Overseas buyer interest high, despite the complicated outlook

Monthly deal activity I March 2022

The M&A surge has softened with dealmaking down in the first quarter due to the geopolitical situation and other headwinds such as rising inflation. Still, we were able to close 16 transactions in March of which 12 were M&A deals and four were fundraising deals, capitalizing in particular on overseas interest with cross-border transactions making up 58% of the total.

Dealmaking in the TMT sector continues to lead the way with five transactions in March and 18 in the first quarter of 2022, compared to last year which saw nine TMT transactions in March and, again, 18 across the first quarter.

A selection of deals closed in March

The Chauffour family has owned Montagrues since its creation, and it is a great achievement to have become the leading mobile crane and tower crane rental company in Paris. We are proud to hand over our fast-growing group to Group Plissonneau, with whom we share the same values. The Oaklins team carried out its mission to sell our company perfectly, regarding both financial and extra-financial aspects. JEAN-MARC AND PIERRE CHAUFFOUR, SHAREHOLDERS, MONTAGRUES

Over the past 60 years, we are proud to have built a market-leading business. We are now delighted that in Safe Fleet we have found a great home for our business to continue to grow, innovate and support both our employees and customers. The team at Oaklins Cavendish tirelessly assisted us through the process, and was on hand at each and every step of the journey. NICK LUSCOMBE, CEO, LABCRAFT HOLDINGS LIMITED

Over the last 16 years, we’ve grown to become the biggest search firm in the world dedicated to executive search in sports and entertainment, working in partnership with brands and wonderful clients across more than 20 countries and in every major sports league. Today, we join with Excel, enhancing our ability to see our clients achieve their fullest potential both on and off the field. The Oaklins Cavendish team played a critical role in helping us to secure the right partner and home for our business. The team’s recruitment sector expertise and commitment throughout the deal was second to none — I would have no hesitation in recommending them to other business owners considering M&A. PAUL NOLAN, FOUNDER & CEO, NOLAN PARTNERS LIMITED

This is an important milestone for our business, allowing us to focus on developing our mobile payment solutions. We believe Boku Identity will be able to continue to develop under Twilio’s ownership, and we wish the business and its staff well for the future. We were impressed with the resilience and creativity of the team at Oaklins Cavendish, and are grateful to them for advising on the deal. JON PRIDEAUX, CEO, BOKU Inc.