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KKR Appoints Mikael Markman to Lead Its Family Capital Client Business in France

KKR

Paris, 11th September 2025 – KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the appointment of Mikael Markman as a Managing Director within KKR’s Global Client Solutions business, where he will lead the firm’s Family Capital efforts in France. Based in Paris, Mikael will be responsible for expanding KKR’s presence among families, founders and entrepreneurs across French-speaking markets in EMEA, helping to deepen relationships and identify long-term opportunities for partnership.

Mikael joins KKR from Nomura in Paris, where he served as Managing Director and Head of French Sponsors. In that role, he advised both domestic and international financial sponsors on a wide range of M&A and financing mandates, working in close collaboration with family offices, founders, managers and private capital investors. Earlier in his career, Mikael held roles at Rothschild, Morgan Stanley, and UBS, serving in their Financial Institutions Groups across London and Paris.

Doug Brody, Partner and Head of Americas and EMEA Family Capital at KKR, commented:
“We are thrilled to welcome Mikael as our dedicated senior relationship lead for Family Capital in France and French speaking markets. His deep knowledge of the local market and trusted relationships with business owners, founders, managers and family offices will be instrumental as we continue to originate differentiated investment and capital markets opportunities and deliver tailored solutions across asset classes. Mikael’s appointment underscores our commitment to serving the evolving needs of family capital through aligned, long-term partnerships.”

Jérôme Nommé, Partner and Head of KKR France, added: “Mikael’s arrival comes at an important time as we continue to expand our Paris office and deepen our engagement with France’s family-owned businesses and entrepreneurial community. With more than two decades of experience in the French market, KKR remains committed to supporting local clients with global expertise, and Mikael will be instrumental in strengthening those long-term relationships.”

Mikael Markman, Managing Director and Head of Family Capital in France, said: “I am delighted to join KKR and to contribute to its successful Family Capital platform. The opportunity to collaborate with clients and colleagues across the firm, and to deliver bespoke, solutions-led partnerships to family offices and entrepreneurs, is incredibly exciting. I look forward to building meaningful, multi-generational relationships that reflect KKR’s long-term vision and global capabilities.”

KKR’s Family Capital business, established in 2014, partners with families, founders, and entrepreneurs to form long term partnerships with an ownership mindset. The platform originates investment and capital markets opportunities and offers access to KKR’s diverse global investment strategies, including private equity, real assets, credit and insurance.

Across France and Europe, KKR aligns its interests with clients by investing alongside them and providing access to the firm’s full global expertise – from investment professionals to a broad network of industry partners.

Mikael’s appointment reinforces KKR’s long-standing commitment to France, where it has maintained a local presence for over 20 years. Paris is a key European hub, underscoring KKR’s belief in the creativity and resilience of French entrepreneurs. Since 2002, KKR has invested over €10 billion in French businesses, supporting founders and families with flexible capital and global expertise to help scale operations, create jobs, and compete internationally.

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 Contact

FGS Global

Charles O’Brien

+33 (0)6404 21348

KKR_France@FGSGlobal.com

 

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Payworks announces strategic investment from Hg

HG Capital

Winnipeg, MB – September 8th – Payworks, a Canadian leader in total workforce management, has entered a strategic partnership with Hg, a leading software and services investor with deep expertise in human capital management (HCM).

The partnership marks a defining milestone in Payworks’ 25-year trajectory, fast-tracking the company’s growth, diversification and leadership strategy across the sector. By combining Payworks’ local expertise with Hg’s specialization in scaling software businesses, the investment will help to drive enhanced product development, expansion across the Canadian HCM landscape and an elevated client experience.

“For 25 years, Payworks has been building proprietary workforce management solutions tailored to Canadian employers,” said Barbara Gamey, Co-founder of Payworks. “The Payworks ownership group is excited to welcome Hg to our partnership. Their investment enables us to accelerate our innovation and value creation agenda, positioning Payworks for sustained leadership and diversification in the Canadian market.”

Payworks’ operations in Canada remain unchanged. Its team of more than 600 employees and network of offices across the country continue to support the company’s strategy, anchoring growth in service to Canadian businesses and their employees.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Payworks. In our research we surveyed more than six hundred payroll and HR customers in Canada and found that Payworks has a best-in-class product with the highest customer satisfaction. We look forward to supporting the business in its next era of growth” said Alexander Johnson, Director, and Hector Guinness, Partner, at Hg.

