Tag Archives: Consumer brands

Herkules completes listing of Linas Matkasse (LMK Group AB) on Nasdaq First North Premier Growth

Herkules
On 29 March 2021, LMK Group AB (“LMK”) or (“the Company”) was listed on the Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market. LMK Group provides fresh, healthy, flexible and adaptable meal kit solutions to around 115,000 active and 405,000 registered customers in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The listing completes a partial exit of Herkules IV’s investment in Linas Matkasse.
The share offering was based on a market capitalisation of SEK 760 million and the share offering deal size was SEK 575 million. The transaction structure comprised of SEK 250 million in primary capital and a secondary sell down of SEK 325 million (incl. SEK 75 million in Green shoe). Herkules IV will remain the largest shareholder, holding 11% of the shares after listing.

The listing together with an ownership spread of the Company’s shares will promote continued growth and development. An ownership spread of the Company’s shares entails increased credibility and knowledge as well as a quality stamp that the Company considers could be beneficial in customer relationships, to attract and retain staff and in relation to suppliers. The proceeds of SEK 250 million, is intended to be used to (1) acquire the remaining shares of RetNemt.dk ApS in Denmark, (2) redeem the group’s outstanding bond and (3) finance transaction related costs and working capital.

The current investment team, comprised of Gert Munthe and Fredrik Kongsli, will represent Herkules on the board and continue to work closely with the company.

LMK Group provides fresh, healthy, flexible and adaptable meal kit solutions to around 115,000 active and 405,000 registered customers in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. For more information about the company, please visit https://lmkgroup.se/

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EQT Private Equity broadens investor base in Epidemic Sound – brings in AMF, Alecta and TIN

eqt
  • EQT Private Equity brings in blue chip investors Alecta, AMF and TIN in a minority sale in Epidemic Sound
  • The new partners broaden Epidemic Sound’s investor base and add additional resources to support its long-term growth
  • EQT remains as largest owner of Epidemic Sound and continues to back its mission to soundtrack the internet

EQT is pleased to announce that the EQT Mid Market Europe fund (“EQT Private Equity”) brings in Swedish blue chip pension funds Alecta and AMF and fund management company TIN through a minority sale in Epidemic Sound (“Epidemic” or “the Company”), the market leading platform for restriction-free music.

Today’s announcement comes just two weeks after the news that EQT Growth and Blackstone Growth jointly have invested USD 450 million in the Company. The welcoming of AMF, Alecta and TIN now concludes Epidemic Sound’s total funding round of approximately USD 540 million at a USD 1.4 billion valuation.

Epidemic Sound’s mission to soundtrack the internet by providing content creators and online storytellers with restriction-free music is not something that happens overnight, but the Company is taking incremental steps in that direction. Today, Epidemic’s music is played for over one billion hours on average per month on YouTube alone – a 400 percent increase since July 2019. AMF, Alecta and TIN all share Epidemic’s long-term mindset and bringing them in as partners broadens the investor base and adds additional resources to support continuous growth.

After having acquired a 40 percent stake in Epidemic Sound in 2017, EQT Private Equity has over the past years invested heavily in growing the Company’s online reach and distribution capabilities. EQT has also supported the transition of Epidemic’s physical sales operations to a digital and highly scalable sales channels offering. Furthermore, over the past few years, the Company’s organizational backbone has been significantly improved while revenues have increased by more than five times.

Following today’s announcement, EQT Private Equity and a group of minority shareholders are partially selling stakes, but EQT remains as the largest owner in Epidemic Sound as a testimony to its belief for long-term value creation and strong growth potential.

Victor Englesson, Partner and Investment Advisor at EQT Partners, commented, “Epidemic Sound is a Swedish success story and the company is the most recent unicorn coming out of our country. CEO Oscar Höglund and his team have built Epidemic by combining two of Sweden’s most well known export commodities – music and technology, and EQT is proud to continue supporting their global growth journey. We are also excited to welcome blue-chip investors AMF, Alecta and TIN as new partners. In their capacity as managers of Swedish pension capital, they all share our mindset of long-term and responsible ownership.”

