Archives

CEO Johan Forssell will leave Investor in May 2024 in a new role with focus on industrial companies

Investor

After nearly 30 years at Investor, of which the last close to nine years as President and CEO, Johan Forssell has informed Investor’s Board of Directors that he wants to transition to a role focusing on board work in industrial companies. This means that Johan Forssell will leave Investor, and its Board, in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 7 May 2024.

Johan Forssell will in his new role, through a consultancy agreement, be assigned to Investor as an industrial advisor with a particular focus on industrial companies. He will work with board assignments and also work in close collaboration with Investor’s business teams in line with Investor’s ownership model.

“In addition to being recognized for his unique competence and experience from value creating ownership work, Johan Forssell is also a down-to-earth and appreciated leader, who in so many ways, has successfully developed Investor. During his tenure as CEO, Investor has had a strong value growth at the same time as the total shareholder return has outperformed the Swedish stock market each and every year. It has been inspiring to work closely together with Johan and I am glad that we also going forward, will be able to benefit from his great industrial knowledge as well as his long experience of our business model. The Board will now initiate the recruitment process of Johan’s successor“, says Investor’s Chair Jacob Wallenberg.

“To make the decision to leave such a fun and stimulating role as being the CEO of Investor, has not been easy. However, after close to nine years as CEO, I am now looking forward to focus with full force on board work in several of our world class industrial companies. It is a true privilege to lead a company like Investor, with its fantastic culture and all professional employees, who with their great energy always work in the best interest of our companies and Investor’s long-term development. Up until the AGM next year, I will have my full focus set on leading Investor AB”, says CEO and President Johan Forssell.

Johan Forssell is currently active as Director of the Boards in Atlas Copco, Epiroc, Wärtsilä and EQT.

Going forward, Johan Forssell will also be engaged by Wallenberg Investments AB as an industrial advisor.

This information is information that Investor AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 08:15 CET on 20 October 2023.

Downloads

Our press releases can be accessed at www.investorab.com

Investor, founded by the Wallenberg family in 1916, is an engaged owner of high quality global companies. We have a long-term investment perspective. Through board participation, as well as industrial experience, our network and financial strength, we work continuously to support our companies to remain or become best-in-class. Our holdings include, among others, ABB, Atlas Copco, Ericsson, Mölnlycke and SEB.

For further information:

Viveka Hirdman-Ryrberg, Head of Corporate Communication and Sustainability,
Phone +46 70 550 3500
viveka.hirdman-ryrberg@investorab.com

Magnus Dalhammar, Head of Investor Relations,
Phone +46 73 524 2130
magnus.dalhammar@investorab.com

Categories: People

Renta acquires Ohiko

IK Partners

 

Renta Group Oy (“Renta Group” or “Renta”) is expanding its specialised pumping business through the acquisition of Ohiko Oy (“Ohiko” or “the Company”). Ohiko is a specialised pumping company providing full-service bypass solutions throughout Finland. Headquartered in Tuusula, Ohiko has 7 employees and annual revenues of more than EUR 2 million.

The acquisition of Ohiko extends Renta’s specialised pumping business from the Baltics and Poland to Finland, in line with the expansion strategy set in connection to the acquisition of Uprent in 2022. Ohiko provides a solid platform to further develop and grow in the highly attractive niche rental segment in Finland.

Ohiko is an excellent fit with Renta as it is a professionally managed and highly profitable company with capabilities to deliver turnkey projects. Similar to Renta, the Company has a lean structure and it will continue operating and providing services with the same well-functioning local business model as before. Renta sees significant potential in Ohiko by further scaling the operations leveraging the complementary expertise of Ohiko and Renta’s pumping business and by expanding specialised pumping geographically across Finland, benefitting from Renta’s existing presence.

Kari Aulasmaa, CEO of Renta Group, said:

“We are excited to join forces with Ohiko, a profitable and rapidly growing company with a strong standing in the Finnish specialised pumping market. Through the acquisition, Renta takes a leap in the strategic expansion of the specialised pumping business. We are impressed by the expertise and full-service project management capabilities of Ohiko and are convinced it will provide us with an excellent platform for continued growth in Finland.  We would like to extend a warm welcome to the Ohiko team.“

Petri Id, CEO of Ohiko, said:

“We have great previous experience from working with Renta’s specialised pumping providers in the Baltics and we are thrilled to become a part of Renta Group, which has ambitious plans for the future. Joining forces with Renta ensures the continuation of our high-quality services and enables us to take on larger projects and embark on new challenges. We look forward to partnering up with Renta.”