“Payworks’ track record of serving Canadian businesses, combined with our global HCM and software expertise, creates an exciting opportunity to accelerate innovation and reach more Canadians” added Robert Citrino, Principal at Hg.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For further information, please contact:

Payworks
Jaclyn Christie, Vice President, Marketing, Jaclyn.christie@payworks.ca

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

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Ardian arranges a unitranche financing to support the LBO of implid, a leading player in accounting, legal, and business consulting services

Ardian

Ardian, a world-leading private investment firm, today announces the arrangement of a unitranche facility to support the primary LBO of implid and the entry of EMZ Partners as a minority shareholder alongside over fifty managers reinvesting in the transaction. The financing package also includes a sizeable, committed line to support the group’s external growth strategy.

Founded in 1973, implid is a leading player in accounting, legal, and business consulting services in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. implid is the first company in France to offer the integrated expertise of more than 900 professionals: chartered accountants, statutory auditors, lawyers, notaries, judicial officers, as well as consultants and recruiters. This combination of regulated professions and high value-added services enables implid to meet all the needs of companies and their executives, in a constantly evolving regulatory and technological environment.

The group has experienced a strong growth trajectory, fueled by a successful digital transformation, and driven by robust organic momentum and strategic acquisitions carried out in recent years under the leadership of its founder, Jean-Loup Rogé, and the current management team.

” We are delighted to be partnering with Ardian, whose support will enable us to accelerate our development and take our collective project to the next level. We are now eager to roll out our growth strategy, combining organic development and external growth, to make implid a leading player on a national scale.” Jean-Loup Rogé, CEO and Founder of implid Group

” We are proud to support implid, its management team, and EMZ in this new phase of growth. The group has demonstrated a remarkable growth trajectory, supported by a comprehensive service offering and a strong regional presence. We are convinced that our partnership will help the group achieve its ambitions, through the consolidation of its existing expertise and strategic acquisitions.” Jean-David Ponsin, Co-Head of Private Credit France, Ardian

List of participants

  • Ardian

    • Ardian: Jean-David Ponsin, Melchior Huet, Alexis Bernet
    • Legal Advisor (Financing): Winston & Strawn (Mounir Letayf, Adeline Roboam)

  • Implid

    • Implid: Jean-Loup Rogé, Philippe Duval, Nicolas Ciampi
    • Financial Advisor: D&A (Jean-Marc Dayan, Alban Boitel, Pierre Darras, Mathilde Bilon)
    • Legal Advisor (financing): Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Nicolas Barberis, Julien Rebibo)

  • EMZ Partners

    • EMZ Partners: François Carré, Ludovic Bart, Sara Toublanc
    • Financial Advisor: Amala Partners (Nicolas Royer, Jad Sader)
    • Legal Advisor (financing): Paul Hastings (Sebastien Crepy, Olivier Deren, Vincent Načinović, Adèle P., Marc Zerah, Peter Pedrazzani, Charles Filleux Pommerol, Capucine Chareton, Camille Paulhac, Milica Antić)

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment firm, managing or advising $180bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,850 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian’s main shareholding group is its employees and we place great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,050+ employees, spread across 19 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.
At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

ardian.com

Media Contacts

ARDIAN

HEADLAND

ardian@headlandconsultancy.com

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Advent to acquire Australiaʼs Automic Group

Advent

Sydney, 03 September, 2025 – Advent, a leading global private equity investor, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Automic Group (“Automicˮ). Automic is a market leading technology company delivering financial market infrastructure to serve the mission-critical needs of investors and issuers in Australia and New Zealand. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Automic is a proven disruptor in registry, employee share plan, shareholder analytics and fund administration services, with a proprietary cloud-native platform that supports multiple services in one solution to deliver a smarter, more efficient offering to its clients. The company leverages technology to provide insight-led services supporting over 1,400 companies and funds across Australia and New Zealand, with technology designed to be portable and scalable into new markets. Over the past 5 years, Automic has been the top performing share registry for IPOs and listed transitions in Australia.

“We see strong alignment between Automic Group and Adventʼs investment philosophy. We have identified a high-quality business in one of Adventʼs key sectors: business and financial services. We are confident we can deliver significant value creation by applying our hands-on, in-market, and global operational expertise,” said Beau Dixon, Managing Director and Head of Australia and New Zealand at Advent. “We are pleased to be making our first acquisition since opening Adventʼs Sydney office, and we look forward to working closely with Automic Groupʼs management team to support its next phase of growth.ˮ

“We are excited to be partnering with Advent, leveraging their global best practice and industry knowledge, long track record of value creation to deliver continued growth, and market leading solutions to our customers,ˮ said David Raper, CEO of Automic Group.
Hayden Neeland, Director at Advent, added, “Automic Group is a proven industry disruptor with a robust cloud-native technology platform that is scalable with significant growth opportunities ahead. We are excited by the companyʼs demonstrated track record of customer acquisition and ability to innovate, launch, and grow new products.ˮ

Advent has strong global investing experience in the business and financial services sector, with more than 95 investments made across 25 countries over the past 30+ years. Since 2008, Advent has invested more than USD $6.6 billion in 17 fintech companies worldwide. The Automic transaction continues Adventʼs efforts to pursue business opportunities in Asia Pacific and embed its local know-how alongside its global network and operating expertise in the region, which includes significant investments in India and China.

