HELIOS GLOBAL GROUP acquired by TELEMOS CAPITAL

Ayming has announced a strategic capital reorganization. Andera Partners, through its Andera MidCap 5 fund, has acquired a majority stake in the group. This transition marks a new growth cycle supported by the existing management team who are reinvesting significantly in the project. EMZ, a partner since 2022, is also renewing its commitment by maintaining a minority shareholding.

Blackstone acquired a majority stake in Citrin Cooperman from New Mountain Capital in a landmark deal valuing the firm at an enterprise value of over $2 billion. The strategic rationale focuses on continuing the firm's rapid consolidation of the fragmented regional accounting market and accelerating investments in AI and offshore delivery centers to improve margins. Partners of the firm reinvested a substantial portion of their equity, while the deal structure ensures the audit side remains independently owned to satisfy SEC and PCAOB independence standards.

CapMan has completed the divestment of its majority stake (92.7%) in CaPS to Proxer Bidco Oy. This transaction represents a strategic carve-out, allowing the seller to refocus its resources and capital on its core private asset fund management business. Originally an internal service unit, the target had evolved into a largely standalone business with limited operational links to the rest of the group, making the divestment a natural progression for its next growth phase. The sale significantly enhances the seller’s financial position, providing strong liquidity and a positive impact on 2024 earnings. Following the closing, the target will operate under a new ownership structure designed to facilitate further expansion across the Nordics and beyond, while continuing to serve its extensive network of members and vendors.

This transaction represents the enterprise's fifth consecutive Leveraged Buyout (LBO), marking a significant yet familiar restructuring of its cap table. The incoming lead financial sponsor steps in to successfully provide an exit for several incumbent minority investment funds. A defining characteristic of this operation is the massive, broad-based reinvestment from the executive leadership and a vast cohort of key employees, ensuring profound strategic alignment. The overall capitalization is robustly structured, featuring a comprehensive senior debt package syndicated across multiple tranches by an expanded consortium of historical banking partners. Crucially, this financing architecture includes substantial, dedicated acquisition credit lines strictly earmarked to rapidly trigger an aggressive, inorganic external growth campaign immediately following the successful completion of the customary regulatory closing conditions.

Abénex has successfully structured a continuation vehicle to acquire a 55% majority stake in Europa Group, facilitating a major secondary leveraged buyout and the transfer of assets from its fifth flagship fund. This strategic operation marks a pivotal shift in the group's governance, allowing the founders to trigger a structured managerial transition while retaining a significant 35% minority stake. The primary objective is to aggressively finance Europa Group's ongoing multiple build-up strategy in specialized medical media to double the group's size by 2029.

Trail Capital has successfully completed a strategic investment in Marcadé via its SLAM fund, acquiring a significant stake to fuel the agency's international 2028 Roadmap. The operation is strictly engineered to trigger a transition of ownership, inviting five key managers to the cap table alongside the founder. To adequately capitalize this new cycle, the deal structure incorporates a debt package designed to support an aggressive organic and external growth strategy. This partnership is aimed at tripling the group's revenue from €20M to €60M by 2028 by establishing new local hubs in high-growth regions such as the Middle East (Dubai) and the United States.

The ADIT Group acquired a 66% controlling stake in DCI, marking the group's official privatization. The transaction involved ADIT purchasing the entire 33.33% stake held by Sofema and a 21.56% stake from the French State. The French State retains a 34% "blocking minority" stake to safeguard strategic interests. This merger creates a French champion of "soft power" and economic intelligence, combining DCI's military expertise with ADIT's strategic influence. The strategic roadmap includes modernizing services through digitalization, expanding presence in Eastern Europe (Ukraine/Poland) and Africa (where revenue grew to 15% of the total), and strengthening ties with French defense manufacturers.

PROMAN has completed the acquisition of the French startup Onestaff. This transaction marks the group's second major digital acquisition within a year, following the integration of the online agency Iziwork. The strategic rationale for the deal is to bridge the gap between traditional temporary staffing and the burgeoning freelance economy. By integrating Onestaff’s AI-driven matching technology and its database of 60,000 independent professionals, PROMAN can now offer corporate clients a seamless choice between temporary employment contracts and freelance service agreements. The deal is particularly significant given Onestaff's resilience, having secured its legal standing after a five-year judicial procedure, and its recent pivot to profitability. For PROMAN, the partnership provides an immediate foothold in the retail, beauty, and events sectors with a scalable, low-overhead digital model. This move highlights a broader trend among European staffing giants to "buy rather than build" digital capabilities, ensuring they remain relevant to a workforce increasingly seeking flexibility and digital-first interactions.

The acquisition of INAQ by Torghatten Aqua is a strategic move to strengthen the company's position in the seafood industry. The deal allows Torghatten Aqua to expand its services to include consultancy and advisory services, catering to the needs of seafood businesses in Norway and internationally. The acquisition also provides INAQ with access to a strong network and industrial owners, ensuring its position as an independent and standalone player in the industry. The deal is expected to create synergies between the two companies, particularly in the development and dissemination of knowledge and expertise. The acquisition is also seen as a positive move for INAQ's employees, who will become owners of 34% of the company. The deal is expected to contribute to the growth and development of both companies, aligning with their ambitious strategies and plans. The acquisition is a significant milestone for Torghatten Aqua, marking its entry into the consultancy sector and expanding its presence in the seafood industry. The deal is also expected to have a positive impact on the industry as a whole, promoting sustainable practices and contributing to the development of the seafood sector.

Freelance.com acquire STA Groupe, a key reference in the French umbrella company sector. The operation is strategically timed following the acquisition of OpenWork, effectively propelling the combined group beyond the symbolic €1 billion revenue milestone within just three years of doubling its previous scale. The strategic rationale for the deal is rooted in the high complementarity between STA’s specialized IT and strategy consultant pool and Freelance.com’s extensive corporate client base. By integrating STA’s full-digital SaaS platform and its 40% year-over-year growth momentum, the acquirer significantly enhances its operational efficiency and service range for high-demand skills such as interim management and business expertise. The partnership is designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the target’s model while leveraging the acquirer’s vast industrial resources to facilitate international scaling. This merger marks a major phase in the professionalization of the freelance economy, creating a powerhouse with nearly 15,000 active consultants.