Oscar Höglund, Co-founder and CEO of Epidemic Sound, commented, “I’m delighted to welcome our new investors on board to help us accelerate our mission to soundtrack this generation’s greatest achievement: the internet. Together with our investors and our creative communities, we’re excited to continue supercharging two things that have become synonymous with Sweden: music and technology.”

The transaction closed on 22 March 2021.

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

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with more than EUR 84 billion in raised capital and currently more than EUR 52 billion in assets under management across 17 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America with total sales of more than EUR 27 billion and approximately 159,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

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

About Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound, the market leading platform for restriction-free music, is headquartered in Stockholm, heard around the globe and on a mission to soundtrack the world.

The company has democratized access to music for storytellers. Its innovative digital rights model paves the way for creators – everyone from YouTubers to small businesses to the world’s largest brands – to use ‘restriction-free music’ to take their content to the next level, whilst simultaneously supporting the musicians it works with both financially and creatively.

The company was co-founded in 2009 and has offices in six major cities across the globe: Stockholm, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Hamburg and Amsterdam. Epidemic is backed by EQT, Blackstone Growth, Creandum, Atwater Capital and its Chairperson is Vania Schlogel, Managing Partner & Founder at Atwater Capital.

More info: www.epidemicsound.com

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The Carlyle Group partners with END.

Carlyle

London, UK – Global investment firm The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) today announces that it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in luxury, streetwear and sportswear retailer END. (www.endclothing.com). The stake is being acquired from founders Christiaan Ashworth and John Parker, who will retain a significant minority stake and remain Co-CEOs of the company. Index Ventures, who currently hold a minority stake, will fully exit. The transaction will close on 1 April 2021.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Newcastle, UK, END. is a global multi-brand, digital-led retailer, featuring luxury and contemporary fashion and the best in sneakers and streetwear. The company partners with more than 500 designers and brands, and has developed a highly engaged and loyal customer base through its exclusive collaborations and its unique omni-channel offering, including its online platform, mobile apps and physical stores. END. is widely recognised for its focus on a high-quality consumer experience and its curated product selection. The company employs more than 650 people in the UK and ships to over 100 countries worldwide. In the year to 31 March 2020, END. generated revenues of £170m, of which 65% related to sales outside of the UK.

Leveraging its significant experience in the Consumer sector, The Carlyle Group will support END.’s expansion, both within the domestic UK market as well as internationally. Equity for the investment will be provided by Carlyle Europe Partners (CEP) V, a €6.4bn fund investing in European opportunities across a range of sectors and industries, and an affiliate of Carlyle Asia Partners (CAP) V, a US$6.6bn fund focused on buyout and strategic investments across a range of sectors in the Asia Pacific region.

Christiaan Ashworth and John Parker, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Carlyle as our new partner. Their experience and strong track record in Luxury and Streetwear will be invaluable to us in supporting END.’s long-term and sustainable growth strategy. Carlyle’s industry knowledge and truly global platform will be instrumental as END. continues to reach an increasingly international audience. We’d also like to thank Index Ventures for being a fantastic partner and great to work with over the last 7 years.”

Massimiliano Caraffa, Managing Director leading Consumer & Retail for the Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team, said: “We are attracted to END.’s distinctive style, which mixes luxury and contemporary brands with the best in sneakers and sportswear. We are excited by the many growth opportunities that lie ahead for the company, including the launch of womenswear as well as further international expansion.”

Patrick Siewert, Managing Director for the Carlyle Asia Partners advisory team, said: “Christiaan and John have built a unique offering in the market and we look forward to supporting END. through leveraging our strategic industry knowledge and global network, while staying true to the company’s core values that have supported its success to date.”

The investment in END. builds on Carlyle’s long-term global focus on Consumer, a sector in which the firm has invested over $20 billion to date. A core component of Carlyle’s strategy has been to grow brands through international expansion. Recent exits in the Consumer space include Golden Goose and Supreme.

The Carlyle Group was advised by Morgan Stanley and RBC (M&A) and Latham & Watkins (Legal). The sellers were advised by Goldman Sachs (M&A) and Womble Bond Dickinson (Legal).