This transaction builds on Adventʼs existing Australian investments including luxury fashion brand ZIMMERMANN, Transaction Services Group (now part of Xplor Technologies), a leading provider of business management software and integrated payments solutions, as well as its investment in Ultra Electronics, a leading defence, aerospace and technology company with operations in Australia.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

About Advent

Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 16 offices across five continents, we oversee more than USD $100 billion in assets under management* and have made 435 investments across 44 countries.

Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses.

As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 675+ colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent’s global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.

To learn more, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn.

*Assets under management (AUM) as of June 30, 2025. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.

About Automic Group

Automic Group is a leading provider of registry and fund administration services across Australia and New Zealand. The Group was founded in 2014 by Paul Williams and now serves more than 1,400 companies and funds. Automic combines innovative technology with a client-focused approach to enhance service quality, strengthen data security and support organisations as they scale.

Media Contacts

Peter Folland
Vice President, Advent
pfolland@adventinternational.co.uk

For Australia and New Zealand:
Katherine Kim
katherine.kim@teneo.com
+61 2 9063 5119

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Elevate Patient Financial Solutions Announces Strategic Investment from Audax Private Equity and Parthenon Capital

Audax Group

Elevate Patient Financial Solutions (“Elevate” or the “Company”), a leading provider of front-end eligibility and enrollment and back-end revenue cycle management (“RCM”) technology and services, announced a strategic investment from Audax Private Equity (“Audax”) and Parthenon Capital (“Parthenon”), two private equity firms with a long history of supporting innovative healthcare businesses.

The investment will provide Elevate with additional resources and capital to support key growth initiatives and future acquisitions seeking to enhance its value proposition to hospital and health system clients.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Audax and Parthenon teams as we move into this next chapter in Elevate’s evolution,” said Mike Shea, Elevate’s CEO. “Both firms bring deep experience in building healthcare businesses, and we are excited by the alignment in the go-forward strategic vision for Elevate. We look forward to pursuing innovative ways to deliver more value-added capabilities and support our clients as they navigate an ever-changing market environment.”

With a diverse suite of front-end eligibility and enrollment, back-end complex claims, revenue integrity, and patient pay solutions, Elevate will focus on continuing to strengthen existing front-end and back-end RCM technology and services, while adding new complementary solutions that can support operating performance of hospitals and health systems.

Adam Abramson, a Partner at Audax said, “Elevate has established itself as an industry-leader in front-end eligibility and enrollment with a growing presence in back-end revenue cycle management solutions, serving some of the largest hospitals and health systems across the country. We believe the Company is well-positioned to continue to deliver a strong front-end and back-end value proposition to clients, while continuing to expand in other high-value RCM services and technology that can deliver tangible value to its hospital and health system clients.”

Dan Killeen, a Partner at Parthenon said, “We are entering a critical time for hospitals and health systems as they look to navigate significant regulatory changes that will impact the coverage of patients across the country. Under Mike’s leadership, Elevate is a strategic partner to its provider clients and we are excited to support the Company as it pursues its mission of ensuring hospitals and health systems are able to continue to provide care to those patient populations who need it most.”

Robert W. Baird served as financial advisor to Elevate and Goodwin Procter LLP served as legal counsel, while Kirkland & Ellis served in the same capacity to Audax and Parthenon. Audax is investing in Elevate through its Flagship strategy.

The transaction closed on July 31, 2025.

About

About Elevate
A trusted partner for more than 40 years, Elevate delivers market-leading RCM solutions to hospitals and health systems nationwide. Elevate provides best-in-class services and innovative, specialized technology to address the most complex challenges of the revenue cycle. Services include Medicaid Eligibility and Disability Enrollment, Third Party Liability, Workers’ Compensation, Veterans Affairs, Out-of-State Eligibility, Denials Management, Extended Business Office Engagements, including A/R Services, Low Balance Insurance Follow up, Zero Balance Payment Recovery, and Legacy Receivables, and Self-Pay/Early Out Billing and Collections. Learn more at www.elevatepfs.com.

