Archives

KKR Appoints Sir Jeremy Darroch as Executive Advisor

KKR

LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Global investment firm KKR today announced the appointment of Sir Jeremy Darroch as an Executive Advisor to the firm. In his role, Mr. Darroch will leverage his extensive business and leadership expertise to support KKR’s European Private Equity investment activities and portfolio companies, particularly in the United Kingdom and in the Telecoms, Media and Technology (TMT) sector.

“Jeremy is one of Britain’s most accomplished business leaders with a long track record of driving industry-leading innovation and managing high-performing organizations,” said Philipp Freise, Partner and Co-Head of European Private Equity at KKR. “We are deeply committed to investing behind the UK economy and Europe’s digitalization efforts. Jeremy’s deep experience in the UK and unparalleled understanding of the TMT landscape will help us identify new investment opportunities and support our portfolio companies in achieving their global ambitions.”

“I’ve long admired KKR’s partnership approach and focus on improving businesses over the long-term,” said Sir Jeremy Darroch. “I look forward to contributing my experience in identifying new investment opportunities in the UK and in the TMT sector across Europe.”

Mr. Darroch brings decades of experience as a senior executive and non-executive director for several of the world’s most prominent companies. He served as Executive Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sky until 2021. During his 15-year tenure as CEO of Sky, Mr. Darroch led the transformation of the company into Europe’s largest multi-platform TV provider, tripling the size of the business and overseeing the transition to Comcast’s ownership following its US$40bn acquisition of Sky in 2018. Mr. Darroch joined Sky in 2004 as CFO and was promoted to CEO in 2007. Earlier in his career, he served as Group Finance Director of DSG International (formerly Dixons Group) and spent 12 years as an executive for Procter & Gamble. Mr. Darroch currently serves as Chairman of Reckitt Benckiser Group and a Director of The Walt Disney Company, and he has previously served as non-executive director for companies Burberry Group and Marks and Spencer Group. He was knighted for his services to Business, Charity and Sustainability in 2023.

KKR has been investing in the UK for 25 years and in April 2023 closed its European Fund VI, an $8 billion fund that invests in the growth of leading businesses by providing access to KKR’s extensive network and business building resources. Digitalization, technology and dynamic media businesses have been a strategic focus for the firm and KKR has an extensive track record in the European TMT sector.

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.

Alastair Elwen
FGS Global
+44 20 7251 3801
KKR-LON@fgsglobal.com

Source: KKR

 

Download PDF

Categories: People

Kering and Ardian sign an investment agreement regarding prime real estate assets in Paris

Ardian

Kering and Ardian today announced the signature of a binding investment agreement pertaining to three highly prestigious real estate properties in Paris. This portfolio comprises Hôtel de Nocé, located 26, place Vendôme, and two buildings located on avenue Montaigne, at 35-37 and 56.

Kering is contributing these assets to a newly created joint venture. Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, will hold a stake of 60% in this unique prime real estate portfolio, Kering retaining 40% of the ownership. Net proceeds for Kering will amount to €837 million.

This transaction is part of Kering’s selective real estate strategy, aimed at securing exceptional retail locations for its Houses for the long term in the world’s most emblematic luxury districts.

For Ardian, this long-term partnership is a rare opportunity to further establish its real estate footprint in Paris through an investment in three real estate assets located on the most prestigious high streets, offering its clients access to a very exclusive real estate market.

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, pending the fulfillment of customary conditions for real estate transactions.

“We are very pleased with this partnership, which allows us to secure for the long term highly prominent retail locations while preserving our financial flexibility. With Ardian, a leading investment firm, we have found a quality partner with whom we share a French heritage and a common vision.” Jean-Marc Duplaix, Kering Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer

“We are proud to partner with Kering, a global leader in luxury, to invest in iconic, stabilized properties on the premier luxury streets of Paris. This long-term, innovative joint venture embodies a transformative approach to real estate strategies for luxury groups like Kering, while opening new avenues for growth and leveraging our expertise to deliver exceptional value for our investors.” Stéphanie Bensimon, Mmeber of the Executive Committee, Member of the Board of Ardian France and Head of Real Estate, Ardian

ABOUT KERING

A global Luxury group, Kering manages the development of a series of renowned Houses in Fashion, Leather Goods and Jewelry: Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin and Ginori 1735, as well as Kering Eyewear and Kering Beauté. By placing creativity at the heart of its strategy, Kering enables its Houses to set new limits in terms of their creative expression while crafting tomorrow’s Luxury in a sustainable and responsible way. We capture these beliefs in our signature: “Empowering Imagination”. In 2023, Kering had 49,000 employees and revenue of €19.6 billion.

