Upturn in cross-border M&A activity despite economic uncertainty

Monthly deal activity I July and August 2022

Despite the current uncertain economic enviroment, charactirsed by volatility in stock markets, inflation and looming energy costs in the winter, the appetite for M&A remains high. We take a look back at Oaklins deal success in July and August, where we closed 37 transactions of which 30 were M&A deals and seven were fundraising deals, capitalizing in particular on overseas interest with cross-border transactions making up 67% of the total.

High demand for technology and digital/data-driven assets is clearly still inspiring M&A activity with nine transactions in July and August, of which four were in IT services and five in Enterprise SaaS (both sub-sectors of TMT).

As you can read in the testimonials below, in times of uncertainty, the support and guidance of professionals to help you get a grip on the current situation and anticipate the impact of changes in your sector and global markets will put you in good stead for getting the best outcome possible.

A selection of deals closed in July and August

We are pleased that in Hannoversche Volksbank we have found a partner for our subsidiary that, with its many years of extensive expertise in this area, will contribute to the stable continuation and growth of Norddeutsche Wohnbau GmbH. HEIKO SCHRAMM AND CHRISTIAN SCHOEN, SHAREHOLDERS AND MANAGING DIRECTORS, S&S IMMOBILIEN HOLDING GMBH

We are pleased to announce that Quick Systems has been acquired by Confirma Software. This transaction offers great potential to our customers and staff in our combined growth journey. Oaklins Norway has been instrumental throughout this process, starting with the introduction of Confirma Software as a potential buyer, all the way to the completion of this transaction. We are very pleased with their level of professionalism and systematic work, and look forward to continued cooperation. JARLE MØRK, CEO, CONFIRMA SOFTWARE

We are proud to have found an international strategic partner for CAG, which will not only allow CAG to continue its growth but also provides a safe home to the organization and its people. Together with the management, we have significantly grown the business over the last five years, both organically as well as through four add-on acquisitions. This exit is the first one for Gate and shows why we started in the first place: to support entrepreneurs, management teams and organizations towards their next growth phase. PAUL VERMAAT, FOUNDER OF GATE INVEST AND MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER OF CAG GROEP

It has been a team effort and the Cameron team has benefited from some wonderful partners who have represented us in a most professional manner. We could never have imagined how difficult selling a business could be, and could not have got there without the support of our internal and external teams. Thank you to the Oaklins team for your assistance and advice over the years — you’ve been sensational. GLEN CAMERON, OWNER, GLEN CAMERON GROUP

We’re excited to be joining the Calibre Scientific family, which will enable us to further accelerate our long-term strategic growth objectives. The Oaklins Cavendish team has achieved a fantastic result for our shareholders. Their wealth of sector expertise, professionalism and unwavering dedication throughout the process were instrumental in achieving a successful completion. DARREN LIKELY, CEO, AGAR SCIENTIFIC LTD.

We engaged with Oaklins Cavendish over 18 months ago to help us prepare for sale. The team’s specialist advice and guidance, combined with astute management of every aspect of the transaction process, delivered an exceptional deal that has surpassed all expectations. Our shareholders are delighted. RUPERT EMSON, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, VERO SCREENING

We created SourceBreaker to change the way recruiters search. Now more than ever, our products can help expand the pool of talent and identify better matches between candidates and jobs. We’re incredibly excited to expand our reach by joining forces with Bullhorn, and we’re all looking forward to joining the team. STEVE BECKITT, FOUNDER AND CEO, SOURCEBREAKER

We are very pleased with the services delivered, the expertise brought to the table and the results achieved by Oaklins. As a trusted IT services partner, we highly value the quality of the services we deliver to our clients and identified the same values with Oaklins. Furthermore, we highly appreciated the joint team approach with Oaklins’ TMT experts in Belgium and the Netherlands, and how they leveraged their comprehensive address book and track record in our sector and executed a streamlined and competitive sale process. We are delighted that they matched us with the right partner to progress on our current growth trajectory. PHILLIPE SMET, SHAREHOLDER, ESC

I would like to thank the team at Oaklins Cavendish. They have done a great job in finding us the right buyer and running a smart and efficient process. Their support throughout has been excellent, and combined with their commercial approach and sector knowledge, they have made great advisors for us. MORGAN DAVIES, FOUNDER, BARBURRITO GROUP LTD.

We are very excited to partner with Nutrimuscle and have been impressed by Nutrimuscle’s commitment to clean-ingredient, traceable products with ESG factors at the core of the company’s values. We look forward to helping Nutrimuscle educate the public on nutrition and wellness, and expand its offerings beyond Nutrimuscle’s native French market. MATHIEU DEVELAY, PARTNER, BLUEGEM CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC

We are very happy to have Aarsleff Rail as a co-owner of Trym Anlegg. In the search for a partner who can help realize our potential as a railway specialist, we have found the perfect partner in Aarsleff Rail. KARL JOHAN KOPREITAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, TRYM ANLEGG AS

We are very pleased to become part of the ØkonomiBistand group. ØkonomiBistand has highly skilled employees and exceptionally satisfied and loyal customers. As a dedicated and trusted ERP software and services partner, we take pride in the services we provide to our customers, and we see the same values in ØkonomiBistand. We believe that joining forces with them will benefit both organizations, our employees, partners and customers. Oaklins has been instrumental in realizing this transaction, by introducing ØkonomiBistand as a potential buyer to Direktkonsult. Although Oaklins acted on behalf of ØkonomiBistand and Equip Capital, we were pleased they were involved, as their approach contributed to getting this deal to the finish line. They helped us navigate all stages of the process, from the initial meetings and negotiations through due diligence and to completion. They were a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend them. PER HALVARSSON, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, DIREKTKONSULT

I truly did not fully understand all the effort that goes into selling a company when I started the process, but now I know that it is much harder than actually building one. I truly appreciate your help and I am grateful to have you all on my team to make this happen the best way possible. You guys work miracles! HELGI HERMANNSSON, CEO AND FOUNDER, SLING

We are pleased to announce that ABS has been acquired by Vitec, as this development offers great potential for the company, its staff and its customers. Oaklins has been instrumental in realizing this transaction, by introducing Vitec as a potential buyer for ABS. Although Oaklins acted on behalf of Vitec, we were pleased they were involved, as their approach contributed to getting this deal to the finish line. ANNE DE BOER, CEO AND FOUNDER, ABS LAUNDRY BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Throughout this operation, I have been supported by a very professional and friendly team with a seasoned understanding of matters that are key to the company. This was really important to me as this sale process represented more than 20 years of personal investment. They have found the right project, which should trigger a new pace of growth for the company in the coming years. STÉPHANE MANHES, FOUNDER, OKTEY ALTOSPAM