About Audax Private Equity
Headquartered in Boston, with offices in San Francisco, New York, London and Hong Kong, Audax Private Equity manages three strategies: its Flagship and Origins private equity strategies, seeking control buyouts in the core middle and lower middle markets, respectively, and its Strategic Capital strategy that provides customized equity solutions to PE-backed portfolio companies to help drive continued growth. With approximately $19 billion of assets under management as of March 2025, over 290 employees, and 100-plus investment professionals, Audax has invested in over 175 platforms and more than 1,400 add-on acquisitions since its founding in 1999. Through our disciplined Buy & Build approach, across six core industry verticals, Audax seeks to help portfolio companies execute organic and inorganic growth initiatives with the aim of fueling revenue expansion, optimizing operations, and significantly increasing equity value. For more information, visit www.audaxprivateequity.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Parthenon
Parthenon Capital is a leading growth-oriented private equity firm with offices in Boston, San Francisco, and Austin. Parthenon utilizes niche industry expertise and a deep execution team to invest in growth companies in service and technology industries. Parthenon seeks to be an active and aligned partner to management, either through recapitalization transactions or by backing new executives. Parthenon has particular expertise in financial and insurance services, healthcare and technology services, but seeks any service, technology, or delivery business with a strong value proposition and proprietary know-how. For more information, visit www.parthenoncapital.com.

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Trading Technologies and 7RIDGE choose Thoma Bravo to continue TT’s growth

Thomabravo

CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO—Trading Technologies International, Inc. (TT), a global capital markets technology platform services provider, today announced that Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, and TT’s current owner, 7RIDGE, a specialized growth equity firm invested in transformative technologies for financial services, have agreed to partner for the next phase of TT’s growth. This follows a comprehensive review of suitable investors. 7RIDGE acquired TT in December 2021.

Terms of the transaction, expected to close in Q4 2025 after regulatory clearance, were not disclosed.

Justin Llewellyn-Jones, CEO of TT, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Thoma Bravo to the TT team. The combination of TT’s business and technology experience, 7RIDGE’s deep sector knowledge, and Thoma Bravo’s strategic and operational expertise will truly make us an extraordinary force. With the backing of these two great partners, TT is in its strongest position to date to become the operating system for the capital markets.”

Carsten Kengeter, Founder of 7RIDGE, said: “Our confidence in TT’s role within financial markets infrastructure is as strong as ever. TT has come a long way in a very short period of time, and we look forward to guiding the company to the next level with Thoma Bravo. This process attracted deep and wide expert interest in TT. Thoma Bravo brings the fitting ingredients as TT’s and our strategic partner.”

A.J. Rohde, Senior Partner at Thoma Bravo, said: “TT has rapidly evolved into a modern, industry-leading platform with a loyal customer base, and we believe it is poised for meaningful and accelerated growth. There is a compelling market opportunity for TT to meet the growing demand for speed, reliability and next-generation innovation. TT will be better able to capitalize on this opportunity through the expertise, operational rigor and long-term investment that our partnership with 7RIDGE will bring.”

George Jaber, a Principal at Thoma Bravo, added: “Through our collaboration and deep software expertise, we can provide TT with the operational guidance and resources to accelerate innovation and strengthen its market leadership. Together, we will unlock new avenues for company growth while continuing to deliver exceptional value to customers.”

Houlihan Lokey is acting as lead financial advisor and Barclays is acting as financial advisor to TT, Proskauer is acting as TT’s legal advisor, and Oliver Wyman is acting as TT’s market and commercial advisor. Ardea Partners LP is acting as financial advisor and Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as legal advisor to Thoma Bravo.

About 7RIDGE

7RIDGE is a private markets asset manager invested in transformative technology for financial services to power the global economy. Visit: www.7ridge.com.

About Thoma Bravo

Thoma Bravo is one of the largest software-focused investors in the world, with approximately $184 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2025. Through its private equity, growth equity and credit strategies, the firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging Thoma Bravo’s deep sector knowledge and strategic and operational expertise, the firm collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices and drive growth initiatives. Over the past 20+ years, the firm has acquired or invested in approximately 535 companies representing approximately $275 billion in enterprise value (including control and non-control investments). The firm has offices in Chicago, Dallas, London, Miami, New York and San Francisco. For more information, visit Thoma Bravo’s website at thomabravo.com.

About Trading Technologies

Trading Technologies (www.tradingtechnologies.com) is a global capital markets platform services company providing market-leading technology for the end-to-end trading operations of Tier 1 banks, brokerages, money managers, hedge funds, proprietary traders, Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs), commercial hedgers and risk managers. With its roots in listed derivatives, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company delivers “multi-X” solutions, with “X” representing asset classes, functions, workflows and geographies. This multi-X approach features trade execution services across futures and options, fixed income, foreign exchange (FX) and cryptocurrencies augmented by solutions for data and analytics, including transaction cost analysis (TCA); quantitative trading; compliance and trade surveillance; clearing and post-trade allocation; and infrastructure services. The award-winning TT platform ecosystem also helps exchanges deliver innovative solutions to their market participants, and technology companies to distribute their complementary offerings to Trading Technologies’ clients.

