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Accent Equity divests Akademibokhandeln to Volati

VolatiAB (publ) has signed an agreement to acquire the shares in Akademibokhandeln Holding AB(publ)
from Accent Equity 2012 (71.7%), J.P. Killberg handelsaktiebolag (11.1%), Stiftelsen Bokförlaget Natur &Kultur (11.1%) and Krasse & Co AB (1.0%). Akademibokhandeln’s management will remain as shareholders alongside Volati.
Akademibokhandeln is the market leading book retailer in Sweden with a market share of about 35% of
consumer book retailing and has a strong offering for all product and delivery formats. With 108 stores
nationwide, 80 under its own management and 28 run as franchises, together with online sales under the
Akademibokhandeln and Bokus brands, the company operates modern and profitablesales channels
focused on consumers, companies and public sector operations. Akademibokhandeln has a growing
customer club that currently comprises more than 1.3 million members.
For 2016, the AkademibokhandelnGroup’s net sales amounted to SEK 1.8 billion and EBITDA to SEK 125 million.
“In our time as owner, the management has strengthened Akademibokhandeln’s offering, position and
profitability in a highly professional manner,” says Martin Tisell, Chairman at Akademi bokhandeln and
Partner at Accent Equity Partners AB, investment advisor to Accent Equity 2012.
“
We view Volati as a competent industrial group that will be a good, long-term ownerfor the company.”
“We have built a business that now has an extremely strong offering in all the channels through which our
customers want to purchase books and related products,”comments Maria Hamrefors, Akademibok-
handeln’s CEO.“
We look forward to being part of the Volati Group and having Volati as a long-term owner that I believe can contribute knowhow and support in developing operations moving forward.”
Volati was founded in 2003, and today comprises some 40 operating companies divided into 12 business
units organized in three business areas: Trading, Consumer and Industry. Volati has operations in 16
countries, with a total of around 1,200 employees and annual sales of approximately SEK 3 billion.
“We are extremely pleased and proud to be able to acquire Akademibokhandeln,” says Mårten Andersson,Volati’s CEO.
“
The book retailer is a well-run and profitable group with strong cash flows and an extremely well-established market position. Together with management, we will nurture these customer relations by continuing to develop the company’s offering through all channels.”
Completion is planned for July 2017. The change of ownership will not mean any
changes for the around 500 employees or the franchisees who operate 28 of the stores.
The acquisition is conditional on approvalfrom the SwedishCompetition Authority.
For further information, please contact:
Martin Tisell, Chairman of Akademibokhandeln Holding AB (publ),
+46 70 877 65 20, martin.tisell@accentequity.se.
Maria Hamrefors, CEO Akademibokhandeln Holding AB (publ), +46 70-601 92 05, maria.hamrefors@akademibokhandeln.se
Mårten Andersson, CEO of Volati AB, +4672735 42 84,marten.andersson@volati.se

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3i to invest €120m in Lampenwelt to support international expansion

3I

3i Group plc (“3i”) today announces that it has agreed to invest €120m in Lampenwelt, the largest European online specialist in the lighting space. 3i will invest alongside management and one of the current owners of the business, Walter Neumüller. In addition, 3i will provide a short term refinancing loan to Lampenwelt of €54 million which is expected to be refinanced shortly after completion.

Founded in 2004 by Thomas Rebmann and his brother Andreas Rebmann, Lampenwelt is the #1 specialty online retailer of lighting products in Europe. The company is headquartered in Schlitz near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. From there, it distributes own-brand and 3rd party products to customers in 12 countries across Europe. Following the transaction, the company will retain its global headquarters in Schlitz and will continue with its plans to open a new warehouse in Schlitz in the coming months.

Lampenwelt differentiates itself from its competitors through an extensive range of over 45,000 products, in-depth product knowledge, excellent customer service and high product availability. The company generated €61m of sales in 2016, of which 45% came from outside Germany, and has grown strongly in Germany and through a steady roll-out across Europe in recent years.

3i has been following Lampenwelt’s successful growth for several years and during 2016 approached the company to discuss a potential investment in the business. 3i was therefore able to undertake its diligence outside of a formal sale process, with full access to the business and senior management. Lampenwelt’s growth plans fit well with 3i’s strategy of supporting mid-sized companies to grow internationally.

Peter Wirtz, Managing Director, 3i Germany, commented:
“We are investing in a successful company with strong growth potential. We believe there are significant opportunities for Lampenwelt to further expand internationally and build on its best-in-class digital and online marketing capabilities. We are looking forward to working with the excellent management team to realise these ambitions.”

Thomas Rebmann, CEO of Lampenwelt, added:
“We are delighted to be partnering with 3i for the next stage in our growth story. 3i has extensive experience in the consumer sector and an impressive network which will help us enlarge our footprint in Europe.”

Walter Neumüller, current co-owner of Lampenwelt, commented:
“As the owners of Lampenwelt, we originally had an investment horizon beyond 2020. However, after its direct approach, 3i convinced us that as an experienced investor they would be able to strongly support Lampenwelt in its ongoing internationalisation efforts. There is a strong cultural fit between Lampenwelt and 3i and I am glad to be able to guarantee continuity both as a co-shareholder and as a member of the Lampenwelt Board also going forward.”

Jochen Wilms, a seasoned expert in both the building supply and online industries with prior experience at Bertelsmann, Schüco and Grohe, will join the board as Executive Chairman and co-invest alongside 3i and management. Thomas and Andreas Rebmann will continue in their roles as CEO and COO respectively.

The transaction is subject to customary and anti-trust approvals.

-Ends-

For further information, contact:

3i Group plc
Silvia Santoro
Investor enquiries
Tel: +44 20 7975 3258
Email: silvia.santoro@3i.com

Kathryn van der Kroft
Media enquiries
Tel: +44 20 7975 3021
Email: kathryn.vanderkroft@3i.com

Notes to editors:

About Lampenwelt

Lampenwelt is the largest specialty online retailer of lighting products in Europe. Headquartered in Schlitz near Frankfurt am Main, the company generated €61m sales with around 240 employees in 2016. Lampenwelt is led by the brothers Thomas and Andreas Rebmann, who founded the company in 2004. Lampenwelt delivers over 45,000 own-brand and 3rd party products to customers in 12 countries across Europe.

About 3i Group

3i is an investment company with two complementary businesses, Private Equity and Infrastructure, specialising in core investment markets in Northern Europe and North America.

3i’s Private Equity team provides investment solutions for growing companies, backing entrepreneurs and management teams of mid-market companies with an EV typically between €100m – €500m. We back international growth plans, providing access to our network and expertise to accelerate the growth of companies across the consumer, industrials and business and technology services industries.

For further information, please visit: www.3i.com

Regulatory information
This transaction involved a recommendation of 3i Investments plc, advised by 3i Germany.

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Rabobank and Signicat enter Dutch identity market

Rabobank and Signicat are entering the Dutch identity market together by providing digital services to businesses, supporting them in servicing their clients.

Read the full story on signicat.com or read about it in Norwegian newspaper Adressa.

This joint Digital Identity Service Provider (DISP) offers a range of online login, identity, signature and archiving solutions under the banner of Rabo eBusiness. It provides optimal convenience for a range of businesses, including insurance, energy and leasing companies as well as other financial services providers. It simplifies and improves the digital transformation they are under pressure to achieve.

Rabo eBusiness helps businesses to shape their online services in an easier, more reliable and efficient way to achieve higher online conversion. Consumers can log onto the merchant’s website using one of the identity services provided by Rabo eBusiness and can then, for example, sign a contract online. The platform is easy to integrate into the existing business processes using API technology.

Rabobank will initially focus on five customer groups: energy, telecom and insurance companies, healthcare institutions and financial services providers. Rabo eBusiness services will make it easy for them to enable functions such as onboarding new customers, signing contracts digitally and offering a dashboard for invoices or expense claims.
The market for DISPs opened on 1st April 2017 within the framework of iDIN.

Alexander Zwart, responsible for Online Channels & Access at Rabobank, explains that Rabobank already has a good starting position, having: ‘Advisory skills, a large market share in the business market, operational services and a mature salesforce. In order to be able to offer technology and a high-quality and safe range of products, we have opted not to develop it ourselves, but instead to collaborate with a well-established strategic player. Signicat has a proven Digital Identity Service platform that is considered leading in the Nordics, a mature digital identity market.’

Signicat in turn wants to expand its presence in the Dutch market. Gunnar Nordseth, Chief Executive Officer of Signicat: ‘We have been operating for some time as an identity service provider in the Nordics and are currently expanding into other parts of Europe. The Netherlands is a strategically important market for us and a European hub that has great potential for digital identity, signature and archiving services. Collaborating with an innovative bank such as Rabobank gives us the opportunity to fulfil our ambition.’

The platform has been designed to grow in tandem with market demands and can consequently be expanded to include additional services. This lays the foundation for achieving Rabobank’s strategic ambition to help its customers with the digitisation of their services.

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Rabobank Launches Venture Capital Fund for Innovative Food & Agriculture Companies

Today, Rabobank is announcing the launch of the Rabo Food & Agri Innovation Fund, part of Rabo Private Equity. The fund will invest in high-potential, early-stage food and agriculture companies in the United States and Western Europe. Through the fund, Rabobank aims to promote innovation in the food and agriculture sectors.

“The Rabobank Food & Agri Fund focuses on companies that are aligned to Rabobank’s Banking for Food strategy. This strategy focuses on contributing to food security in the context of a rapidly growing world population, changing demographics and consumption patterns and an increasingly complex food system,” says Lizette Sint, Global Head of Rabo Private Equity.

“We consider investments all along the food and agriculture value chain, with a particular focus on ambitious companies that operate in sectors in which we can optimally leverage Rabobank’s knowledge, expertise, network and position to help create shareholder value,” says Richard O’Gorman, who leads the investment initiative as part of Rabo Private Equity.

The fund’s investments will consist of more than just financial support. In addition to Rabobank’s role as a close investment partner, the selected companies will enjoy full access to Rabobank’s food and agriculture experts and networks with the goal of building long term value together.

The Rabo Food & Agri Innovation Fund is complementary to the other activities the bank supports in the food and agri space, including its indirect investments in strategic venture capital and private equity funds.

For more information about the Rabobank Food & Agri Innovation Fund, please visit www.rfaif.com.

About Rabobank

Rabobank Group is a global financial services leader providing wholesale and retail banking, leasing, and real estate services in more than 40 countries worldwide. Founded over a century ago, Rabobank today is one of the world’s largest banks with over $750 billion in assets. In the Americas, Rabobank is a premier bank to the food, agribusiness and beverage industry, providing sector expertise, strategic counsel and tailored financial solutions to clients across the entire food value chain. Additional information is available on our Rabobank North America Wholesale website or on our social media platforms, including Twitter and LinkedIn.

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EQT VI to sell Bureau van Dijk to Moody’s Corporation

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EQT

  • EQT VI to sell Bureau van Dijk, a leading global provider of business intelligence and company information, to Moody’s Corporation for EUR 3.0 billion
  • During EQT VI’s ownership, Bureau van Dijk has gone through a significant transformation with investments in areas including sales, marketing, and product development
  • Strong cultural fit, and solid strategic and industrial logic for combination

EQT VI Limited (“EQT VI”) has entered into an agreement to sell Bureau van Dijk (or the “Company”) to Moody’s Corporation (“Moody’s”) for an enterprise value of EUR 3.0 billion. Bureau van Dijk, operating from its Amsterdam headquarters, captures, treats, standardizes, and distributes the world’s richest private company dataset, with coverage of more than 220 million companies. Over some 30 years, the Company has built partnerships with over 160 independent information providers, creating a platform that connects customers with data, to address a wide range of business challenges.

EQT VI acquired Bureau van Dijk in September 2014 with a mission to further expand its leading market position and accelerate growth. The Company has undergone a significant transformation under EQT VI’’s ownership through several key initiatives:

– Development of the organisational structure to prepare for further growth

– Investments in the sales organization, including the introduction of a matrix sales structure, implementation of a global CRM system, and expansion of the salesforce

– Strong focus on the development of new products and continued improvement of existing ones, e.g. the launch of a new user interface

– Substantial investments in marketing and corporate branding

The growth initiatives during EQT VI’s ownership have resulted in strong financial performance, with Bureau van Dijk generating revenues of EUR 258 million and EBITDA of EUR 132 million in 2016.

“Bureau van Dijk has continued to strengthen its market leading position while accelerating financial growth. This development exemplifies EQT’s industrial and growth-focused approach, aimed at supporting management teams in making very good companies even better. The journey continues for Bureau van Dijk – this transaction has a compelling strategic rationale and provides great opportunities for the future. The management team has done an impressive job and we look forward to seeing Bureau van Dijk continue to develop as a part of Moody’s”, says Kristiaan Nieuwenburg, Partner at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to the EQT VI fund.

“Over the past three years we have been on an exciting and transformational journey with the support of EQT and their industrial experts. We are now delighted to join forces with Moody’s and continue to develop our business”, says Mark Schwerzel, Deputy CEO of Bureau van Dijk.

Moody’s Corporation is the parent company of Moody’s Analytics, which offers leading-edge software, advisory services and research for credit and economic analysis and financial risk management, and Moody’s Investors Service, which provides credit ratings and research covering debt instruments and securities.

The agreement is subject to customary anti-trust clearance and the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017.

The sellers were represented by Quayle Munro and J.P. Morgan.

Contacts
Kristiaan Nieuwenburg, Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to EQT VI, +31 20 262 40 01
EQT Press Office, +46 8 506 55 334, press@eqtpartners.com

About EQT
EQT is a leading alternative investments firm with approximately EUR 35 billion in raised capital across 22 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More information: www.eqtpartners.com

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Hexagon appoints new Chief Strategy Officer

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Hexagon

Hexagon, a leading global provider of information technology solutions, today announced the appointment of Ben Maslen as Hexagon’s Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). As CSO, Mr. Maslen will be responsible for the development and execution of strategic initiatives to support Hexagon’s long-term growth and shareholder value.

Mr. Maslen has over 15 years of experience in the capital markets industry including being co-head of the European Capital Goods equity research team at Morgan Stanley. Prior to Morgan Stanley, he was an equity analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers.

Mr. Maslen will officially assume the role of CSO in the summer of 2017 as part of Hexagon’s group management team, reporting to the President and CEO.

For further information, please contact:
Maria Luthstrom, Investor Relations Manager, Hexagon AB , +46 8 601 26 27, ir@hexagon.com
Kristin Christensen , Chief Marketing Officer, Hexagon AB , +1 404 554 0972, media@hexagon.com

Hexagon is a leading global provider of information technology solutions that drive productivity and quality across geospatial and industrial landscapes.

Hexagon’s solutions integrate sensors, software, domain knowledge and customer workflows into intelligent information ecosystems that deliver actionable information. They are used in a broad range of vital industries.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 18,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 3.1bn EUR. Learn more at hexagon.com and follow us @HexagonAB.

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Epiris announces the sale of TechInsights

Epiris is pleased to announce that its portfolio company AXIO Group (“AXIO”) has agreed the sale of TechInsights, a leading intellectual property and technology services provider, to Oakley Capital. The sale, which is expected to complete in the next two weeks, is the seventh and final major realisation from AXIO’s portfolio and will conclude what has been an exceptional investment for Epiris and its investors.

Based on today’s exchange rates, Electra Private Equity PLC (“Electra”) will receive proceeds from AXIO of £26 million. The sale will increase the total cash proceeds received by Electra from its investment in AXIO to £455 million, equivalent to 5.0x original cost, and an IRR of 76%.

Based in Ottawa, Canada, TechInsights is the global leader in intellectual property consulting, patent brokerage and technical reverse engineering. TechInsights helps patent owners maximize the value of their patents through portfolio assessment, advising on strategic options, licensing and litigation support. In 2016 the business was combined with Chipworks, the leader in the intellectual property and technology services market, creating the clear global leader in advanced technology intelligence and technology founded patent advisory services.

Alex Cooper-Evans, Partner at Epiris, said:

“We are delighted to have agreed the final sale from the AXIO group of companies which will conclude what has been an outstanding investment for our investors, delivering an unlevered return of 5x cost and an IRR of 76%.

“The AXIO investment is a terrific example of the Epiris strategy at work. We bought a complex group of assets before transforming them with a programme of strategic and operational focus as well as investment in organic and M&A-led growth. This created a portfolio of high-performance growth businesses which has proven to be extremely attractive to trade and financial buyers alike.

“Henry Elkington and the rest of the AXIO management team have done an exceptional job in delivering this return and we look forward to finding another opportunity to work together.”

Henry Elkington, CEO of AXIO Group, said:

“We are delighted to have brought this investment to a successful conclusion. I speak for the whole management team in saying that this outcome would not have been possible without Epiris, whose vision and support have been invaluable.”

Alex Fortescue and Alex Cooper-Evans are responsible for the investment in AXIO Group.

Epiris refers to Epiris Managers LLP acting on behalf of its clients, including Electra Private Equity PLC.

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Axon Partners Group invests in Boxi to scale production in Colombia

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Axon Partners Group, through the Amerigo Ventures Pacífico Fund, invests in Boxi through a direct investment in the company Colchones REM S.A.S. with the objective of scaling local production and becoming the reference company within the mattress industry in South America.

Colchones REM is the first eCommerce of mattresses in Colombia and one of the first in the region. Since its inception the company has provided Colombian consumers with the possibility of accessing high quality products at prices below those seen on the market. Starting in 2016, the company turned the business around and developed the vertical Boxi (http://www.boxisleep.com/), which sells its own high-quality mattress manufactured using top technology and materials to provide the best rest and comfort. During 2016, Colchones REM gave a strong boost to its Boxi platform and the company adds several thousand mattresses sold since its inception in 2014.

About this transaction Mr.Alfonso De León, CEO of Axon Partners Group, commented “We are very excited about this transaction. We have closely followed this industry in several regions for some time and we believe that this business model, which we know well, with an interesting growth potential. In addition, the company is led by an exceptional entrepreneur, passionate and veteran in this industry.” This investment reaffirms Axon’s leadership position in the digital ecosystem in the Latin American region where it already has 9 investments made.

As per  Mr.Santiago Varenkow, founder and CEO of the company, he said “With this new investment, by one of the most recognized funds in the region, we can take the company to the next level and revolutionize the rest industry in Colombia and throughout Latin America. Our mission for this new stage is to democratize the good rest and to transform what until now was an unpleasant and boring experience, in an easy, fast, pleasant and even fun experience”.

 

About Axon Partners Group (www.axonpartnersgroup.com)

Axon Partners Group is a Spanish consulting and investment firm with a VC & PE division that manages funds in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Through its Amerigo Ventures Private Equity Fund, Axon is actively involved in the digital ecosystem of the Latin American region.

About Colchones REM/Boxi (www.boxisleep.com)

BOXI is a premium mattress designed with the newest technologies and materials available currently. It is the first mattress in Colombia to combine high density foam, memory foam and latex, which recreates the perfect formula that guarantees maximum comfort and the best rest. Thanks to the quality of its materials, it was possible to compress, seal it to the void, roll it and pack it in a small and practical box, which is delivered in less than 2 hours in the city of Bogotá. In addition, innovating and optimizing every link in the supply chain, it was possible to offer this high-end mattress to the third part of the average market price.

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Viking Venture invests in View Software

Viking Venture

Viking Venture invests in Norwegian B2B Software Company View. The company is a leading provider of software for maintenance of real estate, machinery and vehicles. The company is also providing software for production optimisation and control.

View Software aims to provide its customers with better information about their assets such as buildings, machinery or vehicles. The company has 480 customers sharing a common need for better oversight over production, assets and technical equipment. View Software provides detailed information about condition, former history, and warranties of the assets, included which resources in terms of parts and personnel available to do corrective actions on the equipment.

– We are impressed by the quality of the team as well as their products and customers, commented the recently appointed chairman of View Software, Partner Joar Welde of Viking Venture.

– View is thrilled by having Viking Venture as investor. Viking Venture has consistently proved their ability to bring companies similar to View to a new level. A knowledgeable and experienced partner as Viking Venture is important in order to exploit our international potential, said Mr. Pål Einar Berntsen, CEO of View Software.

Viking Venture owns 49% of View Software after the investment and contributes with experience and knowledge of best practice from across its portfolio of investments.

– Our investment focus is Business To Business (B2B) Software companies with a recurring revenue business modell. We experience strong synergies across our investments and look forward to contribute to increased growth in View Software, said Mr. Erik Hagen, Managing Partner of Viking Venture.

Widar Salbuvik, a long term investor in View Software who is currently increasing his investment in View Software, commented: – The company has grown a lot both in terms of revenue and maturity over the last years. Thus this is a natural point in time to invite an active investor such as Viking Venture into the company. We have great expectations to the cooperation.

About View Software AS

View Software is a leading provider of software for management of maintenance and production planning. More than 12500 users depend daily on View as a tool for maintaining more than 10 million objects such as machinery, vehicles and buildings. The company has 48 employees and is headquartered out of Moss, Norway with offices in Trondheim and Notodden. View Software reported revenues of 46 million NOK in 2016 with a corresponding operational income before depreciations (EBITDA) of 10.5 milion NOK. More information on view.no.

About Viking Venture

Viking Venture is a leading Nordic Venture Fund focused on B2B Software Companies with a recurring revenue business modell. Viking Venture has invested in more than 40 companies and has more than 1.5 billion NOK under management. The company has its headquarter in Trondheim, Norway. More information on vikingventure.com.

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Docaspost acquires Applicam, a major player in e-administration and e-money solutions

blackfincp

Today, Docapost, a subsidiary of Le Groupe La Poste specialised in assisting companies and administrations with their digital and mobile transformation process, announced its acquisition of Applicam, a company specialised in managing funding and subsidies, and in e-money solutions, previously held by Blackfin Capital Partners.
This operation sees Applicam boost its development by joining forces with a recognised industrial partner boasting complementary activities. It enables Docapost to consolidate its presence on the e-administration and e-money market – especially at an international level – thanks to Applicam’s very strong footing on both markets.

A strategic operation for Docapost
Modernising public action is a major topic for Docapost due to the fact that it boasts operational solutions to improve administration performance and management and to adapt formalities to new user requirements.
For Muriel Barnéoud, President of Docapost: “this acquisition fits squarely into Docapost’s investment drive to modernise public action, with dedicated operational solutions. This growth strategy aims to bolster our position as a major player at a national level as regards local authorities and at an international level with e-money solutions.”

Shifting the development of Applicam up a gear
“The acquisition of Applicam by Docapost is a real asset which will enable the company to shift its development up a gear, in particular, by capitalising on the business and technical expertise of the new shareholder. All management and operational teams are behind the move,” says Eric May, Managing Director of BlackFin Capital Partners.
“The acquisition by a player such as Docapost reflects the new dimension taken by APPLICAM over five years and its legitimacy on the market. Applicam teams are very happy to be joining a long-term shareholder who will enable us to further enhance our value proposition as regards our customers,” explains Jean-Michel Dupont, Managing Director of Applicam.

About Docapost
As a subsidiary of Le Groupe La Poste, Docapost assists companies with their digital and mobile transformation process. Combining collaborative platforms, industry expertise, digital and industrial capabilities, Docapost enables companies and administrations to optimise and digitise their business process and relations with customers, employees, suppliers and citizens. Docapost offers tailor-made and turnkey solutions combining consulting with the joint creation of innovative products and services and the operation of business and sectoral solutions and services. Docapost boasts 4,600 employees dotted across 450 sites in France and generated revenues of around €450m in 2015. Since Docapost also operates in numerous other countries – including United States, UK, Spain and Mexico – it offers cross-border solutions to its customers. Docapost’s products and services are audited and certified by independent organisations to ensure full reliability.

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