*****

Media Contacts:

END.
Press@endclothing.com

The Carlyle Group
Andrew Kenny
Andrew.kenny@carlyle.com
+44 7816 176120

About END. (www.endclothing.com)

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Newcastle, UK, END. is a global multi-brand, digital-led retailer, featuring luxury and contemporary fashion and the best in sneakers and streetwear. The company partners with more than 500 designers and brands, and has developed a highly engaged and loyal customer base through its exclusive collaborations and its unique omni-channel offering, including its online platform (www.endclothing.com), mobile apps and physical stores. END. is widely recognised for its focus on a high-quality consumer experience and its curated product selection. The company employs more than 650 people in the UK and ships to over 100 countries worldwide.

About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (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 Investment Solutions. With $246 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2020, 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. The Carlyle Group employs 1,825 people in 29 offices across five continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow The Carlyle Group on Twitter @OneCarlyle.

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Seaya Ventures leads a €3 million investment in Aquí tu Reforma

Seayaventures
Barcelona, March 17, 2021 – Aquí tu Reforma, Spain’s first technology-based home improvement franchise company, has completed a €3 million financing round led by venture capital fund Seaya Ventures and with the participation of existing investors such as Encomenda Capital, among others. Seaya’s investment portfolio includes 29 disruptive technology companies that have become leaders in their respective industries, including Cabify and Glovo, the first two unicorns in Spain.

The objective of the round is to consolidate Aquí tu Reforma’s leadership in Spain and to continue developing its own disruptive technology, launch new technology-based products and services and internationalise the company, reaching other countries in Europe and Latin America. The renovation sector in Spain is forecast to grow by 13% in 2021 and is expected to generate more than €60 billion. This industry will be essential for the economic reactivation and achieving the 2030 agenda to decarbonise the European economy.

Aquí tu Reforma is committed to the sector’s digitalisation and sustainability, with the implementation of a circular economy plan that optimises resources and systems, improving waste management and minimising the impact on the environment.

The company is led by its founders Francisco Morán, CEO, and Enric Aparici, managing director, and started its activity in 2019 with the mission to digitise the sector. Francisco Morán explains that “we have been very clear from the outset that we wanted value added partners and Seaya is the perfect ally”.

Antonio Giménez de Córdoba, Seaya Ventures partner, valued Aquí tu Reforma’s “commitment to the renovation sector’s digitalisation and its potential to improve the sustainability of homes and cities. At Seaya, we are very clear that we want to invest in companies that have a positive impact on society.”

Aquí tu Reforma has a network of 106 franchises in 46 Spanish cities and a team of more than 500 people in franchises and 30 people in the head office. The company plans to double its workforce by the end of the year. “We are reinforcing the technology and marketing teams and all areas related to customer service, both in terms of management with our franchises and for end customers,” says Morán. The company’s immediate projects include the launch of ATR Market, an exclusive procurement platform for franchises, and new technological tools, such as an app and augmented reality technology.

About Aquí tu Reforma

Aquí tu Reforma is the leading brand of home renovation franchises, whose main objective is to improve well-being in sustainable cities, with people at the centre and technology as the backbone. The network has 106 franchises, located in the main cities of Spain. The company offers renovation financing through its AQUÍ Credit platform. The company, which started its activity in 2019, was founded by Francisco Morán and Enric Aparici. More information at www.aquitureforma.com

About Seaya Ventures

Based in Madrid, Seaya Ventures has been backing the best entrepreneurs and teams in Europe and Latin America since 2013. Seaya focuses on helping founders scale their businesses and enable them to become global leaders. More information at www.seayaventures.com

 

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Charterhouse Capital Partners enters into exclusive negotiations for the sale of Cooper to CVC Capital Partners Fund VII and reinvestment in its next stage of growth

CVC Capital Partners

Charterhouse Capital Partners LLP (“Charterhouse”), one of the longest established private equity firms operating in Europe, announces today that it has entered into exclusive negotiations for the sale of a majority stake in Cooper Consumer Health (“Cooper” or “the Company”), a leading European independent over-the-counter (“OTC”) drug manufacturer and distributor, to CVC Fund VII. The transaction is subject to workers’ council information and consultation and to the approval of relevant regulatory authorities.

