate an unlevered return on investment of over 12 percent for Ageas and an uplift in the Return on Equity of more than 1pp. It will become Holding Free Cash Flow accretive per share of c. 10 percent as from 2028.

The completion of the transaction is expected to occur in 2H 2025 and remains subject to regulatory approvals.

Luca Bassi, Partner at Bain Capital, said: “We are pleased to have supported esure through its transformation and growth journey. During our ownership, esure has built the leading tech platform in UK insurance and their highly efficient operations have set a new standard for the industry. This transaction is a testament to esure’s strong market position and the state-of-the-art technology platform built under Bain Capital’s tenure, with the business now at record levels of profitability. We are confident that Ageas is the right partner to continue this legacy of success and innovation.”

Commenting on the agreement, Hans De Cuyper, Ageas Group CEO, said: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement to acquire esure. In recent years, Ageas has experienced significant growth in the UK, making it an increasingly important part of the Group. This transaction will allow us to offer competitive value propositions to a wider customer profile via a multi-channel distribution model, positioning Ageas UK as one of the top three personal lines insurers. Acquiring esure also supports our strategic ambitions of re-balancing our Group profile towards businesses with high cash conversion. We remain, of course, committed to our Elevate27 financial objectives, including our commitment to a progressive dividend policy, and will observe the full synergies of this transaction in the forthcoming strategic period.”

Ant Middle, Ageas UK CEO, said: “esure is a significant addition to the Ageas UK business and aligns perfectly with our growth strategy. As demand for motor and home insurance grows, Ageas will be perfectly positioned to gain market share and become the insurer of choice for our existing and new customers. The combined Ageas and esure franchise will benefit from an outstanding customer offering, through market leading technology and prominent brands, that will drive our expansion into new customer demographics. Under Elevate27, we want to continue to grow our broker and partnerships personal lines business in the UK, and esure will help us to rapidly expand our direct distribution, our customer reach, and our scale overall. esure’s technical capabilities will match Ageas UK’s and will enable us to develop our well-balanced business at greater pace and serve a wider range of customers. We’re really excited for the potential this brings our UK business and wider Group.”

David McMillan, esure Group CEO, said: “This transaction brings together two highly complementary businesses and creates an even stronger platform for continued innovation, growth and excellent delivery for our customers. Combining Ageas’s scale, financial strength and excellent broker relationships with esure’s strong retail brands, market-leading data capabilities and strength on PCWs, alongside a shared technology platform, will enhance our combined ability to invest in our customer proposition and open up new opportunities for growth. I am deeply proud of what the esure team has achieved to date. We look forward to working alongside the Ageas team to build the UK’s leading personal lines insurer.”

BofA Securities is acting as financial adviser and Allen Overy Sherman Sterling LLP is acting as legal counsel to Ageas in relation to the transaction

Fenchurch Advisory Partners LLP and Goldman Sachs International served as financial advisers to Bain Capital and esure. Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP served as legal adviser and Norton Rose Fulbright LLP served as regulatory adviser to Bain Capital and esure.

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About Bain Capital:

Founded in 1984, Bain Capital is one of the world’s leading private investment firms. The firm has a significant history in Europe, starting with the establishment of a London office in 2000 and expanding to include other European locations, with a focus on private equity, credit and special situations investments. We are committed to creating lasting impact for our investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which we live. As a private partnership, we lead with conviction and a culture of collaboration, advantages that enable us to innovate investment approaches, unlock opportunities, and create exceptional outcomes. Our global platform invests across five focus areas: Private Equity, Growth & Venture, Capital Solutions, Credit & Capital Markets, and Real Assets. In these focus areas, we bring deep sector expertise and wide-ranging capabilities. We have 24 offices on four continents, more than 1,850 employees, and approximately $185 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit www.baincapital.com. Follow @BainCapital on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

About esure Group:

esure Group is one of the UK’s leading providers of Motor and Home insurance products through the esure, Sheilas’ Wheels and First Alternative brands. Founded in 2000, esure Group has the scale, heritage and expertise capable of inspiring the trust and confidence of their 2.1m customers, combined with the entrepreneurial mindset and agility of an insurtech. esure Group is focused on using their market-leading technology platform, insights and data, alongside fantastic customer service, to deliver more personalized experiences that meet the evolving needs and expectations of customers.