Read the release on PR Newswire here.

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Viridian Financial Group Welcomes Strategic Growth Investment from TA Associates to Expand Leading Diversified Financial Services Business in Australia

TA associates

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Viridian Financial Group (“Viridian” or “the Firm”), one of Australia’s leading diversified financial services businesses, today announced that TA Associates (“TA”), a leading global private equity firm, has signed an agreement to make a strategic investment in the Firm. The investment has been approved by Viridian’s founders, Board of Directors, and senior management team, who, upon completion of the transaction, will partner closely with TA to accelerate the Firm’s next phase of growth.

“By combining the strengths of both companies, the Viridian Board anticipates significant synergies, strengthening our position in the market as well as expanding our capabilities. We believe this transaction will create significant value for our shareholders in driving future profitability. Along with my fellow Directors, I have no hesitation in supporting this strategic partnership,” said James Joughin, Chair at Viridian.

“Since Viridian’s founding nearly a decade ago, we have remained steadfast in our client-centric philosophy, focused on empowering Australians through holistic financial advice, innovative solutions and exceptional service,” said Raamy Shahien, Joint CEO and Executive Director at Viridian. “Having built a strong relationship with TA, and after collaborating closely with them to structure our partnership, we are confident that TA is the ideal partner to support Viridian’s growth and vision moving forward. Our partnership with TA marks a significant milestone in our journey, serving as both a recognition of our strong track record thus far and a catalyst for future growth as we continue to expand in an ever-evolving market.”

Since its founding in 2015, Viridian has become one of Australia’s largest practices. Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, the Firm manages ~$16bn of funds across three specialised business divisions, Viridian Advisory, Infinity Capital Solutions and Smartmove Lending, providing wealth advice, investment solutions and mortgage broking services to over 15,000 clients. By partnering with TA, Viridian will leverage TA’s global resources and extensive experience in the financial services industry to expand its capabilities, enhance its integrated service offerings and fuel client success.

“TA has made over 30 investments in wealth management and asset management companies globally, establishing itself as a leading global investor in financial services. Their understanding and proven experience in scaling businesses and deep industry expertise will be invaluable in driving forward our vision of transforming wealth management in Australia,” said Glenn Calder, Joint CEO and Executive Director at Viridian. “TA’s support and partnership strengthens our ability to remain agile and forward-thinking, ensuring we incorporate international best practices into our business and deliver ongoing value to our clients and stakeholders.”

“Throughout our multi-year, deep dive into Australia’s wealth management sector, Viridian consistently emerged as a leading innovator in its market segment, driven by its compelling asset platform, diversified product offering and strong culture of client and advisor alignment,” said Edward Sippel, head of TA Associates Asia Pacific Ltd. and a Managing Director at TA, who will join the Viridian Board of Directors. “Across our global wealth management investments, our focus is first and foremost on client outcomes and alignment with advisors. We are pleased that the Viridian team shares this commitment. We have high conviction in the long-term potential of Australia’s large and growing wealth management market, and believe there is a significant opportunity to scale Viridian’s platform both organically and through strategic acquisitions.”

“Viridian’s strong position is underpinned by Australia’s mandated savings environment and growing demand for advice,” said Lily Xu, Senior Vice President at TA, who will also join the Viridian Board of Directors. “With multiple levers for organic growth and a proven ability to execute growth through M&A, we’re excited to support Viridian’s continued growth trajectory.”

The agreement remains subject to customary conditions. Settlement is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2025.

About Viridian Financial Group
Viridian Financial Group is a leading Australian diversified financial services business. The business was established in 2015 by a team who understood the power of financial advice to make a profound difference in the lives of Australians. Viridian Financial Group consists of Viridian Advisory, Infinity Capital Solutions and Smartmove. It has a culture built on alignment between clients and advisors over the long term and employs over 400 people. More information about Viridian can be found at www.viridianfinancialgroup.com.au.

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Warburg Pincus Announces Partnership with Marissa Thomas and Steve Varley to Launch Unity Advisory, a Next-Generation CFO Advisory Firm

Warburg Pincus logo

London, June 30, 2025 – Warburg Pincus, the pioneer in private equity global growth investing, has announced a partnership with Marissa Thomas and Steve Varley, two of the UK’s most accomplished professional services leaders, to establish Unity Advisory, a next-generation CFO advisory firm. Unity Advisory will initially provide Office of the CFO services spanning business finance, finance operations, tax and compliance, deal readiness, digital and transformation to private equity-backed and other upper mid-market businesses.