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $176bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,720 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

Contacts

HEADLAND

ardian@headlandconsultancy.com 

KERING

Emilie Gargatte

emilie.gargatte@kering.com+33 (0)1 45 64 61 20

Categories: News

Tags:

Apollo Makes Key Leadership Appointments Aligned to Firm’s Five-Year Plan Announced at 2024 Investor Day

Apollo logo

CEO Marc Rowan to Enter Into 5-Year Employment Agreement Extension

Jim Zelter Named President of Apollo Global Management

John Zito Named Co-President of Apollo Asset Management Alongside Scott Kleinman

NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced that Jim Zelter has been named President of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (AGM), the holding company for its asset management and retirement services businesses. The newly created role reflects Apollo’s continued operational expansion and its significant growth plans across both the Apollo Asset Management, Inc. (AAM) and Athene Holding Ltd. subsidiaries. As President, Zelter will work closely with AGM CEO Marc Rowan to drive Apollo’s recently announced five-year plan and lead a number of key strategic initiatives across its asset management and retirement services businesses.

In addition, John Zito has been named Co-President of AAM where he will serve alongside Scott Kleinman, Co-President of AAM. Kleinman and Zito will oversee all investing activity and day-to-day management of the asset management business. Zito will continue as Head of Credit for Apollo.

“We are rich for talent at Apollo. These senior leadership appointments reflect that and will support our ongoing evolution as a next generation financial services firm,” said CEO Marc Rowan. “Jim has been a key partner to me for nearly two decades and prior to joining the firm spent more than 20 years in financial services. John is a talented investor who has built an impressive credit organization with strong leadership; he will be a natural complement to Scott and his equities expertise.”

Rowan continued, “Two of the biggest trends we see in the next five years are the convergence of public and private markets, and the changing role of financial institutions. These promotions strengthen our position for the future as we execute on our five-year plan and capitalize on these opportunity sets.”

Jay Clayton, Chair of Apollo Global Management, said, “These appointments reflect Apollo’s commitment to strong, shareholder-aligned stewardship of the business, and our board enthusiastically supports this elevation of our next generation. We are finalizing a five-year extension of Marc’s leadership of the firm. With Marc at the helm, the senior leadership team in place, and our dozens of remarkable senior professionals across the firm, the board is confident we have the talent and alignment to deliver on our five-year plan for all our stakeholders.”

Jim Zelter said, “I joined Apollo nearly two decades ago and our evolution has been nothing short of transformational. We have crafted an ambitious, achievable strategy and purpose-built a platform that responds to the modern needs of how institutions and individuals will allocate and invest, how companies are financed, and the future of retirement and wealth generation. I am excited and energized to take on this new role and work with Marc and the management team to help Apollo achieve our full potential as innovators in both alternative asset management and retirement services.”

Jim Zelter joined Apollo in 2006 and led the build out and expansion of Apollo’s credit platform. He was named Co-President of AAM in 2018. John Zito joined Apollo in 2012 and serves as a Partner and head of Apollo’s credit business at AAM. Zito continues in these roles in addition to his new position as Co-President of AAM. Prior to Apollo, Zito was a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Brencourt Advisors and a Portfolio Manager at Veritas Fund Group.

About Apollo
Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of September 30, 2024, Apollo had approximately $733 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
In this press release, references to “Apollo,” “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” refer collectively to Apollo Global Management, Inc. and its subsidiaries, or as the context may otherwise require. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include, but are not limited to, discussions related to Apollo’s expectations regarding the performance of its business and other non-historical statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used in this press release, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “continue,” “will,” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 27, 2024, and the quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 6, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this press release and in our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. This press release does not constitute an offer of any Apollo fund.

Contacts
Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com

Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Beyond Capital Partners is is honored with the CFI.co Award in the category “Innovator in Succession Solutions & Expansion Capital Germany 2024”

Beyond Capital

The international CFI.co Awards, which are presented annually by Capital Finance International, recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that contribute significantly to the convergence of the world’s economies, truly add value for their stakeholders and inspire others with their best practice to further improve their own performance.