Enquiries: ir@renta.com

About Renta Group

Renta Group is a Northern European full-service equipment rental company founded in 2015. Renta has operations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, and the Baltics, with 137 depots and over 1,500 employees. Renta is a general rental company with a wide range of construction machines and equipment along with related services. In addition to operating a network of rental depots, Renta is a supplier of scaffolding and weather-protection services. For more information, please visit www.renta.com

Read More

About Ohiko

Ohiko is a leading specialised pumping company providing full-service bypass solutions, founded in 2021. The Company has one depot in Tuusula, 7 employees and annual revenues of more than EUR 2 million. For more information, visit https://www.ohiko.fi/

Categories: News

Tags:

ARVOO accelerates growth with Capital A as an investor

Capital-A

ARVOO Imaging Products (hereafter ARVOO) has brought in Capital A as its new majority shareholder and sponsor for the company’s next growth phase. This new partnership establishes a solid financial foundation with the aim of further expanding as a global player in image processing technology. In this phase, the current management, consisting of Fons Grijpink (CEO) and founder René Voorwinden (CTO), who are also shareholders, will continue to lead the daily operations.

ARVOO is a developer in the field of complex digital image processing through the use of artificial intelligence and develops both the hardware and software in-house. This image processing technology is used for various applications, including ARVOO’s developed camera system, ScanGenius. ScanGenius is a leading and globally used camera system with accompanying software, used by local municipalities and government authorities for digital parking enforcement. With ScanGenius, ARVOO is the undisputed market leader in this industry in the Netherlands.

Furthermore, ARVOO develops ANPR cameras and associated software that can be used for various applications, such as access control, detecting illegal and dangerous traffic situations, enforcement at the boundaries of low emission zones, as well as within the agricultural sector.

“In recent years, we have worked hard to transform ARVOO from an innovative project organization into a focused product organization,” says Fons Grijpink, CEO and co-shareholder of ARVOO. “Today, we are proud to announce that, along with investor Capital A, we will continue to build the future of ARVOO. Our new partner will support us in the process of further globalization and expanding our business, a path we have already embarked on in recent years. This step makes us more agile and grants us access to a strong network of professionals who assist companies in building and growing.”

“It’s wonderful to see the international demand for ARVOO’s innovative products and services that deliver significant value in various sectors. Together, we look forward to further expanding ARVOO’s success into new cities and countries, while also exploring the applicability of the underlying image processing technology in new sectors. We aim to accelerate autonomous growth where it makes sense with a selective buy-and-build strategy,” says Lars Valkenburg, Investment Manager at Capital A.

The daily management of ARVOO remains with Fons Grijpink (CEO) and René Voorwinden (CTO), while Capital A will play an advisory and supportive role. ARVOO is built on a strong and unique DNA that will be maximized to realize its (international) growth ambitions. With the arrival of Capital A, the continuity and stability of ARVOO are ensured.

ABN AMRO has assisted the shareholders of ARVOO as a financial advisor in the search for a suitable partner.

 

About ARVOO

ARVOO was founded in 1993 as an engineering firm specializing in automatic image and signal processing by computers. Over time, the company has further evolved, including the integration of artificial intelligence. This thirty years of experience and passion for image processing technology make ARVOO a unique company within the industry. ARVOO has a team of innovative hardware and software developers who continuously collaborate on new applications and products. Market demand guides their development efforts, ensuring that the team aligns with the needs of the market. Since ARVOO develops both the hardware and software in-house, the lines of communication are short, enabling rapid response to customer preferences and requirements.

Categories: News

Tags:

Protix joins forces with Tyson Foods securing new funding for the next step in its growth phase

Rabo Investments

Tyson Foods invests in Rabo Investments portfolio company Protix in new capital round to significantly scale its production capacity and expand globally. Oct. 17, 2023 – We are proud to announce that our portfolio company Protix, a leading Dutch company in insect-based ingredients, has entered into a strategic partnership with Tyson Foods, one of the world’s leading food companies.