Cooper, which is headquartered in Paris, was acquired by Charterhouse in 2016 and since that time has been transformed from a local French champion into a pan-European pure-play OTC platform that manufactures and distributes a diversified portfolio of branded and basic products on an international basis. Under Charterhouse’s ownership, the company has more than doubled in size through a combination of organic growth initiatives and targeted M&A activity to consolidate the sector and revenues are now close to €500M. This included the strategic acquisition and integration of international consumer health company Vemedia, a large OTC branded product portfolio from Sanofi, alongside nine other successfully integrated add-ons to add further complementary brands.

Cooper’s large, international platform has a direct presence in seven European markets and over 30 export markets. It has a wide-ranging and complementary portfolio of branded products, including OTC medicines, dietary supplements and medical devices, positioning Cooper as a “one stop shop” for its customers, which include pharmacies, wholesalers and drugstores. The Company is well-placed for further international expansion and organic growth.

As part of the transaction, Charterhouse would make a significant reinvestment in Cooper and continue to support the growth and international expansion of the business alongside CVC, which has partnered with Vemedia founder Yvan Vindevogel and specialised healthcare fund Avista Capital Partners, and the management team.

Vincent Pautet, Partner at Charterhouse, said: “This is another milestone investment for Charterhouse, which once again demonstrates its expertise in transforming strong local businesses into truly European leaders. It has been a pleasure working with Cooper’s world-class management team to create the leading independent OTC platform in Europe. The Company has built an excellent position in a growing, highly attractive market and we look forward to continuing to support its expansion.”

Michael Lavrysen and Victor Blanchard, Senior Managing Directors at CVC Capital Partners, added: “Having admired and closely followed Cooper’s progress for many years, we are delighted to now have the opportunity to team up with its strong management team, as well as our new partners Charterhouse, Avista Capital Partners and Yvan Vindevogel. Their knowledge of the Company and experience the sector will be invaluable in realising our shared vision for the development and long-term growth of the business.”

Yvan Vindevogel, CEO of Damier, added: “I’ve been working together with CVC in the Consumer Healthcare space, as well as with Charterhouse and Avista Capital Partners, for quite a while now. This new enlarged team will be able to create a true Consumer Health powerhouse and accelerate the already impressive growth of the Company.”

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Epidemic Sound brings in EQT Growth and Blackstone Growth to support its next phase of development

eqt
  • EQT Growth and funds managed by Blackstone Growth invest USD 450 million in Epidemic Sound, the market leading platform for restriction-free music, in a transaction valuing the company at USD 1.4 billion
  • EQT Growth will, together with Epidemic Sound’s other shareholders, support international expansion in both existing and new markets, and accelerate customer acquisition as well as investments in the core user experience
  • EQT Mid Market Europe, which invested in Epidemic Sound in 2017, remains committed to long-term growth and continues to back the Company alongside the other investors

Epidemic Sound (“the Company”), the market leading platform for restriction-free music, announces an expanded partnership to support its next phase of development. The aggregated new investment from EQT Growth, made through EQT AB’s balance sheet, and funds managed by Blackstone Growth (“BXG”), totals USD 450 million and values Epidemic Sound at approximately USD 1.4 billion.

EQT Mid Market Europe acquired 40 percent in Epidemic Sound in 2017 and is now partially exiting its stake but will remain invested as a testimony to its belief for continued value creation and strong growth. With the new commitment from its Growth strategy, EQT continues to be the largest shareholder in Epidemic Sound.

Online content production is growing exponentially around the globe and is largely driven by the surge in user-generated content on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. By 2022, online videos are expected to make up more than 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic, which is more than 15 times higher than in 20171 ­– and these videos will require music. One of the biggest challenges for content creators today is to secure global and platform agnostic music rights, as traditional licensing processes can be complex and require separate agreements in each country of use.

Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, Epidemic Sound serves the global “online creator economy” through its subscription service that gives access to a unique library of 32,000 high-quality tracks. The Company collaborates with music creators to produce music that soundtracks everything from online videos to TV and film productions. Since its establishment in 2009, Epidemic Sound has become a pioneer within restriction-free music as it provides full-spectrum rights on all platforms, in any country, for unlimited time, and with no reporting needs. Today, Epidemic Sound’s music is soundtracking the internet, featuring in 1.5 billion daily YouTube views and more than 10 million daily streams across music streaming platforms.