About Ageas:

Ageas is a listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning of 200 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life insurance products designed to suit their specific needs, today and tomorrow, and is also engaged in reinsurance activities. As one of Europe’s larger insurance companies, Ageas concentrates its activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the major part of the global insurance market. It operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Portugal, Turkey, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long-term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors. Ageas ranks among the market leaders in the countries in which it operates. It represents a staff force of about 50,000 people and reported annual inflows of EUR 18.5 billion in 2024.

For analysts:

An analyst meeting regarding this transaction will be held on Monday, April 14, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00 am CET (9:00 to 10:00 am UKT). The Teams call can be accessed using the following link: https://ageas.com/en/esure-2025

Note to editors:

To support its expansion, in 2024 Ageas UK announced a partnership with Saga, growing its offering to the over-50s segment, which is strategically in line with Ageas’s focus on an ageing population.

 

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Apollo Funds Commit up to $400 Million for New Commercial Solar Partnership with Summit Ridge Energy

Apollo logo

NEW YORK and ARLINGTON, Va., April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) and Summit Ridge Energy, LLC (“Summit Ridge Energy” or “Summit Ridge”), one of the nation’s leading commercial solar companies, today announced that Apollo-managed funds (the “Apollo Funds”) have committed up to $400 million for a new joint venture partnership with Summit Ridge to jointly own and operate a portfolio of commercial solar assets across Illinois.

Summit Ridge Energy is one of the largest owner-operators of commercial solar assets in the United States, with over 2GW of solar projects operating and in development across Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maine, providing energy savings to more than 40,000 homes and businesses while contributing to American energy independence. In 2022, Apollo Funds previously made a $175 million strategic investment in Summit Ridge.

Apollo Partner Corinne Still said, “We are pleased to expand our relationship with Summit Ridge Energy and enter this new partnership, which we believe represents a compelling opportunity to invest in solar projects poised to contribute domestic power generation capacity to meet growing electricity demands for households and businesses alike. Apollo is committed to serving as a leading capital provider enabling the new industrial renaissance and is excited to continue our support of Summit Ridge’s mission to deliver a more secure, self-reliant energy future for communities across the country.”

“As we expand our footprint of solar assets, Summit Ridge Energy is advancing a more reliable and locally driven energy system—bolstering the U.S. electric grid while delivering savings to businesses and households and helping to create thousands of American jobs,” said Adam Kuehne, Chief Investment Officer of Summit Ridge Energy. “We’re proud to partner with the Apollo team as we continue driving the nation toward greater energy independence.”

Over the past five years, Apollo-managed funds and affiliates have committed, deployed or arranged approximately $58 billioni of climate and energy transition-related investments, supporting companies and projects across clean energy and infrastructure.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP served as legal counsel to the Apollo Funds.

____________________
i As of December 31, 2024. The firmwide targets (the “Targets”) to deploy, commit, or arrange capital commensurate with Apollo’s proprietary Climate and Transition Investment Framework (the “CTIF”), are (1) $50 billion by 2027 and (2) more than $100 billion by 2030 The CTIF, which is subject to change at any time without notice, sets forth certain activities classified by Apollo as sustainable economic activities (“SEAs”), and the methodologies used to calculate contribution towards the Targets. Only investments determined to be currently contributing to an SEA in accordance with the CTIF are counted toward the Targets. Under the CTIF, Apollo uses different calculation methodologies for different types of investments in equity, debt and real estate. For additional details on the CTIF, please refer to our website here: https://www.apollo.com/strategies/asset-management/real-assets/sustainable-investing-platform.

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 Summit Ridge Energy   

As the nation’s leading commercial solar company, Summit Ridge Energy merges financial innovation and industry-leading execution to deliver locally generated energy via a more resilient and secure electric grid. This has made Summit Ridge one of the fastest-growing energy companies in America, with over 2 GW of solar power operating and in development.