An important milestone for Protix and the insect industry! With this capital round we welcome Tyson Foods, a listed multinational, protein-focused food processing company based in the US and customer of Rabobank, as new investor to the group of existing shareholders. We are excited about this partnership, which also includes the formation of a joint venture to build an insect ingredients plant in the United States. In addition, Tyson Foods is investing in Protix to help accelerate their global expansion plans. This major capital injection underlines the progress and continued long term potential of Protix and will be used to further strengthen and optimise the organisation, make the necessary steps to advance commercial traction and accelerate (international) growth. Protix is a producer of insect protein and fats from the Black Soldier Fly. These insect ingredients offer nutritious and sustainable inputs for pet food, aqua culture and livestock feed and organic fertilizer. Insect ingredients are so green because of their circular nature: Insects are fed with local food waste streams and the mature insects are in turn upscaled into high value ingredients. The substrate in which the insects are farmed is subsequently used as fertiliser, thus completing a circular and sustainable way of food and feed production.

This partnership offers an opportunity for Tyson Foods to deploy its waste streams in a commercial way and acquire broader expertise in the alternative protein market. For Protix it is the outstanding opportunity to further build scale in partnership with a major player that has the necessary funding and access to the US market and their customer base. Protix has been a long time banking relationship of Rabobank, as we have supported the company from its earliest beginnings back in 2009.

Rabo Investments became shareholder of the company in 2019, on the back of its growth potential and the clear links with two of our core investment pillars: Food & Agri and Sustainability. As a committed shareholder, Rabo Investments is also participating in the capital raise and will remain actively involved to help the company meet the short-term challenges and opportunities associated with an ambitious growth agenda.

Categories: News

Tags:

OSI Group and Egeria have reached agreement for the sale of IQI to OSI Group

Egeria

OSI Group (“OSI”), the premium global supplier of custom value-added food products to
the world’s leading foodservice and retail food brands, and Egeria Private Equity (“Egeria”),
a leading investment company in the Netherlands and the DACH region, are pleased to
announce the agreement for the sale of IQI (International Quality Ingredients), a
Netherlands-based, global provider of premium petfood ingredients, to OSI.

IQI will provide OSI with broader and integrated capabilities in the global petfood market
whilst benefitting from the opportunity to leverage OSI’s extensive supply chain network to
reach new geographies, develop additional supplier relationships and create unique,
innovative, premium animal protein and vegetable ingredients for petfood.

Mark Oostendorp, CEO of IQI, along with the IQI management team, look forward to
partnering with OSI leadership, stating, “This acquisition will greatly benefit our supply
partners and customers. OSI’s drive to provide any solution needed for their customers is
exactly how IQI has been developing solutions for our suppliers and customers in the
petfood space. The enormous OSI network and capabilities gives IQI the opportunity to
become a global leader of animal products and vegetables. This is like a playground for our
team, and we are excited to co-create new solutions for our suppliers and customers.”
“This partnership more closely connects OSI’s extensive industry relationships and animal
protein and vegetable capabilities directly to IQI’s customers.” said Mark Richardson, Senior
Executive Vice President, OSI International. “OSI welcomes IQI to the global OSI family
and looks forward to partnering with IQI to create new and innovative ingredients that
deliver unique solutions for their customers.”

Simone Poelen, Investment Manager at Egeria stated, “We would like to thank Mark,
Lennard and the entire IQI organization for the enjoyable and entrepreneurial partnership
over the past six years. Working together with our co-shareholders, founder Sven
Gravendeel and SAPI S.p.a, was a great experience. We are proud that we have been able
to support IQI in its transformation from a specialized trading company to becoming a
critical link in the petfood value chain and a frontrunner in sustainable ingredients and
animal welfare. With this solid foundation in place, we are confident that IQI will develop
further by leveraging the global scale, customer relations, manufacturing assets and
suppliers of OSI.”