The expanded partnership with EQT Growth and BXG will continue to build on Epidemic Sound’s current growth trajectory and will support international expansion in both existing and new markets. Additionally, both parties will support the Company with accelerated customer acquisition and investments in the core user experience.

Victor Englesson, Partner and Investment Advisor at EQT Partners, commented, “Epidemic Sound taps into numerous thematic macro trends, such as the democratization of how user-generated content is produced and consumed digitally, largely driven by the increased prevalence of video communication in our society and the growing online creator economy. Epidemic Sound will continue to cement its market leading position with a unique value proposition to storytellers and EQT is proud to have supported CEO Oscar Höglund and his team over the past three years. As the company now enters its next phase of growth, EQT is happy to renew its commitment to Epidemic Sound and join forces with BXG to continue empowering storytellers and content creators around the world with high-quality, restriction-free music.”

Oscar Höglund, Co-founder and CEO of Epidemic Sound, commented, “We’re in the privileged position where our music is the soundtrack to our generation’s greatest achievement. We know what the internet sounds like and through data, we can see the trends emerging among content creators as they use our tracks to bring their stories to life. We’re thrilled to partner with EQT Growth and BXG to continue scaling how we use this data to grow our global network of creators and empower them all to thrive through new products, new music and new insights.”

The transaction closed on 10 March 2021.

1Source: Cisco

SEB Corporate Finance (financial) and Goldman Sachs (financial) and White & Case (legal) acted as sell-side advisors. EQT Growth was advised by PwC (financial & tax) and DLA Piper (legal).

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

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with close to three decades of consistent investment performance across multiple geographies, sectors, and strategies. EQT has raised more than EUR 84 billion since inception and has as of 31 December 2020 more than EUR 52 billion in assets under management across 17 active funds within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets.

With its roots in the Wallenberg family’s entrepreneurial mindset and philosophy of long-term ownership, EQT is guided by a set of strong values and a distinct corporate culture. EQT manages and advises funds and vehicles that invest across the world with the mission to future-proof companies, generate attractive returns and make a positive impact with everything EQT does.

The EQT AB Group comprises EQT AB (publ) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, which include general partners and fund managers of EQT funds as well as entities advising EQT funds. EQT has offices in 17 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America with more than 700 employees.

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

About Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound, the market leading platform for restriction-free music, is headquartered in Stockholm, heard around the globe and on a mission to soundtrack the world. 

The company has democratized access to music for storytellers. Its innovative digital rights model paves the way for creators – everyone from YouTubers to small businesses to the world’s largest brands – to use ‘restriction-free music’ to take their content to the next level, whilst simultaneously supporting the musicians it works with both financially and creatively. 

The company was co-founded in 2009 and has offices in six major cities across the globe: Stockholm, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Hamburg and Amsterdam. Epidemic is backed by Creandum, EQT Mid Market and Atwater Capital and its Chairperson is Vania Schlogel, Managing Partner & Founder at Atwater Capital.

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Ardian acquires a stake in Kapten & Son, a leading german brand for accessories and lifestyle products

Ardian

10 March 2021 Growth Germany

Paris/Cologne/Frankfurt, March 10, 2021 – Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, today announces a minority investment in Kapten & Son, a German brand specializing in the online retail sale of lifestyle and fashion accessories. This minority stake acquisition through one of its Ardian Growth funds marks the first investment in Germany by Ardian Growth and it will enable the team to support Kapten & Son’s founders in their European ambitions.

Founded in 2014, by Johannes Theobald, Artjem Weissbeck, and Fabian Deventer, Kapten & Son has established itself as a leading name in the German fashion and lifestyle accessories market and begun its expansion in Europe. Over the past two years, Kapten & Son has increased its turnover to over 50 million Euro, fueled by the quality of its products, its Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) strategy and its extensive expertise across marketing and data analysis.

Ardian Growth will support the founders as a strategic partner to build and grow the business. The team at Ardian Growth boasts a strong track record in this space, substantiated by experience gathered across the e-commerce market. In addition, Ardian will support the internationalization by leveraging its global network and its expertise in targeted build-up strategy.