Since launching in 2017, Summit Ridge has raised over $5B in project capital to finance 200+ solar farms, providing energy savings to more than 40,000 homes and businesses while contributing to American energy independence. Learn more at srenergy.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.

Contacts

For Apollo:

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

For Summit Ridge Energy:

Media

347-723-7231

press@srenergy.com

Business Development

business@srenergy.com

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Stonepeak Completes Acquisition of ATSG

Stonepeak

WILMINGTON, Ohio — April 11, 2025 – Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (“ATSG”), a global leader in medium widebody freighter aircraft leasing, air transport operations, and support services, today announced the completion of its acquisition by Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets, in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise valuation of approximately $3.1 billion.

“Today marks an important milestone in ATSG’s journey,” said Mike Berger, Chief Executive Officer of ATSG. “As a private company – and with Stonepeak’s support, as a leading investor in transportation, logistics, and asset leasing businesses – we are well-positioned to enhance our capabilities and sustain ATSG’s long term growth. I look forward to focusing on delivering value for our employees, customers, partners, communities, and other stakeholders. Our employees continue to demonstrate they are the best in the business across all ATSG companies. That, very simply, is what separates us from the rest.”

“ATSG has proven itself to be a leader in global aircraft leasing, with significant scale, strong customer relationships, and an incredibly talented team across all of its businesses,” said James Wyper, Senior Managing Director, Head of Transportation & Logistics, and Head of U.S. Private Equity at Stonepeak. “We look forward to partnering with Mike and the rest of the team to support ATSG in its next chapter as a private company.”

The transaction was announced on November 4, 2024, and received approval of ATSG’s stockholders on February 10, 2025. In accordance with the definitive merger agreement, holders of ATSG’s common shares will receive $22.50 per share in cash. With the completion of the acquisition, ATSG’s common shares have ceased trading and will no longer be listed on NASDAQ.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to ATSG. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease LLP and Silverberg Goldman LLP acted as legal counsel to ATSG. Evercore acted as financial advisor to Stonepeak. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Hogan Lovells US LLP acted as legal counsel to Stonepeak.

About Air Transport Services Group

Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) is a premier provider of aircraft leasing and cargo and passenger air transportation solutions for both domestic and international air carriers, as well as companies seeking outsourced airlift services. ATSG is the global leader in freighter aircraft leasing with a fleet that includes Boeing 767, Airbus A321, and Airbus A330 converted freighters. ATSG’s unique Lease+Plus aircraft leasing opportunity draws upon a diverse portfolio of subsidiaries including three airlines holding separate and distinct U.S. FAA Part 121 Air Carrier certificates to provide air cargo lift, and passenger ACMI and charter services. Complementary services from ATSG’s other subsidiaries allow the integration of aircraft maintenance, airport ground services, and material handling equipment engineering and service. ATSG subsidiaries comprise ABX Air, Inc.; Airborne Global Solutions, Inc.; Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services, Inc., including its subsidiary, Pemco World Air Services, Inc.; Air Transport International, Inc.; Cargo Aircraft Management, Inc.; LGSTX Services, Inc.; and Omni Air International, LLC. For further details, please visit www.atsginc.com.

About Stonepeak

Stonepeak is a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets with approximately $72 billion of assets under management. Through its investment in defensive, hard-asset businesses globally, Stonepeak aims to create value for its investors and portfolio companies, with a focus on downside protection and strong risk-adjusted returns. Stonepeak, as sponsor of private equity and credit investment vehicles, provides capital, operational support, and committed partnership to grow investments in its target sectors, which include digital infrastructure, energy and energy transition, transport and logistics, and real estate. Stonepeak is headquartered in New York with offices in Houston, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and Abu Dhabi. For more information, please visit www.stonepeak.com.

Contact:

ATSG

Quint O. Turner
Chief Financial Officer
Air Transport Services Group, Inc.
(937) 366-2303

Stonepeak

Kate Beers / Maya Brounstein
Corporate Communications
corporatecomms@stonepeak.com
(212) 907-5100

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Carlyle closes acquisition of SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner SE

Carlyle

Munich and Heidelberg, 10 April 2025 – Global investment firm Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) today announced the completion of its voluntary public cash takeover offer (the “Offer”) for all outstanding shares of SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner SE (“SNP” or the “Company”), creating a strategic partnership in support of SNP’s long-term growth.