About IQI
IQI, headquartered in Amersfoort, Netherlands, was founded in 1994 as a trading company
specializing in the supply of proteins to the petfood and livestock feed industries. Today,
IQI is a global industry partner that specializes in petfood claim and functional ingredients
across 10 different categories including animal protein, high omega 3 fish oil, vegetable,
and novel ingredient categories such as algae and fermented soy. The company offers
dedicated solutions for the entire process from sourcing ingredients to co-development of
sustainable concepts, technical service support, quality checks and improvement,
warehousing, logistics, and distribution to 60 countries around the world.

About OSI
OSI Group, LLC is a 100-plus year old, privately held company that is a global leader in
supplying value-added beef, poultry, pork, vegetable, and other food products to leading
global brands. The company currently has 65 facilities/offices in 17 countries covering 5
continents, with its global headquarters located in Aurora, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

About Egeria
Egeria is a leading investment company in the Netherlands and the DACH region, employing
over 75 people directly in five locations, with annual sales of around €2.5bn, providing
employment for almost 12,500 people and building on and investing in great places to live
and work through our investments together with management teams.

Categories: News

Tags:

KKR And Etche Complete The Acquisition Of Over 160,000 Square Meters Of Logistic Properties In France From Ivanhoé Cambridge

KKR

Transaction is KKR’s first in France via its Core+ real estate strategy, and fourth for the strategy in Europe this year following UK, Finland and Sweden acquisitions

 

Paris October 19th, 2023 – KKR and Etche, KKR’s logistics real estate platform in France, today announced the acquisition of the SCOTT logistics portfolio from Ivanhoé Cambridge, comprising five buildings with a total area exceeding 160,000 square meters. These assets, two of which have just been completed, are strategically located in prime logistics zones in the ‘Dorsale’ on the outskirts of Lyon, Grenoble, Orléans, Compiègne and Strasbourg. The buildings are fully occupied by quality anchor tenants on long-term leases.

The acquisition continues Etche’s strategic focus on the logistics sector and is KKR’s first transaction in France through its European Core+ real estate strategy, which focuses on investing in high quality, substantially stabilised assets with medium-term value growth potential.

“The acquisition of this portfolio is a clear demonstration of our ability to swiftly execute significant deals in a challenging market environment, thanks in large part to the reinforcement of our teams with Joffrey Houdoux (Investment Manager) and Julien Chevrier (Chief Administrative and Financial Officer) who joined the firm this year. This strategic portfolio combines strong fundamentals and significant potential for value appreciation, which will allow us to navigate the current period with confidence. It serves as an excellent foundation upon which we can soon aggregate new buildings of similar quality,” said Vincent Lauret, President of Etche.

 

“This first acquisition through our Core+ strategy in France reflects our desire to acquire a quality portfolio for the long term, particularly in the logistics sector. We expect that the sector fundamentals will continue to be very positive for the years to come, particularly given the lack of future supply in France, which should continue to benefit owners of existing, quality assets,” commented Mai-Lan de Marcilly, Managing Director and Head of Transactions France & Hotels at KKR.

 

“This transaction is exemplary of our broader ambition in France and regionally – to invest in high-quality assets in prime locations and with strong fundamentals, and where we have the potential to drive value. The collaboration with Etche in France has created a strong basis for our team to invest behind the themes that we like, particularly logistics which is benefiting from the rise in e-commerce penetration rates and on-shoring of supply chains. We’re delighted to have expanded the portfolio into France and look forward to building further on this,” continued Ian Williamson, Managing Director and Head of Core+ Real Estate in Europe at KKR.

 

“We are delighted to have successfully and seamlessly concluded the sale of these five assets from our Hub&Flow logistics platform to KKR-Etche. This transaction is the result of our asset management efforts and enables us to recycle our capital in the logistics market. We remain convinced of the logistics sector’s resilience, and this sector will continue to be a strategic priority for us over the long term through the growth of the Hub&Flow platform in Europe along main logistics corridors,” added Maud Wargny, Senior Director, Investments, Europe, at Ivanhoé Cambridge.

KKR is an active investor in logistics real estate across Europe and has a strong track record of investing across real estate sectors in France. The Etche platform currently owns and operates a portfolio of over fifty logistics and light industrial properties across the country. This latest acquisition builds on the regional expansion of KKR’s Core+ strategy since launching in 2022, following acquisitions in Sweden, Finland and the UK earlier this year across logistics, residential and student housing, and in logistics in the Netherlands last year.

