Good morning, Nina Lindholm here with the Europe Wire from the London newsroom. I’m covering for Craig McGlashan while he’s at the IPEM conference in Paris.
The spotlight is on financial services and software – and in some cases, a mix of the two – this morning.
We kick things off with ECI Partners, as the firm has agreed to invest in Shaw Gibbs, an accountancy, tax and advisory practice.
Next, we have an add-on in credit and risk management software. Keensight Capital-backed Actico is joining forces with Axe Finance.
To finish, we stick with software. Main Capital Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in VWE Automotive, a provider of software, data and transaction services for the automotive sector.
Further growth
The market outlook for audit and accounting “remains highly attractive” Henrik Geijer, partner at IK Partners, told PE Hub last year.
“In audit, European SMEs increasingly require reliable, high-quality services for regulatory and governance needs, making credibility essential,” said Geijer at the time. “At the same time, strategic investment in technology offers opportunities to optimize delivery models, enhancing efficiency, quality and client experience.”
We have another example of dealmakers betting on the sector. ECI Partners has agreed to invest in Shaw Gibbs, an accountancy, tax and advisory practice.
The deal provides a full exit for private equity firm Apiary Capital, which has backed Shaw Gibbs since 2022.
Shaw Gibbs serves around 25,000 clients, including private individuals, entrepreneurial businesses, public sector and non-profit organizations, and international groups, offering accounting, tax and advisory services across the UK and Ireland.
During Apiary Capital’s ownership, Shaw Gibbs completed 14 acquisitions, including Alliotts, Martin and Company, and Crowleys DFK in Ireland, strengthening its presence across the UK and Ireland.
“Shaw Gibbs stood out to us as one of the most client-centric businesses in the accountancy space, with the platform to scale their consistently high-quality service,” said Michael Butler, partner at ECI Partners, in a statement. “Their breadth of offering, culture and employee proposition, on top of a track record of integrating high-quality businesses, gives them an excellent platform for further growth.”
Expand and enhance
Let’s stay in financial services a while longer but adding in a software element. Keensight Capital is backing Actico’s combination with Axe Finance, a UK-based provider of credit and risk management software.
Axe Finance serves more than 45 financial institutions in more than 29 countries through its Axe Credit Portal, a modular platform covering the full credit lifecycle from loan origination to servicing and collections, with built-in artificial intelligence functionality.
Actico, a provider of software for credit risk management, regulatory compliance and asset administration, serves financial institutions globally. The company is based in Friedrichshafen in Germany.
The combination brings together two credit-technology businesses, pairing Actico’s risk management and automated decision-making software with Axe Finance’s credit platform to create a broader offering spanning the retail, SME and corporate segments.
While Actico is based in the DACH region and operates across Europe, Axe Finance expands its reach into the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
“Axe Finance is a highly strategic addition to ACTICO,” said Stanislas de Tinguy, partner at Keensight Capital, in a statement. “This move strengthens the group’s product offering, expands its geographic footprint and enhances its operational capabilities. We are confident that Actico is well positioned to become the global leader in credit and compliance risk management software.”
Driving forward
Before I sign off, let’s look at one more software deal. Main Capital Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in VWE Automotive, a provider of software, data and transaction services for the automotive sector.
The deal is intended to launch a new phase of growth for VWE, with additional investment in AI-enabled product and data offerings alongside a selective buy-and-build strategy.
Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Heerhugowaard in the Netherlands, VWE employs approximately 150 full-time staff and serves more than 10,000 customers in the Netherlands, including universal and independent dealers, leasing companies, insurers, workshops and fleet operators. Its core platform, MijnVWE, automates processes across the vehicle lifecycle, including purchasing, registration, administration, valuation, sales and ownership transfer.
Main will support the company’s growth by expanding its data-driven products and pursuing a targeted international buy-and-build strategy.
That’s all from me. Rafael Canton will be with you later today with the US Wire. I’ll be in the Europe chair again tomorrow as Craig McGlashan is at the IPEM Paris conference.
Cheers,
Nina