04.09.2014 11:00:00 CET
M-Brain Oy Company Announcement 4.9.2014 12:00 pm
M-Brain Acquires Global Intelligence Alliance
M-Brain Oy has today on 4.9.2014 signed an agreement to purchase the entire share capital of Global Intelligence Alliance Group Oy (GIA). The sellers are funds managed by CapMan Oyj, as well as GIA:s management and other individual shareholders.
The companies will be integrated into each other during the autumn. Following the acquisition, M-Brain will become a global Market Intelligence provider, combining M-Brain's content production and SaaS solutions with GIA:s market intelligence, strategic analysis and related software solutions. The combined entity will have offices in twelve countries. The 2014 pro forma net sales will amount to approximately euro 34,5 million and an EBITDA of approximately euro 4,5 million, excluding non-recurring items. The combined staff will amount to 450 employees. The companies complement each other perfectly. The acquisition will result in cost synergies as well as new innovative business solutions. The synergies are expected to take effect in 2015.
"Knowledge management and real-time market intelligence is a critical success factor in an ever globalizing business environment", says M-Brain's Executive Chairman Kim Nyberg. "Cost efficient solutions allowing both top management and other functions access to coordinated intelligence have been limited".
"Now we can offer a complete market intelligence solution ranging from consulting, information systems and intelligence best practices to intelligence services, content creation and software."
"M-Brain is a market leader in Finland. GIA strengthens our international position, especially in Asia and the Americas, as well as our European operations. M-Brain will become a market leader in the Nordics and a significant international player", Nyberg concludes.
Markko Vaarnas, CEO and co-founder of Global Intelligence Alliance Group commented, "With CapMan as our investor since 2007, we managed to internationalize our innovative Market Intelligence partnership concept to global growth markets. Now we are excited to take the next step forward. With M-Brain's market monitoring services and related technologies, we are able to offer our clients an unparalleled spectrum of Market Intelligence content services, software products and advisory. Together our footprint will be even more global and we get a fast-track opportunity to bring our concept to the M-Brain geographies where we have not yet operated. In the consolidating Market Intelligence industry, we can together become the driving force that shapes the industry and helps the clients to get more impact from their investments in Market Intelligence".
M-Brain is a European based information services company with offices in seven countries. Our services are based on a unique combination of our own proprietary big data technology and human intelligence. We offer media and business intelligence solutions, analytics and consultation services, as well as online intelligence tools and technology to bring true insight into our clients' business environment. Our solutions and services are tailored to serve varying business needs regardless of function, industry type or language barriers.
Global Intelligence Alliance (GIA) is a strategic market intelligence and advisory group. GIA was formed in 1995 when a team of market intelligence specialists, management consultants, industry analysts and technology experts came together to build a powerful suite of customized solutions ranging from outsourced market monitoring services and software, to strategic analysis and advisory. Today, we are the preferred partner for organizations seeking to understand, compete and grow in international markets. Our industry expertise and coverage of over 100 countries enables our customers to make better informed decisions worldwide.
CapMan Group is one of the leading private equity firms in the Nordic countries and Russia, with assets under management of approximately €3.1 billion. CapMan has five investment partnerships - CapMan Buyout, CapMan Russia, CapMan Credit, CapMan Public Market, and CapMan Real Estate - each of which has its own dedicated investment team and funds. Altogether, CapMan employs approx. 100 people in Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, Moscow and Luxembourg. CapMan was established in 1989 and has been listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange since 2001.
For more information, please contact:
Kim Nyberg, Executive Chairman, M-Brain
E-mail: kim.nyberg@m-brain.com
Phone: +358 (0)400 430538
Markko Vaarnas, CEO, Global Intelligence Alliance
E-mail: markko.vaarnas@globalintelligence.com
Phone: +358 (0)40 540 3390
Certified Advisor Evli Pankki Oyj/ Petteri Nurminen
Phone: +358 (0)40 509 5665