CA-CIB provided funding for the operation through a structured financing arrangement in the form of a green loan.

About Etche

Founded in 2010, Etche is a privately-owned French real estate company. A portfolio company of global investment firm KKR, Etche also carries out asset management assignments on behalf of real estate investors. With a portfolio of around fifty assets across France in the corporate real estate sector (business parks, industrial, and logistics properties), Etche is currently undergoing a strategic shift to prioritise logistics-oriented real estate through divestitures or the acquisition of existing or planned properties. With a strong ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy, the company has launched an ambitious decarbonization plan for its portfolio, encouraging its suppliers and employees to identify innovative and more environmentally friendly solutions.

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 and on X @KKR_Co.

 

About Ivanhoé Cambridge

Ivanhoé Cambridge develops and invests in high-quality real estate properties, projects and companies that are shaping the urban fabric in dynamic cities around the world. It does so responsibly, with a view to generate long-term performance. Ivanhoé Cambridge is committed to creating living spaces that foster the well-being of people and communities, while reducing its environmental footprint.

Ivanhoé Cambridge invests internationally alongside strategic partners and major real estate funds that are leaders in their markets. Through subsidiaries and partnerships, the Company holds interests in 1,500 buildings, primarily in the industrial and logistics, office, residential and retail sectors. Ivanhoé Cambridge held C$77 billion in real estate assets as of December 31, 2022, and is a real estate subsidiary of CDPQ (cdpq.com), a global investment group. For more information:  ivanhoecambridge.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

ETCHE

Treize Cent Treize

Aurélie Caron / Lou Girault-Solal / Alain N’Dong – +33 1 53 17 97 13 – Presse_Etche@1313.fr

KKR

FGS Global

Alastair Elwen / Sophia Johnston – KKR-Lon@FGSGlobal.com – Tel: +44 (0) 20 7251 3801

IVANHOE CAMBRIDGE

Galivel & Associés

Carol Galivel / Sébastien Matar – + 33 1 41 05 02 02 – galivel@galivel.com

   Thomas Carlat – Ivanhoé Cambridge – +33 6 73 46 00 97 – thomas.carlat@ivanhoecambridge.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Ardian innovates with pioneering semiconductor investment platform

Ardian

Pioneering private equity investment platform dedicated to the semiconductor industry that will invest across the value chain focusing on Europe, with a unique approach combining Ardian’s expertise and world-class semiconductor leaders.

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, today announces that it is expanding into semiconductor investment with the launch of Ardian Semiconductor. This innovative platform will invest across the semiconductor value chain with a focus on Europe and will enable companies to grow into global leaders in their markets.

Semiconductor devices are pervasive in the world economy and are the critical enablers of the digital transformation and green transition of key sectors, such as data infrastructure, mobility, industrial and consumer. Following several decades of consistent mid to high single digit growth, industry analysts believe the semiconductor industry will continue to grow and reach $1 trillion by 2030, driven by predictable megatrends such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, electrification and automation of mobility and industry, or smart & connected devices.

Europe is one of the most attractive regions to invest in the coming decade. European companies in the value chain are global leaders in semiconductors for the mobility and industrial end-markets that are experiencing rapid technological transformation and expected to grow the fastest. Europe also leads through its innovation ecosystems, IP, specialized equipment and materials companies, that underpin major megatrends such as the artificial intelligence revolution. Europe leverages strong foundations and attractive government incentives, including the €43 billion European Chips Act, to strengthen its leadership and benefit from an increased regionalization of the global supply chain.

Ardian Semiconductor aims at becoming the partner of choice of the European semiconductor value chain, bringing innovative and flexible capital solutions, as well as strategic and operational expertise, to companies with the potential to enable megatrends leveraging their distinctive technologies.

Ardian is launching the Ardian Semiconductor platform through an exclusive strategic partnership with Silian Partners, a team of highly successful senior executives from the semiconductor industry with more than 115 years of combined experience in the space, bringing unique industry relationships, strategic vision, and operational focus. Ardian and Silian Partners will work as One Team, and will bring together Ardian’s proven and successful private equity capabilities and investment processes with unparalleled industry leadership and expertise.

Ardian Semiconductor is managed by Ardian France. Silian Partners assists Ardian as an industry expert.