Johannes Theobald, co-founder, stated: “We are proud to have been able to create a leading brand in Germany thanks to the quality of our products and the knowledge we have of our customers’ expectations. We now want to accelerate and expand in Europe.”
Fabian Deventer, co-founder, added: “Products are one of the strengths of Kapten & Son. Our marketing expertise, combined with our knowledge of customers’ expectations thanks to our data analysis tools, are elements that clearly differentiate our model.”

Artjem Weissbeck, co-founder, commented: “We were not just looking for a financing but for a true strategic partner who could understand our growth challenges and the specificities of online sales and help us make potential acquisitions. Ardian convinced us on these three aspects and their pan-European reach.”
Laurent Foata, Managing Director and Head of Ardian Growth commented: “Currently, we invest in France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and in Benelux and we have demonstrated track record of our ability to help companies meet their aims and objectives. For us, Germany represents a target market in which we aim to continue investing. We are pleased to take this first step with a company as dynamic as Kapten & Son.”
Romain Chiudini, Director at Ardian Growth, continues: “We recognized in Kapten & Son, and moreover in management team, all the qualities we search in fast growing companies in Digital market. Their value of entrepreneurship, innovation and ambition are similar to ours. Kapten & Son is now sized to build its position as a leading player in the new e-commerce generation, which is considered to be a particularly buoyant sector.”

ABOUT KAPTEN & SON

Kapten & Son was founded in 2014 and is today one of the fastest growing fashion and accessories companies in Europe. Thanks to high-quality products, a strong DTC approach and bundled marketing expertise, Kapten & Son has developed into an expanding company at a rapid pace.
Today, the product portfolio includes accessories, suitcases, backpacks, eyewear and watches, which are sold in over 30 countries via the Kapten & Son online store, as well as six Kapten & Son retail flagship stores and exclusive boutique partners. More than 150 employees work at the headquarters in Cologne and in the retail stores on the further expansion of the company.

Visit the website

ABOUT ARDIAN

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

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

  • Ardian Growth

    • Laurent Foata, Romain Chiudini, Olivier Roy

  • Kapten & Son

    • M&A advisors Kapten & Son: GCA Altium (Tobias Schultheiss, Martin Rezaie, Pascal Haas, Neil Schmodde)
    • Legal advisors Kapten & Son: Gütt Olk Feldhaus (Sebastian Olk, Isabelle Vrancken, Dominik Forstner)
    • Legal advisor Ardian: McDermott Will & Emery (Diana Hund, Emmanuelle Turek, Germar Enders, Matthias Weingut, Antoine Vergnat, Côme de Saint Vincent, Nina Siewert)
    • Financial advisor Ardian: Deloitte (Egon Sachsalber, Tanya Fehr, Axel Kroniger, Elisabeth Comes)
    • Strategic advisor Ardian: Singulier (Rémi Pesseguier, Kitson Symes, Sam Yu-Hsun Lin, Dan Strauss, Michael Ymélé, Ghita Fizazi, Alexandre Moog and Pavlo Konotop)

Press CONTACTS

Kapten & Son

JULIKA WILLMS

press@kapten-son.com +49 151 744 716 83 / +49 221 588 335 71

Ardian – Headland

GREGOR RIEMANN

griemann@headlandconsultancy.co.uk +44 (0)7920 802627

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ALTOR FORMS NOD AND ACQUIRES STRING FURNITURE AND PHOTOWALL – THERESE HILLMAN NAMED CEO AND SUSANNA CAMPBELL CHAIRMAN

Altor

ltor has invested in Photowall and String Furniture, to build the foundation for Network of Design (NOD), a network of design companies with strong brands. NOD will be led by the former CEO of NetEnt, Therese Hillman.
NOD will gather companies well positioned for the ongoing shift to online sales in the consumer industry. The company will help the brands take the next step in their international growth journey.
“By establishing NOD we have started our work in forming the leading network for ambitious entrepreneurs in the affordable luxury design space” says Andreas Källström, Partner at Altor. “NOD will have a dedicated management team that will help the group companies deliver on their strategies and bring in additional companies in the partnership. As an owner Altor will also support the team with capital, expertise and experience both in value creation and acquisitions”.