Founded in 1994 and based in Heidelberg, Germany, SNP is a leading global provider of software and consulting services for digital transformation, automated data migration and data management with a focus on the SAP ecosystem. It works with more than 3,000 global customers of all sizes and in all industries, including 20 of the DAX 40 and over 100 of the Fortune 500. SNP partners with 17 out of the Top 20 SAP System Integrators to enable SAP transformations and business agility. The company has more than 1,500 employees worldwide at over 35 locations in 20 countries.

Carlyle will aim to support SNP’s continued growth journey together with management to drive further international expansion, optimize its product strategy, and explore inorganic growth opportunities. Carlyle will leverage its longstanding track record of scaling software companies as well as its global network, deep sector expertise, and institutional scale.

Equity for the investment was provided by Carlyle Europe Partners V (CEP V), a €6.4bn fund investing in European opportunities across a range of sectors and industries.

Michael Wand, Head of Europe Private Equity at Carlyle, said: “We are pleased to have closed this transaction and we are excited to partner with SNP’s management team and its employees as part of the next phase of their growth journey. Leveraging Carlyle’s global platform and financial resources, we will actively support SNP’s further internationalization and investment into SNP’s next generation Kyano platform.”

The CEO of SNP, Jens Amail, said: “We are confident that Carlyle’s expertise, network and commitment will strengthen SNP and our value proposition for customers and partners. The SNP team looks forward to entering this next chapter with Carlyle as the right partner to support its future development and create sustainable value for all stakeholders.”

The deal marks the second public-to-private transaction executed by Carlyle in Germany in recent years, and highlights Carlyle’s strong local execution capabilities as one of the most active players in complex public-to-private transactions.

—

 

About Carlyle 

Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit, and Global Investment Solutions. With $441 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2024, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies, and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs more than 2,300 people in 29 offices across four continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on X @OneCarlyle and LinkedIn at The Carlyle Group.

About SNP

SNP (ticker: SHF.DE) is the global technology platform leader and trusted partner for companies seeking unparalleled data-enabled transformation capabilities and business agility. SNP’s Kyano platform integrates all necessary capabilities and partner offerings to provide a comprehensive software-based experience in data migration and management. Combined with the BLUEFIELD approach, Kyano sets a comprehensive industry standard for restructuring and modernizing SAP-centric IT landscapes faster and more securely while harnessing data-driven innovations.

SNP works with more than 3,000 customers of all sizes and in all industries, including 20 of the DAX 40 and over 100 of the Fortune 500. The SNP Group has more than 1,500 employees worldwide at over 35 locations in 20 countries. The company is headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, and generated revenues of EUR 255 million in the 2024 fiscal year.

Further information is available at www.snpgroup.com

Media Contacts

Carlyle

Nicholas Brown

nicholas.brown@carlyle.com

+44 7471 037 002

Or

FTI Consulting

Robert Labas

+49 175 601 2124

robert.labas@fticonsulting.com

Lutz Golsch

+49 173 6517 710

lutz.golsch@fticonsulting.com

SNP

Marcel Wiskow

Director lnvestor Relations

Tel.: +49 6221 6425-637

Email: marcel.wiskow@snpgroup.com

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Blackstone Real Estate to Acquire 6M SF Industrial Portfolio Developed by Crow Holdings for $718M

Blackstone

New York & Dallas – April 10, 2025 – Blackstone (NYSE: BX) and Crow Holdings, a leading real estate investment and development firm, today announced that Core+ funds affiliated with Blackstone Real Estate have agreed to acquire a 95 percent stake in an industrial portfolio developed by Crow Holdings for $718 million. Crow Holdings and its partners will retain 5 percent ownership. The portfolio consists of 25 Class A buildings totaling 6 million square feet and is predominantly located in high-barrier submarkets in Dallas and Houston, two of the top-performing U.S. logistics markets.