Ardian Semiconductor will be powered by a detailed analysis of technology megatrends and their implications across the semiconductor value chain. The team will work together to identify attractive opportunities, carry out expert due diligence, and work closely with entrepreneurs and management teams to define strategic roadmaps and execute.

This expansion builds on Ardian’s track record of investing in attractive high-growth sectors, in addition to its flagship investment activities.

“Semiconductors are everywhere and enable the world’s digital transformation and green transition. As demand for semiconductors is expected to more than double over the next decade, a whole supply chain needs to scale and bring continued innovation, including countless European mid-sized companies. We’re assembling a unique team with tremendous experience and track-record, and I can’t enjoy more than welcoming Paul, Christophe, Helmut and Thomas. It’s therefore the perfect time to launch Ardian Semiconductor, leveraging Europe’s leading positions in critical segments of the semiconductor value chain. Building on Ardian’s proven track record as a global private investment leader, the platform will bring innovative capital solutions to this strategic value chain at a pivotal moment, working alongside world-class industry leaders.” Thibault Basquin, Member of the Executive Committee, Ardian

“We are delighted to partner with Ardian, who perfectly understand the unique opportunity to address a critical need of the European semiconductor value chain and become its financial sponsor of choice. Through a bespoke strategic partnership, we bring together in One Team seasoned private equity investors, proven investment processes, and successful semiconductor leaders. Ardian is the ideal firm with the right people and culture to build this first-of-its-kind investment platform together. As we initiate dialogues with companies and entrepreneurs, we have confirmation that we enable solutions for the industry that do not exist today and that our approach will create significant value across the board.” Paul Boudre, Senior Managing Director & Co-Founder of Silian Partners

Silian Partners is led by:

  • Paul Boudre, Senior Managing Director & Co-Founder, who brings c.35 years of semiconductor experience. As Chief Executive Officer of Soitec from 2015 to 2022, he successfully led the company through a restructuring and positioned it as a global leader of engineered semiconductor materials. Prior to Soitec, he held senior positions in semiconductor equipment and manufacturing with KLA, STMicroelectronics, IBM Microelectronics, Motorola Semiconductor and Atmel.
  • Christophe Duverne, Senior Managing Director & Co-Founder, who has been a semiconductor and electronics executive for the past c.30 years. He was President and Chief Executive Officer of Linxens from 2010 to 2020, which he founded from a corporate carve-out, and led through two successful buyout transactions sponsored by CVC, Astorg and Bain Capital, to create a global leader in smart card components manufacturing. Prior to founding Linxens, he worked for over 10 years at NXP Semiconductors where he was Senior Vice President of the Identification business unit.
  • Dr Helmut Gassel, Senior Managing Director & Co-Founder, who contributes c.30 years of semiconductor industry experience. He served as a member of Infineon’s Management Board as Chief Marketing Officer from 2016 to 2022 with responsibilities encompassing marketing, sales, strategy and M&A. In this capacity, he led the €9bn acquisition and integration of Cypress Semiconductor and contributed to transform Infineon into a global top 10 semiconductor company. Prior to joining Infineon in 1995 as a semiconductor design engineer, he worked in semiconductor research at Fraunhofer Institute
  • Thomas Pebay-Peyroula, Managing Director & Co-Founder, who brings c.15 years of investment banking experience and has advised many European semiconductor companies on strategic, M&A and financing matters. He is joining from Rothschild & Co, and started his career with Lazard.

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $156bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,470 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 16 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.
At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

ardian.com

PRESS CONTACT

ARDIAN

HEADLAND

ardian@headlandconsultancy.com

Categories: News

Tags:

DIF Capital Partners appoints new Head of ESG

DIF

Lorraine Becker

DIF Capital Partners (DIF) is pleased to announce that it has appointed Lorraine Becker as its new Head of ESG.

Lorraine joins DIF, having served as its interim Head of ESG for the last six months. Previously, she was a Principal Consultant for the world’s largest pure sustainability consulting firm, ERM (Environmental Resources Management) in Calgary, Canada.

At ERM, Lorraine served leading financial services clients, including private equity and pension funds, in developing and implementing best-in-class ESG policies. Lorraine’s previous career includes roles in environmental consulting and corporate sustainability for major businesses in the energy sector both North America and Europe.

