BRUSSELS AND ROTTERDAM – 4th December 2023 – Faceland, a leading chain of branded medical aesthetics clinics in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland, has reached an agreement with Verlinvest, the Belgian-based, family-backed evergreen investment company, for it to acquire a majority stake in the business. This new partnership will enable Faceland to accelerate its expansion within the fast-growing European medical aesthetics market and execute upon its mission of improving access to high-quality cosmetic medicine for all patients.
Founded in 2013 in The Netherlands, Faceland stands apart from competition with its unique model, which offers clinically proven aesthetics treatments at accessible price points. Faceland’s services are all delivered by qualified medical professionals that are trained in-house through the company’s proprietary training academy. Faceland’s team of plastic surgeons, doctors, and nurses complies with the highest regulatory standards in each operating region and now performs over 130,000 treatments annually across its four core markets.
With co-founders Dr. Stijn Bauland and Ruud van de Handel at the helm, Faceland has grown to become one of the first regional platforms in Europe, building on its position as market leader in the Netherlands, to own 31 clinics across Benelux and have a growing presence in Germany and Switzerland. Dr. Bauland and Mr. Van den Handel have also set up an independent foundation in the Netherlands, which aims to professionalise and broaden access to cosmetic medicine by training nurses looking to move into the field, by offering free accredited seminars and courses for any health professional interested in the discipline of aesthetics. It also publishes medical and academic research papers, including in leading international scientific journals in cooperation with the Universities of Amsterdam and Groningen.
Faceland has achieved record growth in recent years, with sales up 25%+ over the last twelve months to reach c.€40m in FY23A, and +20 clinics opening between January 2020 and today.
Ruud van den Handel, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Faceland said, “Stijn and I are proud that over the last few years, Faceland’s brand has reached a critical mass where we are recognised thought leaders in the field of cosmetic medicine and both our patients and practitioners love working with us. We are thrilled to take this growth to the next level with Verlinvest’s experienced team by our side, as we scale into new markets, unlock Faceland’s potential for even greater innovation, and realise our vision of improving access to high-quality aesthetic medicine for all.”
Faceland will work together with Verlinvest’s team, many of whom are based on-the-ground in Benelux, to grow both its network of clinics and its much-loved consumer brand over the coming years. They will draw on Verlinvest’s experience of building successful branded healthcare platforms across Europe, including current and past investments in Nesto (vet care), Bludental (dental services), Sinomedica (medical acupuncture), and Armonea (senior care). The company’s ambitious plan is focused on rolling out a large number of new clinics using Greenfield and M&A strategies, thereby bringing Faceland’s high quality of medical care to as many patients as possible at affordable prices, as well as becoming the go-to employer for talented doctors and nurses.
Julius Hugelshofer, Senior Principal at Verlinvest said, “Stijn, Ruud and the team at Faceland are revolutionising and professionalising the fragmented medical aesthetics industry, which is growing rapidly and becoming a new norm in terms of personal health. The market is ready for a branded player to raise the overall standard of care at a price point that’s accessible for customers.” Roberto Italia, CEO at Verlinvest added, “Our vision for the aesthetics field sees top-quality care and operational excellence as essential levers to engage patient-customers in innovation-driven and sustainable long-term relationships. The approach that Stijn and Ruud have managed to develop consistently with Faceland over time is fully aligned and we look forward to partnering with them to build the company into a truly pan-European platform.”
The transaction will be subject to approval from the relevant regulatory bodies and stakeholder groups. It is expected to close in Q4 2023.
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About Faceland
Faceland was founded in 2013 in the Netherlands with the mission of improving access to cosmetic medicine and transforming it from a niche industry into mainstream medical care. A no-nonsense team of young executives, doctors and nurses set out on this mission, ensuring Faceland’s approach was focused on quality, customer satisfaction, accessibility, and value-for-money from the start. This strategy translated into sustained growth in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany, and Faceland now has 31 clinics in its network. Further international expansion remains an essential part of their vision. True to Faceland’s mission, co-founders Dr. Stijn Bauland and Ruud van de Handel have set up a Foundation which provides free courses on cosmetic medicine to health professionals and publishes research papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