David Levine, Co-Head of Americas Acquisitions for Blackstone Real Estate, said: “This transaction is another example of Blackstone Real Estate deploying capital during this period of market volatility. We are thrilled to acquire this high-quality portfolio located in some of the best performing U.S. industrial markets. With limited vacancy and new construction starts down over 80% from the 2022 peak, logistics remains a high conviction theme for us; we are proud owners of more than $90 billion of warehouses in North America and nearly $170 billion in total around the world.”

Michael Levy, Chief Executive Officer at Crow Holdings, said: “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Blackstone in this investment portfolio. Our company was founded by Trammell Crow when he built his first warehouse in Dallas in 1948 – a building that we still own today. We are extremely proud of our team for developing such a high-quality portfolio that attracted Blackstone, a global leader in the logistics industry, and we look forward to the partnership’s possibilities.”

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025.

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 $315 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).

About Crow Holdings
Crow Holdings is a privately held real estate firm founded in 1948 based in Dallas, Texas. The company’s business activities include a leading real estate development and investment platform, an expanding traditional and renewable energy business, and broader private equity investment capabilities. With 18 offices across the U.S., Crow Holdings’ local, on-the-ground presence amplifies its hands-on capabilities across a broad range of investment strategies and ventures in partnership with leading institutional and individual investors. The firm manages $33 billion in assets and investments across a diversified business and investment portfolio rooted in its founding principles of partnership, collaboration, and alignment of interests. For more information, please visit: www.crowholdings.com.

Contacts

Adam McGill
amcgill@crowholdings.com

Ruby Wald
Ruby.Wald@blackstone.com

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EQT, Hg and TA-owned IFS valued at EUR 15 billion in minority stake sale, following investment from Hg, ADIA and CPP Investments

eqt

IFS

  • Hg increases its stake in enterprise software provider IFS and becomes co-control shareholder alongside EQT, while existing minority shareholder TA Associates remains invested
  • New investors in this transaction include a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPP Investments”)
  • IFS continues to perform strongly, having recently surpassed EUR 1 billion in ARR while growing by more than 30% year-on-year

IFS, a leading provider of cloud enterprise software and Industrial AI applications, announces it has achieved a valuation of over EUR 15 billion following a significant pivot to AI-driven growth. The valuation comes as Hg increases its stake to become a co-control shareholder alongside EQT, with TA Associates (“TA”) remaining as minority shareholder. New minority shareholders also include a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPP Investments”). Hg and the new investors are acquiring shares in IFS from EQT, which is selling through its EQT VIII and EQT IX funds, as well as from TA and other minority investors.

The transaction follows many successful years of growth for IFS, delivering more than EUR 1 billion in ARR (“annual recurring revenue”) last year. Total revenue for 2024 was over EUR 1.2 billion, with some of the world’s largest industrial companies choosing IFS over legacy vendors. Demand for IFS’s industrial AI capabilities has increased significantly over the past 12 months as organizations across IFS’s focus industries of Aerospace & Defence, Engineering & Construction, Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing, Telco and Service, continue to realise the rapid and transformative value that IFS.ai delivers. IFS will continue to expand its capabilities with the industrial application of generative and agentic AI, so that customers can automate workflows, improve efficiency and deliver amazing moments of service to their own customers.

Over the past year, IFS added 350 new customers including Exelon who adopted IFS to streamline asset maintenance across its energy grid, Rolls-Royce who is using IFS to transform service delivery of its Power Systems business, and Total Energies who is deploying IFS as the single platform for management and servicing of its global operated asset portfolio. Moreover, an increasing number of large businesses are moving to IFS which is reflected in the average deal size of IFS’s largest customers increasing by 64% year-on-year.

Mark Moffat, CEO of IFS, said: “IFS’s success and sustained growth is centred around a commitment and track record of rapidly delivering business value to our customers. We have a differentiated proposition that continues to drive momentum in the industrial setting, specifically with the agentic and generative capabilities of IFS.ai, which enables us to be the technology of choice for the businesses that service, power and protect our planet.” Moffat continued: “The investment and continued commitment from Hg, EQT and TA will help IFS further accelerate our journey to be the undisputed category leader of Industrial Software.”