DIF has an ongoing commitment to being a responsible investor, as a signatory to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (UNPRI). In addition, DIF recognises the importance of the goal of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, or sooner, in line with global efforts on climate change as a result of the Paris Agreement. It is also a signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers (NZAM) initiative.

Lorraine Becker comments: “Over the coming years, DIF will have an ongoing commitment to being a responsible investor. I’m thrilled to be part of that. It’s exciting to work for a business with a track record of embedding ESG into its business.”

Wim Blaasse, Managing Partner at DIF said: “We’re delighted to welcome Lorraine to DIF permanently. She has already made a major contribution to the business over the last six months. We look forward to her continuing to help drive DIF’s commitment to delivering a positive contribution to a sustainable future.”

 

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is an infrastructure fund manager with ca. EUR 16 billion of assets under management. DIF was founded in 2005 and has a leading position in managing mid-market investments, primarily in Europe, North America and Australia.

DIF follows two strategies: its traditional DIF funds invest in lower-risk mid-sized infrastructure projects and companies in the energy transition (incl. renewables) and utilities sector, as well as PPPs and concessions. The firm’s CIF funds invest in small to mid-sized companies that will thrive in the new economy. These companies are typically active in the digital infrastructure, energy transition and sustainable transportation sector.

With a team of over 225 professionals in 11 offices, DIF offers a unique market approach combining global presence with the benefits of strong local networks and investment capabilities. DIF is located in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto.

For more information, please visit www.dif.eu or follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact DIF Capital Partners: press@dif.eu

Share

Categories: People

aPriori Receives Growth Investment from Vista Credit Partners for its Manufacturing Insights Platform

No Comments
Vista Equity

CONCORD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–aPriori today announced a growth investment from Vista Credit Partners, a subsidiary of Vista Equity Partners and strategic financing partner focused on the enterprise software, data, and technology markets. The funding will be used to support continued innovation and meet growing demand for aPriori’s cloud-based solution, which empowers manufacturers and product designers to accurately estimate, manage, and optimize production costs and sustainability.

“Vista Credit Partners is proud to support innovative enterprise software companies like aPriori with flexible capital solutions and operational support to further establish market leadership”

Post this

“The aPriori Manufacturing Insights Platform helps manufacturing executives transform their businesses by simulating the digital impact that new and existing product designs will have on cost as well as carbon emissions, manufacturability, supply chain availability, and other attributes,” said Stephanie Feraday, aPriori President and Chief Executive Officer. “Vista Credit Partners provides us with resources and expertise to help drive our continued success.”

Rising material and energy costs, supply chain instability, and an evolving regulatory environment make it difficult for manufacturing leaders to optimize production costs and sustainability efforts. The aPriori Manufacturing Insights Platform helps meet these challenges by connecting teams and their product data – including design and cost engineering departments, sourcing and procurement teams, sustainability groups, and suppliers. This provides an end-to-end solution to automate product manufacturing cost estimations to increase profitability while mitigating downstream production issues and time-to-market delays.

Leading global manufacturers including Carrier, Boeing, Danfoss, GE Appliances, Thales, Vestas, Navistar, and Toyota trust aPriori to drive product design efficiency and cost savings.

“Vista Credit Partners is proud to support innovative enterprise software companies like aPriori with flexible capital solutions and operational support to further establish market leadership,” said David Flannery, President, Vista Credit Partners. “aPriori is providing manufacturers with valuable insights to make impactful business decisions, and we look forward to supporting the company in its next phase of growth,” added Pete Fisher, Managing Director, Vista Credit Partners.

To learn more about aPriori, view our customer case studies and register for our Manufacturing Insights Conference (MIC), November 6-8, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida. This year’s conference will address how manufacturers use digital transformation across product design, manufacturing processes, and production to develop more profitable and sustainable products.