“I feel excited about what NOD is and what it can become. We will bring together a unique set of design brands undergoing rapid growth. We partner with the founders, who continue to be co-owners, and create a design ecosystem where NOD supports in all aspects of their journey”, says Therese Hillman, CEO of the newly established NOD.
The current NOD Group had a turnover in 2020 surpassing 500 MSEK with a strong growth momentum. Photowall is headquartered in Stockholm and offers a wide range of custom wallpapers and prints through its own production facilities since 2006. String Furniture is headquartered in Malmö and offers shelving and storage solutions including Nils and Kajsa Strinning’s iconic design “String”.
“We are thrilled to join NOD and together build a leading design powerhouse. We are convinced that in an ecosystem with other design brands, being able to share expertise, capabilities, and plan together, NOD will lift the potential of each partner company. Together we will revolutionize the industry”, says Pär Josefsson, co-founder of String Furniture.
NOD has appointed a seasoned Board representing collective experience ranging from design to e-commerce to support the group on its growth journey. Susanna Campbell, former CEO of Ratos and active board professional with deep E-Commerce experience, will be Chair of the Board. In addition, Mirkku Kullberg, CEO of Glasshouse Helsinki and former CEO of Artek, Paul Fischbein, active e-commerce entrepreneur, former CEO of Qliro Group and founder of tretti.se, and Magnus Dimert, e-commerce advisor and former CEO of Adlibris, will join the board.

For more information, please contact:
Tor Krusell, Head of Communications at Altor +46 705 43 87 47

Author: Katarina Karlsson
Date: 2021.03.10
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KKR and Rakuten Complete Seiyu Share Purchase from Walmart

KKR
March 1, 2021

Shareholders Officially Confirm Mr. Tsuneo Okubo as Seiyu CEO

TOKYO & BENTONVILLE, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, Rakuten, Inc., (“Rakuten”) and Walmart Inc. (“Walmart”) today announced that KKR and Rakuten subsidiary, Rakuten DX Solution, have completed their previously announced share purchases in Seiyu GK (“Seiyu” or the “Company”) from Walmart.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210228005079/en/

With the completion of the transactions, KKR owns a 65% stake in Seiyu and Rakuten DX Solution owns a 20% stake in the Company. Walmart retains a 15% stake in Seiyu. KKR is making its investment from its Asia private equity fund.

The new ownership structure enables Seiyu to take advantage of KKR, Rakuten and Walmart’s combined retail expertise and innovation, in addition to accelerating Seiyu’s digital transformation to become Japan’s leading omnichannel retailer.

KKR, Rakuten and Walmart are committed to supporting Seiyu’s growth and long-term strategy in Japan and look to build on Seiyu’s success as a local-value retailer of choice. In 2020, Seiyu achieved its highest sales and profitability levels of the last decade, with net sales growing by 5.6% to JPY785 billion1. This generated an EBITDA2 margin of nearly 5%. Over the past two consecutive fiscal years, Seiyu gained market share and improved profitability. Cumulatively over this period, Seiyu comparative-store sales grew 180 basis points faster than the market3 and EBITDA increased by nearly 40%. In addition, Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper, jointly operated by Seiyu and Rakuten, recorded a nearly 40% year-on-year increase in gross merchandise sales in the fourth quarter of 2020. With the significant increase in demand for online supermarkets in recent years, a dedicated fulfillment center began operations in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture in January 2021, and a new fulfillment center is scheduled to open in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture within the year to meet this growing demand.

Today, the shareholders additionally confirmed the appointment of Mr. Tsuneo Okubo as CEO of Seiyu to lead the Company into its next phase of development and growth, effective immediately. Mr. Okubo’s decades-long career in Japan’s retail sector includes senior roles for national supermarket chains. He brings to Seiyu a strong track record of elevating corporate strategies and performance through digital innovation, enhancing the operations of physical stores, and localizing businesses to meet the evolving needs of shoppers in communities across Japan.