Beyond Capital Partners was awarded in the category “Innovator in Succession Solutions & Expansion Capital Germany 2024”. The judging panel’s report emphasized the focus on responsible investments and sustainable growth, on gender equity, with women representing a significant high proportion of of the leadership team, and that by leveraging its entrepreneurial DNA and innovative strategies, Beyond Capital Partners has established itself as a trusted partner for founders navigating succession and expansion and is one of the most active lower-mid-market GPs in the DACH region.

The award resulted from voting by Capital Finance International readers and subscribers, as well as the staff working for organizations that support them, including the World Bank Group, various UN and EU bodies, as well as other prominent entities.

Christoph D. Kauter, Managing Partner and founder of Beyond Capital Partners: “We are delighted to have been recognized by the CFI.co jury as an innovator in the private equity industry. We see this as a confirmation of our investment strategy of good entrepreneurship, which we have been implementing for ten years now and in which we invest exclusively in successful medium-sized companies that create lasting value together with our team through a focussed growth and buy & build strategy.“

About Beyond Capital Partners: Beyond Capital Partners is an investment company advising its funds on the acquisition of majority shareholdings in profitable Mittelstand companies in the DACH region with a focus on asset-light business models in the areas of B2B services, IT services, software, healthcare & well-being, lifestyle and entertainment. As a SFDR8+ fund and with a special focus on ESG, Beyond Capital Partners also attaches particular importance to sustainable companies.
https://beyondcapital-partners.com/en/home

Categories: News

Novacap and H5 Data Centers Announce Formation of Joint Venture

Novacap

 

Novacap, a leading North American private equity firm, and H5 Data Centers, one of the United States’ largest privately-owned data center operators, are pleased to announce the formation of a joint venture focused on delivering advanced data center solutions across North America.

The joint venture will prioritize the development and repositioning of strategically located facilities to meet the growing demand for scalable, high-quality colocation space. The facilities aim to provide robust infrastructure, enhanced connectivity options, and industry-leading security features to enterprise and hyperscale customers.

“As we reach a critical juncture for power and compute, we are excited to partner with the H5 team to bring critical capacity online in key markets across the country,” says Ted Mocarski, Senior Partner and Head of Digital Infrastructure at Novacap.

“Data center projects continue to rapidly grow in scale, and we look forward to partnering with Novacap to deliver incredible data centers to support our customers’ significant IT infrastructure needs,” emphasizes Josh Simms, CEO at H5 Data Centers.

The joint venture with H5 Data Centers is Novacap’s fourth investment within its Digital Infrastructure platform and represents its continued commitment to building a diversified portfolio across the digital landscape.

Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP acted as legal advisor to Novacap. Hogan Lovells LLP acted as legal advisor to H5 Data Centers.

About Novacap
Novacap is a leading North American private equity investor and one of Canada’s most experienced private equity firms. Founded in 1981 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs, Novacap focuses on middle market companies in four core sectors: Technologies, Industries, Financial Services, and Digital Infrastructure. Novacap combines deep sector-specific expertise with strategic and operational excellence to support entrepreneurs and management teams. Since its inception, the firm has made primary and add-on investments in more than 250 companies. With over C$10 billion in assets under management and a presence across offices in Montreal, Toronto, and New York, Novacap continues to drive innovation and growth. For more information, please visit: https://novacap.ca.

About H5 Data Centers
H5 Data Centers is one of the leading privately-owned data center operators in the United States, with 4 million square feet of data center space under management in more than 20 US markets. Learn more at: https://h5datacenters.com.

 

 

Subscribe to our newsletter and receive the latest news about Novacap.

Montreal

3400, rue de l’Éclipse,
Suite 700,
Brossard, Quebec,
CANADA J4Z 0P3

Phone: (450) 651-5000
Fax: (450) 651-7585
Email: info@novacap.ca

Toronto

1, University Ave,
Suite 1600,
Toronto, Ontario,
CANADA M5J 2P1

New York

437 Madison Avenue,
Suite 2802
New York, NY,
USA 10022

Categories: News

Tags:

Ardian invests in Sicer, a global leader in the production of specialty coatings for high-end ceramic decoration

Ardian

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, announces that it has acquired a minority stake in Sicer, a long-established player active globally in the development and production of premium specialty coatings for the ceramic industry. The investment aims to support Sicer’s ambitious development plans, in partnership with entrepreneurs Gianfranco Padovani and Giuliano Ferrari, who are reinvesting to acquire the majority stake of the group. Sicer majority is being sold by the private equity fund Demos 1, managed by Azimut Libera Impresa SGR (Azimut Group), which had invested in the company in November 2020.