Unity Advisory is financed through an initial equity line of up to $300 million from funds affiliated with Warburg Pincus, along with a substantial additional commitment from the founders. Further capital may be deployed to support future expansion and enhance the value proposition.

The firm sets itself apart by offering Partner-led, high-touch, technology-driven services without the constraints of audit conflicts. From day one, AI will play a central role in how the firm works and serves clients. A key focus of investment will be in AI and cutting-edge automation, which—combined with an experienced and expert team—will help deliver exceptional service, be outcome driven, with client service leaders who are client-focused. Headquartered in London, the firm plans to expand into other key markets and geographies over time.

Marissa Thomas, formerly Managing Partner of PwC UK, founded Unity Advisory and serves as CEO. Steve Varley, formerly EY UK&I Regional Managing Partner and Chair of EY UK, assumes the role of Chairman. David Tapnack joins the team as Managing Partner. Unity Advisory launches with an initial group of experienced partners and team members recruited from the Big Four and other market leading firms. Rapid expansion is anticipated through accelerated hiring of partners and other talent, as well as selective acquisitions.

“We believe there is a more effective way to serve CFOs, and our extensive market research supports this belief,” said Marissa Thomas, CEO of Unity Advisory. “Clients desire senior-level attention, strong technical and industry expertise and a firm that matches their pace. We have assembled a highly experienced team and are committed to building a leading business with strong support from a premier global private equity investor.”

“Unity Advisory offers clients greater choice in CFO services, reflecting a deep understanding of what clients want,” stated Steve Varley, Chairman of Unity Advisory. “Our goal is to create a next generation firm that is entrepreneurial in spirit and rigorous in execution. The business has launched with great momentum; we already have significant client interest which will fuel growth, and a strong recruitment pipeline of talented individuals seeking more variety, reward, and pace in their careers, with a path to Partnership based on an inclusive meritocracy.”

The partnership with Warburg Pincus builds on the firm’s successful and entrepreneurial track record in professional services, including its historical investment in Evelyn Partners’ professional services business and backing the launch of new platforms such as insurance brokerage McGill and Partners.

David Reis, Managing Director, and Rianne Schipper-Kogel, Principal at Warburg Pincus, commented: “We are thrilled to support Marissa, Steve, David and the broader team in the creation of Unity Advisory. Based on our sector experience, we believe the Company will offer a highly distinctive proposition to CFOs and be uniquely positioned to capitalize on what we believe is a substantial market opportunity.”

About Unity Advisory

Unity Advisory is a London-based firm providing Office of the CFO services to private equity-backed and other upper mid-market businesses. With offerings across business finance,  finance operations, tax and compliance, deal readiness, digital and transformation, the firm delivers Partner-led, high-touch, technology-driven solutions — free from the constraints of audit conflicts.

From inception, Unity Advisory has embedded AI at the core of its operations and client delivery. Combining deep experience with a forward-looking technology vision, the firm is redefining how CFO functions are supported in today’s fast-moving business environment. With plans to expand into other key markets and geographies, Unity Advisory is poised for growth while remaining committed to excellence, innovation, and client success.

Unity Advisory was founded by Marissa Thomas, formerly Managing Partner of PwC UK, who now serves as CEO. Steve Varley, former EY UK&I Regional Managing Partner and Chair of EY UK, joins as Chairman. David Tapnack takes on the role of Managing Partner. Together, the leadership team brings deep expertise and a bold vision for transforming finance functions through innovation and experience.

For more information, please visit: https://unity-advisory.com/

About Marissa Thomas, Steve Varley and David Tapnack

Marissa Thomas was a partner at PwC for over twenty years, holding a number of leadership roles in the UK partnership. Most recently until June 2024, she was Managing Partner and COO. Marissa is an experienced and well known adviser to the private equity industry. Today, Marissa is a non executive director for ECIT, a professional and technology services business which has a minority investment by funds advised by TowerBrook Capital Partners (U.K.) LLP. Marissa is CEO of Unity Advisory, a next-generation CFO advisory firm, backed by Warburg Pincus.

Steve Varley was a Partner at Andersen Consulting, and then Accenture, before joining EY in 2005. In 2011 he was elected as the UK&I Regional Managing Partner and UK Chair of EY, a role he held for 9 years.  Steve’s last role at EY was as Global Vice-Chair Sustainability. He left EY at the end of 2023 and now chairs DWF Group, a global law firm and portfolio company of Inflexion, and is Chairman of Unity Advisory, a next-generation CFO advisory firm, backed by Warburg Pincus.