Mr. Okubo said, “I am thrilled to be joining Seiyu at such an important moment in its history. Together with KKR, Rakuten and Walmart, we have a tremendous opportunity to build on Seiyu’s achievements and stature in the market to take its business to the next level of success. Looking ahead, we are excited to accelerate Seiyu’s digital transformation to better meet the evolving shopping needs of our customers while continuing to expand on strong in-store presence in communities across Japan. I want to thank my predecessor, Lionel Desclée, for his leadership, and I look forward to working with our talented team of associates to build on Seiyu’s progress to become Japan’s leading omnichannel retailer.”

About Seiyu:

Established in 1963, Seiyu is a nationwide supermarket chain in Japan with more than 300 retail units. Through its supermarket and hypermarket formats and Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper delivery service, Seiyu offers customers a broad assortment including fresh food, general merchandise, and apparel products across Japan from Hokkaido to Kyushu. Offering Everyday Low Prices to our customers, Seiyu contributes to making their everyday life more convenient as a leading, innovative, local value retailer, now powered by KKR, Rakuten and Walmart.

About KKR:

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

About Rakuten:

Rakuten, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses, and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to approximately 1.4 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has over 20,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions. For more information visit https://global.rakuten.com/corp/.

About Rakuten DX Solution:

Rakuten DX Solution is a new Rakuten Group subsidiary established in January 2021 to support the digital transformation of brick-and-mortar retailers across Japan and to promote the merger of offline and online retail (OMO) in order to serve customers with a seamless and personalized retail experience.

About Walmart:

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 220 million customers and members visit approximately 10,500 stores and clubs under 48 banners in 24 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2021 revenue of $559 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.

 

1 As of Fiscal Year 2020, ending December 31, 2020
2 EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization.
3 According to data compiled by the Japan Supermarket Association, National Supermarket Association of Japan and the All Japan Supermarket Association.

Seiyu
Corporate Affairs +813-3598-7760

KKR
KKR Asia Pacific
Anita Davis
+852 3602 7335
Anita.Davis@kkr.com

Finsbury (for KKR Japan)
Deborah Hayden, +81 70 2492 0463
Hannah Perry, +81 70 3769 9633
FinsburyKKRJapan@finsbury.com

KKR Americas
Kristi Huller, Cara Major, Miles Radcliffe-Trenner
+1 212 750-8300
Media@kkr.com

Rakuten, Inc.
Corporate Communications Department
global-pr@mail.rakuten.com

Walmart
Blake Jackson
+1 479 204-1028
blake.jackson@walmart.com

Source: KKR, Rakuten, Inc.

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HAL confirms that an Ipo of COOLBLUE is being considered

Hal Holding

 

HAL confirms that an initial public offering (IPO) of Coolblue shares on Euronext Amsterdam is currently being considered. At this stage, it is expected that the IPO may take place in 2021, depending, among other things, on conditions in the financial markets.
HAL currently has a 49% interest in Coolblue. For 2020, Coolblue reported revenues of approximately € 2 billion and an EBITDA of € 114 million (unaudited).

HAL Holding N.V.
February 11, 2021 08h05
This press release contains inside information relating to
HAL Trust within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU
Market Abuse Regulation.

This announcement is for information purposes only, does not purport to be full or complete and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction, including the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa or Japan. No reliance may be placed by any person for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy, fairness or completeness.

This announcement does not contain, constitute, or form part of, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities in the United States. Any securities mentioned herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration or pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities in the United States or to make a public offering of any securities in the United States.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which they are released, published or distributed, should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions.
This announcement is not an advertisement and does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) No. 2017/1129 (as amended) and does not constitute an offer to acquire securities. If any offer to acquire securities will be made, any investor should make his investment, solely on the basis of information that will be contained in a prospectus to be made generally available in connection with such an offer. When made generally available, copies of a prospectus may be obtained at no cost from Coolblue or through the website of Coolblue. The information in this announcement is subject to change.

This announcement may include statements, including HAL Holding N.V.’s (the “Company”) financial and operational medium-term objectives that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements”. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “estimates”, “plans”, “projects”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “intends”, “may”, “will” or “should” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements may and often do differ materially from actual results. Any forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current view with respect to future events and are subject to risks relating to future events and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the Company’s business, results of operations, financial position, liquidity, prospects, growth or strategies. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made.

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