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Fiorano Modenese, Sicer specializes in the development and production of innovative, high-performance coatings, including frits, glazes, engobes, glazes and inks. These products are essential for the surface treatment of high-end ceramic tiles, enhancing their durability, resistance, and aesthetics. Over the years, the company has built a strong reputation with a customer-oriented approach based on its commitment to quality and sustainability, exceptional service and innovation capabilities.

Sicer has a widespread presence in the main global ceramic districts, with production sites in Italy, Spain, the United States, Mexico, India, and Indonesia, and expects to close 2024 with revenues of approximately 130 million euros.

Ardian will acquire a minority stake in Sicer to support the company’s entrepreneurs and managers, Gianfranco Padovani (Executive Chairman), Giuliano Ferrari (CEO), and Marco Eumenidi (Commercial Director). They have an extensive experience in the ceramic market and strongly believe in the company’s business model. As part of the transaction, they will reinvest significantly to acquire a majority stake in Sicer, reaffirming their confidence in the group’s growth potential.

Ardian’s investment will help Sicer further consolidate its position in the European market, particularly in Italy and Spain, key regions for high-end ceramics. Additionally, Sicer plans to expand in the United States and India, leveraging its innovative products and strong international customer relationships. The company’s growth strategy focuses on enhancing its production capabilities, developing new products, and pursuing potential acquisitions to strengthen its global position.

“Sicer is a company with strong growth potential, blending tradition and innovation with technical expertise and customer focus. We believe in its potential and the vast experience of its management team, with whom we share values and vision. Together, we are confident we will achieve great results.” François Jerphagnon, Member of the Executive Committee, Managing Director Ardian France & Head of Expansion, Ardian

“We are excited to work with Sicer, an Italian excellence that has already secured a strong position in the international market and will continue to grow to become a preferred partner of main ceramic tiles players. Sicer’s strategy will benefit from Ardian global network and will focus on developing new products and expanding internationally. We are committed to supporting the entrepreneurs throughout this journey.” Marco Molteni, Managing Director Expansion, Ardian

“We are excited to partner with Ardian, whose support will be crucial to achieve our growth plans. This investment will strengthen our international presence, particularly in North America and Asia. With Ardian’s backing, we will continue to innovate and offer high-quality service. On behalf of the entire management team, we thank Azimut Libera Impresa for their support over the past four years, which has been instrumental in reinforcing Sicer’s global leadership through strategic investments and acquisitions.” Gianfranco Padovani, Executive Chairman, Sicer

“Ardian’s investment reflects the strength of our business model and growth potential. We look forward to working closely with Ardian to execute our strategic plans and drive Sicer’s global success, continuing the path started with Azimut Libera Impresa.” Giuliano Ferrari, CEO, Sicer

List of participants

  • Buyers

    • Ardian team: Marco Molteni, Giacomo Brettoni, Elisabetta Bozzoni Pantaleoni and Edoardo Munari
    • M&A (Buy side): Mediobanca
    • Legal advisors: PedersoliGattai (Stefano Catenacci) and Studio legale Sutich Barbieri Sutich (Giorgio Barbieri)
    • Business due diligence: Advancy
    • Financial due diligence: KPMG (Matteo Contini)
    • Tax due diligence: Gitti&Partners (Diego De Francesco), Abaco Commercialisti Associati (Alessandro Stradi) and Poggi&Associati (Vittorio Melchionda)
    • ESG due diligence: Ramboll
    • Insurance dd: Mactavish

  • Azimut

    • M&A (Sell side): DC Advisory (Giuliano Guarino)
    • Legal Advisor: Studio Giovannelli e Associati (Alessandro Giovannelli)

  • Sicer

    • Business Advisor: OC&C
    • Financial Advisor: EY

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $176bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,720 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

ABOUT SICER

Sicer is one of the world leaders in the production of glazes, inks, and other solutions for high-quality ceramic decoration. Founded in 1993 in Fiorano Modenese, the heart of the Italian ceramic district, it specializes in the development and production of innovative, high-performance solutions for the surface treatment of high-end ceramic tiles, such as frits, glazes, enamels, and inks. With over 500 employees and production sites in Italy, Spain, the United States, Mexico, India, and Indonesia, Sicer has a widespread presence in the main global ceramic districts.

sicer.it

Media contacts

Ardian

HEADLAND

ardian@headlandconsultancy.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Spindrift Announces Partnership with Gryphon Investors and Appointment of Dave Burwick as CEO

Gryphon Investors

Founder Bill Creelman will retain equity ownership and move to a new role as board Chair

Spindrift Beverage Co., Inc., the leading maker of sparkling water with real squeezed fruit, announced today that Gryphon Investors, a San Francisco-based private investment firm, will acquire a majority stake in the company. Gryphon’s partnership coincides with the appointment of beverage industry veteran Dave Burwick as Spindrift’s new CEO. Bill Creelman, Spindrift’s Founder and current CEO, will move to a new role as Chair of Spindrift’s board. Creelman and the management team will retain a significant equity stake in the company. The investment, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of this year. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Spindrift was founded by Bill Creelman in his kitchen in 2010. Since then, the company has consistently achieved exceptional growth as consumers have fallen in love with Spindrift’s unsweetened sparkling waters. Today, the company is committed to proudly making things “the Hard Way” with real squeezed fruit.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Spindrift over the past 15 years,” said Creelman. “For this next stage of growth, we looked for two things: a leader who could understand our business and the brand as natively as the people who work here today and an investment partner with the right financial and operational resources to galvanize our market leadership. I have known and respected Dave for nearly a decade, and with his experience and Gryphon Investors’ expertise, I’m confident that we will continue to have tremendous success in growing the brand and inspiring consumers to choose beverages that are based on the belief that the best tastes come directly from nature.”

“Spindrift has a strong, beloved brand and differentiated product portfolio because it’s made with exceptional thought and care,” said Ryan Fagan, Managing Director at Gryphon. “This attention to quality underlies the company’s outsized share of growth across beverage categories—nearly tripling in size since 2020—and it’s what attracted us to invest in the business. We are thrilled to be partnering with both Bill and Dave, as well as the entire Spindrift team.” Fagan, along with Gryphon Partners Matt Farron and Mike Ferry, will be joining Spindrift’s board.

Burwick joins Spindrift following 35 years of leadership experience at global consumer brands. His positions included President and CEO of The Boston Beer Company, President and CEO of Peet’s Coffee, and President, North America at Weight Watchers. He previously spent 20 years at PepsiCo in various executive capacities, including as Chief Marketing Officer of both Pepsi-Cola North America and Pepsi-Cola International.

“I’m excited to join this dynamic team,” said Burwick. “Spindrift’s combination of talented professionals, superior products, and loyal customers has created a fantastic brand with a great future—one I can’t wait to be a part of.”

Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal advisor to Gryphon. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Lazard acted as financial advisors to Gryphon. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP acted as legal advisors to Spindrift. Piper Sandler and JP Morgan acted as financial advisors to Spindrift.

About Spindrift Beverage Co.

Founded in 2010 and based in Newton, MA, Spindrift makes premium beverages with real squeezed fruit and zero added sugar. Its line of more than 20 flavors of sparkling water, teas and lemonades, hard seltzers, and mocktails is sold through diversified channels, including grocery and specialty stores, club stores, mass market outlets, and wholesale foodservice companies across the U.S. From searching worldwide to source the best-tasting fruit to prioritizing quality throughout their carefully-hewn manufacturing process, Spindrift crafts its products to celebrate the aroma, texture, and taste of real fruit —never from concentrate—in every sip.

About Gryphon Investors

Gryphon Investors is a leading middle-market private investment firm focused on profitably growing, competitively advantaged companies in the Business Services, Consumer, Healthcare, Industrial Growth, Software, and Technology Solutions & Services sectors. With approximately $10 billion of assets under management, Gryphon prioritizes investments in which it can form strong partnerships with founders, owners, and executives to accelerate the building of leading companies and generate enduring value through its integrated deal and operations business model. Gryphon’s highly differentiated model integrates its well-proven Operations Resources Group, which is led by full-time, Gryphon senior operating executives with general management, human capital acquisition and development, treasury, finance, and accounting expertise. Gryphon’s three core investment strategies include its Flagship, Heritage, and Junior Capital strategies, each with dedicated funds of capital. The Flagship and Heritage strategies target equity investments of $50 million to $500 million per portfolio company. The Junior Capital strategy targets investments of $10 million to $25 million in junior securities of credit facilities, arranged by leading middle-market lenders, in both Gryphon-controlled companies, as well as in other private equity-backed companies operating in Gryphon’s targeted investment sectors.

Contacts

Press contact:  media@drinkspindrift.com

For Gryphon:

Lambert

Caroline Luz

203-570-6462

cluz@lambert.com

or

Jennifer Hurson

845-507-0571

jhurson@lambert.com

Categories: News People

Apollo and Standard Chartered Form US$3B Financing Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Energy Transition Credit

Apollo logo

Standard Chartered Acquires Minority Stake in Apterra, an Apollo Platform Specializing in Infrastructure Debt Origination

Agreement to Accelerate Capital Formation for Next-Gen Infrastructure and Transition Assets

NEW YORK and LONDON, Jan. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) and Standard Chartered PLC today announced a long-term strategic partnership to support and accelerate financing for infrastructure, clean transition and renewable energy globally, leveraging the leading origination and distribution capabilities of both firms.

As part of the agreement, Standard Chartered and Apollo Clean Transition Capital (“ACT Capital”), a sustainable investing platform, plan to contribute up to US$3 billion of clean energy and transition financing across a range of asset classes and sectors.

Origination for the partnership’s financing activities will be primarily undertaken by Apterra, an Apollo-owned platform that focuses on originating, structuring and deploying debt capital to execute infrastructure transactions globally. Standard Chartered has acquired a minority stake in the platform and will support its investment origination.

Jim Zelter, Apollo Asset Management Co-President, said, “The global industrial renaissance is creating unprecedented capital demands across next-gen infrastructure, sustainable power and other transition assets. This new agreement should accelerate our mutual financing and investment activity in these areas, and we are thrilled to do it in partnership with Standard Chartered, an important and long-time banking partner to Apollo’s franchise.”

Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered PLC said, “This partnership with Apollo, a market leader in alternative asset management, is a great opportunity to leverage our collective sector expertise and innovative mindset to help finance sustainable growth. Standard Chartered and Apollo have complementary origination and distribution capabilities, which increase the scale of the financing we can jointly deploy, and the size of the projects in which we can participate. We are very pleased to build on our long-term partnership with Apollo to both expand our existing geographical coverage and mobilise capital to these critical parts of the global economy.”

More Partnership Details

Apollo’s Clean Transition Capital strategy seeks to meet a wide range of clean energy and climate capital needs across credit and equities. Over the past 5 years, Apollo has deployed more than US$40 billion1 into energy transition and climate-related investments and believes the demand for capital in these areas will scale materially in the coming years.

Samuel Feinstein, Apollo Partner and President of ACT Capital, said, “We believe this partnership with Standard Chartered will serve as a significant accelerant to the growth of Apollo’s Clean Transition business and support its broader Infrastructure Credit platform, which are critical components of our firm’s strategic growth plans. We are equally pleased to welcome Standard Chartered as an aligned equity partner in the growing Apterra platform and believe we can expand our work together over time to serve the evolving needs of our global client bases. Collectively, ACT Capital and Apterra represent significant opportunities for Apollo and Standard Chartered to access climate and infrastructure credit.”

Apterra, an Apollo affiliate founded in 2023, has executed more than US$4.8 billion of transactions and is positioned to increase its already robust growth trajectory with the strategic equity support of Standard Chartered. Apterra is led by industry veterans Ralph Cho, co-CEO, and Michael Pantelogianis, co-CEO, alongside a highly experienced management team.

Standard Chartered, one of the world’s leading cross-border and wealth management banks, is among the top infrastructure lenders in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, with a strong and growing presence in the renewables sector.

Henrik Raber, Global Head, Global Banking at Standard Chartered, said: “With the global growth in infrastructure financing, and our strong presence in the sector, we are delighted to partner with ACT Capital, participate in Apterra and collaborate with the Apollo team. This is an exciting opportunity alongside our existing advisory and financing capabilities.”

As part of the partnership, Standard Chartered will provide a senior secured credit facility to ACT Capital to fund project finance and infrastructure loans. Financial terms for Standard Chartered’s purchase of a minority equity interest in Apterra are not disclosed. PJT Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Standard Chartered.

—

1. As of June 30, 2024. Deployment commensurate with Apollo’s proprietary Climate and Transition Investment Framework, which provides guidelines and metrics with respect to the definition of a climate or transition investment. Reflects (a) for equity investments: (i) total enterprise value at time of signed commitment for initial equity commitments; (ii) additional capital contributions from Apollo funds and co-invest vehicles for follow-on equity investments; and (iii) contractual commitments of Apollo funds and co-invest vehicles at the time of initial commitment for preferred equity investments; (b) for debt investments: (i) total facility size for Apollo originated debt, warehouse facilities, or fund financings; (ii) purchase price on the settlement date for private non-traded debt; (iii) increases in maximum exposure on a period-over-period basis for publicly-traded debt; (iv) total capital organized on the settlement date for syndicated debt; and (v) contractual commitments of Apollo funds and co-invest vehicles as of the closing date for real estate debt; (c) for SPACs, the total sponsor equity and capital organized as of the respective announcement dates; (d) for platform acquisitions, the purchase price on the signed commitment date; and (e) for platform originations, the gross origination value on the origination date.

About Apollo

Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of September 30, 2024, Apollo had approximately USD $733 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

About Standard Chartered

We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 52 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.

For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

About Apterra

Apterra, an affiliate of Apollo Global Management, is a premier platform specializing in innovative financing solutions for infrastructure projects. Our tailored capital services empower clients, including financial sponsors and developers, to optimize assets and achieve sustainable growth. Fuelled by strong relationships, our distribution network ensures seamless access to capital through partnerships with banks, investors, and asset managers. We are focused on driving growth and operational integrity in the infrastructure sector, while creating enduring value for our clients. Visit www.Apterra.com to learn more.

Apollo Contacts

Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com

Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com

Standard Chartered Contacts

Piers Townsend
Global Head of Communications, Corporate & Investment Banking
Standard Chartered
Piers.townsend@sc.com
+6590059067

Shaun Gamble
Director, Group Media Relations
Standard Chartered
Shaun.gamble@sc.com
+442078855934

Categories: News

Tags:

Anna Vilogorac appointed new CFO of Ratos

Ratos

Anna Vilogorac has been appointed as the new CFO of Ratos and will assume her new position during May 2025. Ratos’s current CFO, Jonas Ågrup, will be retiring.

Anna Vilogorac served most recently as CFO of Triton company Nuent Group AB. Before that she held a variety of senior positions within finance, investor relations and strategy, including at Sandvik Group where she served as CFO of the Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions business area as well as Group Investor Relations Manager, Head of Group Business Control and Strategy Manager. She also worked for several years as a strategy consultant at KPMG and PwC.

To ensure a smooth transition, Jonas Ågrup will remain in his current role until Anna Vilogorac is in place.

“I already want to thank Jonas for his exceptional contributions to Ratos, including the introduction of centralised financing and his instrumental role in transforming Ratos from an investment company into a group. Jonas is a well-liked, enthusiastic leader, and his extensive experience and broad knowledge has made him a highly valued member of Group management. I’d also like to welcome Anna to Ratos. The financial breadth of her background and her experience in investor relations makes her an ideal candidate for Ratos. She has all the prerequisites to create value on Ratos’s journey towards becoming a more streamlined group,” says Jonas Wiström, President and CEO, Ratos.

“I’m pleased and honoured to be entrusted to become the new CFO of Ratos in an exciting phase. I look forward to, together with the team and the rest of the Group management, continuing to build value for Ratos and Ratos stakeholders,” says Anna Vilogorac, incoming CFO, Ratos.

For more information, please contact:
Josefine Uppling, VP Communication, Ratos, +46 76 114 54 21
Anna Vilogorac, incoming CFO, Ratos, +46 70 616 50 19

About Ratos
Ratos is a Swedish business group focusing on technological and infrastructure solutions, consisting of 16 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Industry and Consumer. The companies have approximately SEK 32 billion in net sales (September LTM). We have a distinct corporate culture and strategy – everything we do is based on our core values: Simplicity, Speed in Execution and It’s All About People. We enable independent subsidiaries to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas.

Attachments
Press release

Categories: People

Qventus Announces $105 Million Investment, Series D Led by KKR

KKR
  • The Company is a leading AI solutions provider across inpatient and outpatient operations, continuing to drive millions of dollars in ROI for health systems partners for over a decade
  • The investment supports development and expansion of first-to-market AI Operational Assistants, extending the platform even further across clinical operations

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Qventus, a leading provider of AI-based care automation software for health systems, today announced a $105 million investment led by global investment firm KKR, with additional participation from world-renowned investment firm Bessemer Venture Partners, and new strategic investors, including leading health systems Northwestern Medicine, HonorHealth, and Allina Health.

Qventus has built an AI-first care operations automation platform deployed across leading health systems in inpatient and outpatient settings. This funding accelerates the Company’s ability to provide AI-based automations and AI operational assistants in more care settings, building upon the success of its existing offerings like Qventus’ Surgical Growth and Inpatient Capacity solutions as well as new solutions built on its first-to-market AI Operational Assistants platform capability.