About aPriori

aPriori provides a unique, end-to-end digital twin solution that empowers manufacturers to unlock and identify new opportunities rapidly for innovation, growth, cost savings, and sustainability. With aPriori, customers achieve a ~600% ROI within three years and payback within six months of adopting our software platform. And companies use our automated manufacturing insights to eliminate product cost, improve productivity, and reduce their products’ carbon footprint. aPriori also boosts manufacturers’ digital thread investments to deliver business value at scale, increase agility, and minimize risk. To learn more about aPriori’s cloud and on-premise solutions, visit www.apriori.com.

aPriori on LinkedIn
aPriori on YouTube
aPriori Blog

About Vista Credit Partners

Vista Credit Partners is the credit-investing arm of Vista Equity Partners and is a strategic investor and financing partner focused on the growing enterprise software, data, and technology market. Vista Credit Partners employs a highly disciplined approach to credit investing while maintaining flexibility to pursue investments offering the best relative value and investing across the capital structure. As of June 30, 2023, Vista Credit Partners has grown to over $7.7 billion of assets under management. Since its formation in 2013 and as of September 30, 2023, Vista Credit Partners has deployed over $11 billion. For more information, please visit www.vistacreditpartners.com.

Vista Credit Partners offers solutions tailored to strategic objectives with growth-friendly terms and long-term investment horizons across both the private and broadly syndicated markets, sourcing deals directly from founder-led companies, through sponsor relationships, and from its deep network of experts, advisors, and other intermediaries to support growth and unlock value through creative capital solutions and operational partnership. Vista Credit Partners has completed more than 560 software and technology transactions since its inception.

aPriori and aPriori Technologies are registered trademarks of aPriori Technologies Inc. All other trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks belong to their respective holders.

Contacts

aPriori Media Contact
Alex Wallace
Associate Director of Public Relations
aPriori
awallace@apriori.com
978.451.7687

Vista Credit Partners Media Contact
Brian Steel
media@vistaequitypartners.com
212.804.9170

Categories: News

Tags:

KKR Closes Third Tech Growth Fund At Nearly $3 Billion

KKR

Latest Fund Represents KKR’s Largest Commitment to the Technology Growth Equity Sector

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the final close of KKR Next Generation Technology Growth Fund III (“NGT III” or the “Fund”), an approximately $3 billion fund focused on investing in leading growth technology companies across North America, Europe and Israel.

NGT III is the successor to the firm’s NGT I and NGT II growth funds. It continues KKR’s strategy of supporting high-growth technology companies by providing equity capital and access to the firm’s global capabilities and network.

The new fund comes at a time of accelerated digital transformation within enterprises globally, the next evolution of AI applications and the increasing adoption of technology in consumers’ daily lives. This has created an environment that will enable many new growth technology companies to emerge and scale.

“Even in challenging market environments, focusing on investing in technology that solves for the real needs of companies creates a long-term opportunity for performance. We’ve seen firsthand that innovation is a critical driver of investment returns,” said Dave Welsh, KKR Partner & Global Head of Tech Growth. “With the new fund, we are deepening our commitment to investing in leading companies that are advancing digital transformation by helping businesses operate and serve their customers better, and more securely.”

“KKR’s deep network of global resources has made us a partner of choice for some of the most innovative technology companies in the world, and our experience in the space has demonstrated a proven ability to add value and scale growing businesses,” said Jake Heller, Partner & Head of Tech Growth, Americas.

“Innovation across verticals coupled with organizations’ increasing reliance on technology has created an environment that is ripe for entrepreneurs to build sustainable and attractive business models. We see significant opportunity to continue partnering with the entrepreneurs leading these businesses and helping them achieve their growth ambitions,” said Stephen Shanley, Partner & Head of Tech Growth, Europe.

The Fund received strong support from a diverse group of both new and existing investors globally, including public pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, financial institutions, endowments, private wealth and fintech platforms, family offices and high-net-worth individual investors. KKR will be investing approximately $435 million of capital in the Fund alongside investors through the Firm’s balance sheet, affiliates and employee commitments.

KKR has established a proven track record of supporting technology-focused growth companies, having invested over $21.6 billion in related investments since 2014 and built a dedicated global team of more than 35 investment professionals with deep technology growth equity expertise. The Firm has executed several transactions as part of its tech growth strategy, including DarkTrace, KnowBe4, 09, Onestream, OutSystems, NetSPI and Restaurant365.

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:
Liidia Liuksila
212-750-8300
media@kkr.com

Source: KKR

Categories: News

Tags: