3i announces sale of Mémora generating proceeds of £117 million
3i Group plc (“3i”), and funds managed by 3i, today announce the sale of Mémora, the leading Iberian funeral services company, to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (“Ontario Teachers’”), Canada’s largest single-profession pension plan. Proceeds to 3i will be £117m. This compares to a valuation of £86m at 31 March 2017.
Mémora was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Barcelona. It is the leading funeral services player in the Iberian market, with a total of 115 parlours, 24 crematoriums, 13 cemeteries and 91 retail outlets in the Iberian Peninsula. It has a leading position in Barcelona as well as in other regional markets in Spain and Portugal, and a strong foothold across its remaining markets. It offers a range of funeral services such as ceremonies, documentation support and dedicated family consultants.
3i invested in Mémora in 2008. Since then, the company has expanded through both acquisitions and organic growth. In 2011, Mémora increased its shareholding in Serveis Funeraris de Barcelona to 85%, thereby consolidating its leadership position in the region. In addition, multiple acquisitions have been completed across Spain and Portugal, including Agnus Dei in 2015. Early on, 3i supported the implementation of a comprehensive Corporate Governance programme, focused on developing the overall strategy. 3i also introduced Juan Jesús Domingo as CEO and Richard Golding, initially as Non-Executive Director and then as Chairman, to the Board.
Pablo Echart, Director at 3i Spain, commented:
“During our investment period, Mémora has cemented its leading market position in the provision of funeral services in Spain and Portugal. With 3i’s support, Mémora’s management team has built a differentiated robust business model to capture the growth potential in this market. I would like to thank CEO Juan Jesús Domingo and his team for their commitment, and I wish them well in the future”.
Juan Jesús Domingo, CEO of Mémora, added:
“3i has been an extremely supportive partner to Mémora. It has helped us to develop our commercial platform, including the design and launch of the Electium service, and to improve our customer-centric, high quality delivery model. We look forward to working with our new investor to further accelerate Mémora‘s growth.”
Jo Taylor, Senior Managing Director, International, of Ontario Teachers’, commented:
“Mémora presents a unique opportunity to invest in a sector we have extensive experience in and fits our investment mandate perfectly. By partnering with the market leader, we will build on Mémora’s strong business foundations, and grow its geographical footprint, while supporting the delivery of a best in class customer relations model. We look forward to working with management and the broader team on this exciting new chapter.”