David Tapnack was a partner at PwC for sixteen years, where he founded the firm’s tech-enabled CFO Office and Insight & Analytics business. He subsequently held several senior roles in the UK firm including Head of Commercial, Chief People Officer for Transaction Services, and Chief Operating Officer for Forensics. David has advised private equity investors and their portfolio companies for twenty years. He left PwC in 2024, and is the Managing Partner of Unity Advisory, a next-generation CFO advisory firm, backed by Warburg Pincus.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is the pioneer of private equity global growth investing. A private partnership since 1966, the firm has the flexibility and experience to focus on helping investors and management teams achieve enduring success across market cycles. Today, the firm has more than $87 billion in assets under management, and more than 220 companies in their active portfolio, diversified across stages, sectors, and geographies. Warburg Pincus has invested in more than 1,000 companies across its private equity, real estate, and capital solutions strategies.

The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Alice Gibb
+44 20 730 603 90
alice.gibb@warburgpincus.com

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Dains Group Grows National Presence with Acquisition of Barnes Roffe

IK Partners

Leading accountancy and advisory services provider to the SME market, the Dains Group (“Dains”), announces that it has made its second acquisition since securing private equity backing from IK Partners (“IK”) in a move that demonstrates its intention to build the leading SME advisory business in the UK and Ireland.

Barnes Roffe, one of the UK’s top 50 accounting firms, will join the Dains Group on 4th June 2025, significantly strengthening the client proposition in financial advisory, corporate tax, audit, and corporate finance. The Barnes Roffe team has over 29 partners and more than 200 employees in the London area.

The acquisition, which is the largest yet by the Group, means Dains will now have established four key regional hubs across the UK and Ireland — in the South-East, Midlands, Scotland and Ireland — and are on target to become a top 20 firm by the end of 2025.

Barnes Roffe has a strong reputation as a highly customer-centric and proactive business with a talented team. It has built a reputation for delivering outstanding value and service to its clients for over 125 years, since its establishment in 1899.

Stephen Corner, Senior Partner at Barnes Roffe, commented, “By partnering with Dains we are joining a firm with the same values and underlying service proposition we have been delivering to our clients for many years and together we will deliver a truly market leading proposition for our clients. Becoming part of a national firm widens our service proposition and increases the range of specialist services we can deliver whilst at the same time greatly enhancing the career opportunities for our talented team. We look forward to significantly growing the Dains business in the South-East.

We are thrilled to welcome Barnes Roffe to the Dains Group.” said Richard McNeilly, CEO of Dains Group. “It’s not often we encounter such a dynamic and client-centric leadership team. Together, we see significant opportunities to grow our presence in the London area and expand across the UK and Ireland. The addition of Barnes Roffe strengthens our national footprint and aligns perfectly with our strategy to deliver exceptional client service and outstanding career opportunities.

With a team now exceeding 1,000 professionals, we remain committed to enhancing the value we provide to clients and investing in the development of our talented people.

Our ambition is to work in partnership with clients, offering timely, thoughtful advice rooted in a deep understanding of their goals. This approach has underpinned Barnes Roffe’s impressive growth and makes them a natural strategic partner for our group.”

Pete Wilson, Partner at IK Partners added “This strategic acquisition demonstrates our ambition to continue building Dains into the leading UK & Ireland SME advisory business by establishing a strong presence, led by an outstanding team at Barnes Roffe, in London and the South-East.  We look forward to continuing to back further acquisitions as part of this exciting partnership.”

Dains were advised by CMS (Legal), Eight Advisory (Financial and Tax Due Diligence), Forward Corporate Finance (Financial Modelling), Deloitte (Tax Structuring), PDW (Customer Referencing), Cyber Crowd (IT Due Diligence), Mercia (Technical Due Diligence).

Barnes Roffe were advised by KPMG CF (Corporate Finance) and KPMG Legal (Legal).

For further questions, please contact:

Dains Group
Duncan Clayson
Group Marketing Director
Phone: +44 7484 589 817
dclayson@dains.com

IK Partners
Vidya Verlkumar
Director of Communications and Marketing
Phone: +44 7787 558 193
vidya.verlkumar@ikpartners.com

About Dains

Dains is ranked 29th in the National Accountancy Age ranking by firm size within the surveyed top 100 accountancy firms in the UK. From 4th June 2025 the team will be over 1,000 people strong with offices throughout the UK and Ireland.

Our core services are Accountancy & Business Services, Audit, Corporate Finance, Forensic Accounting, Taxation and Probate alongside outsourced FD and HR support. We deliver these services with a focus on our core values of Valued Relationships, Fairness, Working & Succeeding Together and Integrity. Together these core values make up the Dains DNA which runs through each of our interactions and activities.