Hospital executives, providers, and frontline staff are overburdened by manual, fragmented, and antiquated processes, which create challenges to achieving their mission of providing excellent care to patients in their communities. Despite having top-of-the-line therapies, clinicians and equipment, healthcare systems are hindered by inefficiencies related to administrative tasks like scheduling, higher costs, and more, which collectively cost the healthcare system billions of dollars every year. In turn, reducing staff burnout from administrative tasks and enhancing productivity have become mission-critical for health systems. Qventus’ transformative solutions and AI teammates help health systems combat these challenges by intelligently automating operations and end-to-end workflows across care settings.

“Across the country, healthcare teams have to do extraordinary things to get ordinary things done every single day. Qventus has dedicated the last decade to building AI automation solutions that alleviate the administrative burden of healthcare staff so they can deliver highly reliable patient care. This funding is a testament to how these solutions generate best-in-industry return on investment, helping health systems achieve the margins needed to fulfill their mission of delivering exceptional care to their communities,” said Mudit Garg, CEO and Co-Founder of Qventus. “This capital primes us to continue maximizing our growth, delivering on our promises to our partners, and launching new, game-changing technology.”

Qventus will leverage this funding to accelerate the development and commercialization of solutions powered by its AI Operational Assistants into new care settings beyond its Surgical Growth and Inpatient Capacity solutions. Enhancing team productivity by up to 50 percent, these AI teammates work alongside care teams to reduce the administrative burden, identify potential issues upstream, surface suggested interventions, and take action to solve problems for busy staff.

“Built on a solid foundation, Qventus has navigated the evolving care landscape and emerged resilient, thanks to its sophisticated technology and proprietary data engine built over the last decade,” said Jake Heller, Partner and Head of Tech Growth Equity, Americas at KKR. “We believe Qventus is well-positioned to be a market leader in supporting care delivery at the provider level and redefining the future of health care by supporting hospital systems in operating more efficiently so they can focus on what really matters–quality care for patients.”

Since its inception in 2012, Qventus has built a suite of AI solutions to address health system pain points across care settings. In the last year alone, Qventus’ Inpatient Capacity solution, which reduces the length of stay and creates capacity, eliminated over 36,000 excess days for its health system partners, saving them millions of dollars and helping them create the capacity to serve more patients in their communities. The company’s Surgical Growth solution drives strategic surgical volume for hospitals, generating $95M in annualized contribution margin in 2024 through Qventus enabled cases. This year alone, Qventus’ platform touched more than half a million surgeries and drove 35% more robotic cases using its technology to spot gaps of time available, helping patients receive the critical care they need.

“By collaborating with Qventus, Northwestern Medicine has been able to significantly address capacity and access demands for our operating rooms which has allowed our patients quicker access to care,” said Doug King, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Northwestern Medicine. “By deploying Qventus’ solutions, Northwestern Medicine is able to reduce the burden on our clinical teams and allow them to turn their focus to caring for our patients.”

This financing follows a year of significant growth for Qventus, increasing its cadre of health system partners and expanding its team globally. The company received an impressive overall KLAS score of 92.5 percent (as of November 1, 2024) in the capacity management segment, in which 100 percent of customers included Qventus as a part of their long-term plans. Last month, Qventus additionally took home Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Customer Value Leadership Award for its commitment to providing best-in-class solutions that generate an average of over 10x return on investment for its hospital and health system clients.

KKR is funding this investment primarily from its Next Generation Technology III Fund.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. served as legal advisor to Qventus, Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal advisor to KKR and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati served as legal advisor to Bessemer Venture Partners.

About Qventus

For more than a decade, Qventus has been at the forefront as a provider of AI-based software automating care operations in both OR and inpatient settings. By deeply understanding the challenges faced by healthcare providers and applying modern technologies and principles proven in other industries, we empower care teams to make smarter decisions and optimize patient flow, while reducing the cognitive load on team members and improving the patient experience. Our solutions not only deliver meaningful returns but have also recently achieved the highest KLAS rating, creating a competitive edge for our clients, including health systems, independent hospitals, and academic medical centers. By integrating with EHRs, the Qventus platform leverages GenerativeAI, machine learning, and behavioral science to predict operational bottlenecks, recommend remedies, and automate processes. Explore more at www.qventus.com.

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.

Contacts

Qventus
qventus@solcomms.co

KKR
Emily Cummings
media@kkr.com

 

Download PDF

 

Categories: News

Tags: