OC&C Strategy Consultants

High-street giant Next reported a 5% rise in profit of £918m for the financial year to the 27th January 2024. Through strategic acquisitions, including increasing their stake in Reiss to 72% and acquiring a 74% stake in fashion chain Joules with 100 shops, Next's success highlights the strength of omnichannel business models. In our report, we delve into why moving forward, omnichannel business models are better positioned to excel in the market, detailing four imperatives which retailers need to consider for the financial year ahead. To discover our four imperatives, our full rankings and how the channel power struggle has shifted, access our latest report: https://bit.ly/3RfjG3S To discuss our expertise in this space, contact Thomas Charlick, Matt Coode or email retail@occstrategy.com

We’re thrilled to be a finalist in the annual Nagrody PSIK, the Polish Private Equity & Venture Capital Association Awards. We are finalists in the Strategic and Commercial Advisor category. Nagrody PSIK consistently recognizes the highest professional standards in Private Equity, specifically focusing on how investors have helped shape and grow Polish businesses today. We’re honoured for that recognition and would like to thank our clients and the PE community in Poland.

We’re delighted to congratulate Automotive Transformation Group (ATG) on the successful sale of its business to Keyloop. OC&C supported management by providing commercial vendor due diligence. ATG is an innovative provider of automotive technology focused on omnichannel retail solutions and employs more than 330 people. Its solutions are chosen by automotive retailers, OEMs, financiers, and fleet suppliers in over 80 countries and at over 10,000 retail locations to help make the car-buying experience easier. ATG’s Fusion solution is leading the industry in this aim which was recognised by Keyloop resulting in the recent successful transaction. Read more about this deal here: https://bit.ly/3UxtGWp For more information on our expertise in this space, contact Mark Jannaway, Nicholas Farhi, Oleg Tschernizki, Felicity Latcham or email privateequity@occstrategy.com #PrivateEquity #Automotive #Auto

We are very pleased to congratulate Adler and Allan on their new partnership with Goldman Sachs Alternatives Private Equity business. We provided Adler and Allen with commercial vendor due diligence support. Adler and Allen is the leading environmental risk reduction specialist in the UK operating across three core divisions: Environmental Services, Energy Services, and Water Services. Adler and Allan provide a sophisticated service offering, which includes a rare combination of technical field services, advisory, and data services across the asset lifecycle. It was founded in 1926 and today serves 2,500+ customers across the nation. Adler and Allan were acquired by an affiliate of Sun European Partners, LLP in November 2020. Following the acquisition, Sun European worked with Adler and Allan’s leadership team to accelerate growth. Goldman Sachs Alternatives will continue to develop Adler and Allan’s growth trajectory. Read more about this deal here: https://bit.ly/3yb6Z2L For more information on our expertise, contact David Hosein, Matt Flood, Pontus Löfquist or email privateequity@occstrategy.com #privateequity #strategyconsultancy

We’re delighted to congratulate Volac International Ltd on their successful deal with Arla Food Ingredients for the Whey Nutrition division of Volac’s business. We supported Volac with commercial due diligence services. Volac is a rapidly expanding business that specialises in producing whey protein isolates for brands prioritising active and performance nutrition products. They operate from a state-of-the-art facility in Felinfach, Wales, and maintain long-term relationships with local cheese manufacturers. Volac is committed to developing top-quality functional ingredients for human consumption while ensuring they remain responsive to the needs of future generations. Arla Food Ingredients, a 100% owned subsidiary of Denmark-based Arla Foods, is a global player focused on improving premium nutrition. Serving global brands with research, supplier networks, medical/sports nutrition, health foods and beverages, Arla Foods Ingredients' mission is to advance lifelong nutrition for the benefit of consumers around the world. Completion of the transaction is expected later this year, subject to required regulatory approvals. Read more here: https://bit.ly/44gLLwz For more information on our expertise in this sector, contact Nilpesh Patel, Oliver Rowson or email privateequity@occstrategy.com

Matt Coode and Emily McDermott are presenting at British Retail Consortium's Customer Community Meeting today. They will be discussing: - How social commerce is shaping the retail landscape, and where we see it adding value (or not) to brands and retailers - Some of the winners in the social commerce space and how people are setting themselves up for success - Views on the future of social commerce and what this might mean for retailers and brands This meeting is open only to BRC Members.

We're pleased to congratulate Cronos Capital Partners and its investment vehicle Jigen Holding, on their recent acquisition of Ksenia Security S.p.A. an Italian company operating in the systems for anti-intrusion security, smart home and access control. We supported the deal buy-side. Ksenia, based in Ripatransone (AP), has established itself in the European market due to its reliability, refined design, and high levels of innovation. Ksenia operates with an internal research and development department, working on innovating sustainable products with particular attention to the user experience, certified at national and international levels. The company’s main distribution channels are specialised large-scale distribution, with exports accounting for approximately 20% of sales, with a focus on the DACH area and Scandinavian countries. Read more on this deal here: https://bit.ly/44jnEgV For more information on our expertise in this area contact Alberto Regazzo, Christian Christodulopulos, Giorgio Antichi or email privateequity@occstrategy.com #privateequity

OC&C is pleased to congratulate Snow Software on its recent acquisition by Flexera. OC&C provided sell-side commercial due diligence to Snow. Snow (a portfolio company of Vitruvian Partners) and Flexera (a portfolio company of Thoma Bravo) are both leading global providers of IT Asset Management (ITAM), SaaS Management and FinOps software. These solutions help enterprise customers manage spend and compliance/risks around software, hardware, and cloud infrastructure. Snow has very successfully undergone a cloud transition in recent years with the launch of the Snow Atlas platform. Read more about this deal here: https://bit.ly/4aHFZX9 For more information talk to our experts Colin Tyler, James Bridges, James McGibney, Justin Walters or email privateequity@occstrategy.com #privateequity #TMT

We’re really pleased to congratulate the team at Focus Group, a portfolio of Bowmark Capital, on their investment from Hg Capital. OC&C supported Focus with sell-side commercial advice, setting out scope to drive further value from its 30,000+ UK customers. Focus provides cloud comms, IT and mobility services to support its clients, building out innovative technology services to UK SMEs. Hg is a leading investor in European and transatlantic software and services businesses, with its investment supporting Focus Group’s growth plan and M&A. Read more about this deal here: https://bit.ly/4482MsH For more information on our expertise, contact Chris Woodland, Ewan Parry, Irvin Faneyte or email privateequity@occstrategy.com

Eid Mubarak!