Johannes Reichel, Partner and Co-Head of Technology in the EQT Private Equity advisory team, added: “EQT’s relationship with IFS started in 2015 and it has been remarkable to see the company’s growth since then. Starting as a software vendor focused on Northern Europe, IFS has become a global provider of enterprise solutions while embracing the power of AI for the benefit of its industrial clients. It’s a prime example of EQT’s ability to “run with the winners”, where we partner with management teams over the long-term to scale regional players into global champions. We are excited to work alongside Hg to continue supporting IFS through this next phase.”

Nic Humphries, Senior Partner and Head of the Saturn funds at Hg, commented: “With 20 years’ experience investing in software, we recognise exceptional businesses when we see them. Our increased investment in IFS reflects our conviction in their long-term vision and strong execution, which enables their customers’ digital transformation.” Jonathan Wulkan, Partner at Hg, added: “Since our initial partnership in 2022 alongside EQT, Mark and the team have not only delivered impressive and consistent growth but have emerged as a global leader in Industrial AI – translating the promise of AI into practical solutions that drive efficiency and sustainability for essential industries, with significant potential for continued growth.”

Naveen Wadhera, Managing Director at TA, commented: “IFS’s exceptional leadership, strong execution, and transformative AI capabilities are redefining what’s possible in enterprise software. We remain confident in the company’s vision and are excited to be part of its continued journey.”

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to complete end of Q2 2025. IFS and selling shareholders were advised by Arma Partners and White & Case, EQT was also advised by Evercore, and Hg was advised by Morgan Stanley & Co. plc and Skadden.

Contact
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com

Hg
Tom Eckersley, tom.eckersley@hgcapital.com
Sam Ferris, sam.ferris@hgcapital.com

TA
Maggie Benoit, mbenoit@ta.com

IFS
EUROPE / MEA / APJ: Adam Gillbe, adam.gillbe@ifs.com
NORTH AMERICA / LATAM: Mairi Morgan, mairi.morgan@ifs.com

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About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 269 billion in total assets under management (EUR 136 billion in fee-generating assets under management), within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

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

About Hg
Hg supports the building of sector-leading enterprises that supply businesses with critical software applications or workflow services, delivering a more automated workplace for their customers. This industry is characterised by digitization trends that are in early stages of adoption and are set to transform the workplace for professionals over decades to come.

Hg’s support combines deep end-market knowledge with world class operational resources, together providing compelling support to entrepreneurial leaders looking to scale their business – businesses that are well invested, enduring and serve their customers well.

With a vast European network and strong presence across North America, Hg’s 400 employees and around $75 billion in funds under management support a portfolio of around 50 businesses, worth over $160 billion aggregate enterprise value, with around 115,000 employees, consistently growing revenues at more than 20% annually.

About TA
TA is a leading global private equity firm focused on scaling growth in profitable companies. Since 1968, TA has invested in more than 560 companies across its five target industries – technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and businesses services. Leveraging its deep industry expertise and strategic resources, TA collaborates with management teams worldwide to help high-quality companies deliver lasting value. The firm has raised $65 billion in capital to date and has more than 150 investment professionals across offices in Boston, Menlo Park, Austin, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA can be found at www.ta.com.

About IFS
IFS is one of the world’s leading providers of Industrial AI and enterprise software for hardcore businesses that service, power, and protect our planet. Our technology enables businesses which manufacture goods, maintain complex assets, and manage service-focused operations to unlock the transformative power of Industrial AI™ to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability.

IFS Cloud is a fully composable AI-powered platform, designed for ultimate flexibility and adaptability to our customers’ specific requirements and business evolution. It spans the needs of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Field Service Management (FSM). IFS technology leverages AI, machine learning, real-time data and analytics to empower our customers to make informed strategic decisions and excel at their Moment of Service™.

IFS was founded in 1983 by five university friends who pitched a tent outside our first customer’s site to ensure they would be available 24/7 and the needs of the customer would come first. Since then, IFS has grown into a global leader with over 7,000 employees in 80 countries. Driven by those foundational values of agility, customer-centricity, and trust, IFS is recognized worldwide for delivering value and supporting strategic transformations. We are the most recommended supplier in our sector. Visit ifs.com to learn why.

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EQT to sell Karo Healthcare, a Leading Pan-European Consumer health Platform, to KKR

eqt

Karo Healthcare

  • Under EQT’s ownership, Karo has transformed from a Nordic specialty pharma business into a pan-European consumer healthcare platform, driven by strong organic growth, eight strategic acquisitions, and investment in digitalisation and in-house commercial capabilities
  • KKR will support Karo’s continued growth by leveraging its deep sector expertise, global network, and a long-term investment approach to drive innovation, internationalization, and further brand growth and acquisitions
  • Karo now operates a diversified portfolio of trusted consumer health brands with leadership positions in European markets and a scalable, digitally enabled platform

EQT and KKR today announced that EQT VIII fund (“EQT”) has agreed to sell Karo Healthcare (“Karo” or the “Company”) to KKR. The acquisition marks the next chapter for Karo, as it continues to accelerate its growth strategy under KKR’s ownership, building on its transformation into one of Europe’s leading consumer health platforms since EQT’s initial investment.

Karo is a leading pan-European consumer healthcare company headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. The Company operates an attractive product portfolio spanning core categories such as Skin Health, Foot Health, and Intimate Health, as well as Digestive Health and Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements. During the past five years, Karo has scaled substantially, quadrupling in sales, building leading digital capabilities and establishing market presence to reach consumers in more than 90 countries with top brand positions across European markets.

Under EQT’s ownership since 2019, Karo has undergone a significant strategic repositioning, shifting from a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the Nordics into becoming a pan-European pure-play consumer healthcare platform. During this time, with M&A having been a cornerstone of Karo’s growth strategy, Karo completed eight acquisitions from industry players which have enriched Karo’s portfolio, strengthened its presence in key markets, and accelerated its entry into new geographies.

Commenting on the transaction, Christoffer Lorenzen, CEO of Karo Healthcare, said: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in recent years and grateful to EQT for their partnership, which has been instrumental in helping us grow and evolve into the business we are today. With KKR as our new owner, we are entering an exciting next phase in our journey. Their global reach, deep sector understanding, and long-term approach make them the ideal strategic partner as we continue to invest in our brands, expand into new markets and meet the evolving health needs of consumers.”

“Karo is a textbook example of EQT’s approach – scaling a local company into a fast-growing sector champion with international reach,” said Erika Henriksson, Partner in the EQT Private Equity advisory team. “Thanks to its consumer centricity, strong M&A track record, and proven brand growth playbooks, Karo is now primed to further expand on its leadership position. We’re proud of what Christoffer and the team have achieved and excited to hand over to a new owner for the next phase.”

Inaki Cobo, Partner at KKR, said: “Karo is a unique platform with high-quality brands, strong digital and commercial capabilities, and a proven strong leadership team. We are thrilled to invest in this European champion’s next phase of growth, drawing on our deep experience in the consumer health space to support continued expansion, innovation, and organic and inorganic growth.” Hans Arstad, Managing Director at KKR, added: “Karo operates in a resilient, growing sector supported by long-term demographic trends and increasing consumer focus on wellness and self-care. We engaged the full capabilities of our firm to deliver this transaction during a period of market disruption and we look forward to supporting Karo’s growth as a value-enhancing strategic partner.”

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory conditions and approvals and is expected to close in the coming months. EQT was advised by Jefferies, Morgan Stanley, PwC and White & Case. Citigroup acted as financial advisor to KKR.

Media Contacts
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com
KKR, Alastair Elwen, alastair.elwen@fgsglobal.com

About Karo Healthcare
Karo Healthcare is a leading European consumer healthcare company with the purpose of delivering “Smart choices for everyday healthcare”, empowering people to live life to the fullest. Our products are available in more than 90 countries and include trusted original brands such as Lamisil®, E45®, Pevaryl®, Proct®, AlphaFoods, Nutravita, Flux®, Locobase®, Multi-Gyn® and Paracet®. Headquartered in Stockholm, Karo employs about 470 people who work out of Karo’s 13 international hubs. More info: karohealthcare.com.

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 269 billion in total assets under management (EUR 136 billion in fee-generating assets under management), within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

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

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 www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

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