More information can be found at www.dains.com

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About IK Partners

IK Partners (“IK”) is a European private equity firm focused on investments in the Benelux, DACH, France, Nordics and the UK. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €19 billion of capital and invested in over 200 European companies. IK supports companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects. For more information, visit ikpartners.com

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Stout Announces New Investment Partnership With Integrum Seeking to Continue Accelerated Growth Trajectory

Audax Group

Chicago, IL – June 2, 2025 – Stout, a leading global advisory firm, announced today that it has entered into a new strategic partnership with Integrum Holdings LP (“Integrum”), a private investment firm focused on partnering with technology-enabled services companies in the financial and business services sectors. Funds advised by Integrum will invest alongside Stout’s employee shareholders to support the firm’s continued expansion objectives. As part of the transaction, Stout’s management team will remain in place, and existing employee shareholders will retain a meaningful equity stake. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025 subject to customary closing conditions.

This new partnership follows a successful and highly collaborative relationship with Audax Private Equity (“Audax”), which first invested in Stout in November 2021 through its Flagship strategy. Over the course of the partnership, Audax provided strategic and financial support that enabled Stout to expand its platform, double headcount, complete ten acquisitions, and accelerate its growth across geographies and service lines.

“We are deeply grateful to Audax for their partnership and support over the past three and a half years,” said Craige Stout, Chief Executive Officer of Stout. “They have been instrumental in helping us further scale our business, and we are proud of what we accomplished together. As we look ahead, we are thrilled to welcome Integrum, whose team brings experience, insight, and common values that align perfectly with our ambitions for the future.”

Jeff Risius, Co-Head of Client Service at Stout, added, “This is a natural next step for Stout. Integrum’s long-term mindset, strategic expertise, and focus on people and culture make them the ideal partner for our next phase of growth.”

Tagar Olson, Founding Partner at Integrum, said, “Stout is a global firm with a reputation for excellence, a strong leadership team, and a clear growth trajectory. We are excited to support their continued expansion and to partner with a firm so deeply committed to client success and employee ownership.”

Bill Allen, Managing Director at Audax and Head of the firm’s Financial Services specialization, commented, “It has been a privilege to partner with the outstanding team at Stout. Over the past several years, we have watched the firm grow significantly in scale, capability, and market presence, all while staying true to its culture of ‘Relentless Excellence®’. We are confident that Stout is well-positioned for continued success. We wish Craige, Jeff, and the entire Stout team the very best as they begin this exciting next chapter with Integrum.”

William Blair & Company acted as financial advisor and Winston & Strawn LLP and Ropes and Gray LLP served as legal counsel to Stout.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal counsel to Integrum.

About

About Stout
Stout is a global advisory firm specializing in corporate finance, accounting and transaction advisory, valuation, and financial disputes, claims, and investigations. Stout serves a range of clients, from public corporations to privately held companies in numerous industries. Our clients and their advisors rely on our premier expertise, deep industry knowledge, and unparalleled responsiveness on complex matters. Stout is a trade name for Stout Risius Ross, LLC, Stout Advisors SA, Stout Bluepeak Asia Ltd., Stout GmbH, MB e Associati S.r.l., Stout Park Ltd, and Stout Capital, LLC, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and SIPC member firm. Learn more at www.stout.com

About Audax Private Equity
Headquartered in Boston, with offices in San Francisco, New York, London and Hong Kong, Audax Private Equity manages three strategies: its Flagship and Origins private equity strategies, seeking control buyouts in the core middle and lower middle markets, respectively, and its Strategic Capital strategy that provides customized equity solutions to PE-backed portfolio companies to help drive continued growth. With approximately $19 billion of assets under management as of March 2025, over 290 employees, and 100-plus investment professionals, Audax has invested in 175 platforms and 1,350 add-on acquisitions since its founding in 1999. Through our disciplined Buy & Build approach, across six core industry verticals, Audax seeks to help portfolio companies execute organic and inorganic growth initiatives with the aim of fueling revenue expansion, optimizing operations, and significantly increasing equity value. For more information, visit www.audaxprivateequity.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Integrum
Integrum is an investment firm focused on partnering with technology-enabled services companies in the financial and business services sectors. The firm was founded by a team of proven leaders with a vision to build a different type of investing platform benefiting from their diverse and complementary backgrounds and vast relationship network. Integrum’s approach is to build a concentrated portfolio of high-conviction investments. Integrum aims to accelerate growth through investments in technology and other forms of innovation and by partnering with management teams to enhance access to talent, relationships, and capabilities.
Learn more at www.integrum.us

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