HOUSE OF HR acquired by BAIN CAPITAL

The acquisition of OpenWork allows Freelance.com to absorb one of its most innovative competitors, effectively merging OpenWork’s digital-first platform with Freelance.com’s large-scale institutional reach. The strategic rationale for the deal is rooted in the complementary nature of their service offerings and geographic footprints, particularly with the integration of OpenWork’s Belgian operations into Freelance.com’s existing international network in Switzerland and Morocco. By combining their commercial and marketing resources, the new group achieves a stronger position to manage different tiers of consultants through a multi-brand strategy

Acuity Knowledge Partners has been acquired by Permira, with the transaction announced in January 2023 and subject to standard regulatory approvals. The acquisition follows a prior ownership structure in which Equistone Partners Europe held a majority position after a management buyout from Moody's Corporation in 2019, and it marks the transition to a new majority shareholder while retaining minority stakes for existing investors and management. Permira cited the expansion of tech‑enabled research services to financial institutions as a core driver for the investment, noting that Acuity’s global delivery model and proprietary analytics platform align with the firm’s strategy to deepen capabilities in data‑intensive sectors

New Mountain Capital acquired a majority stake in Citrin Cooperman, marking a historic shift for the firm from a traditional partnership to a PE-backed growth model. The strategic partnership was designed to provide the financial and technological resources needed to accelerate both organic growth and a massive consolidation program. In the first six months following the investment, the firm successfully closed five strategic acquisitions, expanding its geographic footprint and diversifying into specialized technology and advisory services

Sagard entered into exclusive negotiations to become the new reference shareholder of ADIT, acquiring a stake slightly below 50%. This transaction represents the fourth LBO since the company's privatization in 2011. Existing shareholders Parquest Capital, Bpifrance, and Amundi PEF reinvested in the new structure. The French State retained its "golden share" to safeguard strategic national interests. The deal aims to support ADIT's ambition to rival major Anglo-Saxon players and accelerate its expansion into Italy, Germany, and Spain

Freelance.com completed the acquisition of Helvetic Payroll, the undisputed leader of the Swiss umbrella company market. This cross-border transaction combines the target’s high-margin, digital-native operations with the acquirer’s large-scale institutional reach in France. The strategic rationale for the deal is twofold: achieving immediate geographic dominance in Switzerland and significantly accreting the group's overall profitability, as the target's 5% operating margin exceeds the acquirer's historical average

Adecco acquired 100% of QAPA and planNED to immediately deploy a "state-of-the-art" 100% online solution to its client base. Strategically, this acquisition complements Adecco's physical network with a high-speed digital channel, intended to serve large key accounts requiring flexibility.

H.I.G. Europe acquired KPMG's UK restructuring business in a complex corporate carve-out transaction. The deal created "Interpath Advisory," an independent entity led by senior partners who became significant shareholders. The strategic rationale was to liberate the practice from Big 4 audit conflicts, allowing it to service a wider range of clients and navigate the post-COVID economic recovery landscape with greater agility.

Jacobs Engineering Group has finalized a strategic investment to acquire a 65% majority stake in PA Consulting from The Carlyle Group, which exits its position after a successful five-year partnership. This transaction is uniquely structured as a "private equity style" deal to ensure the consultancy retains its independence, brand identity, and distinct corporate culture. The remaining 35% stake is retained by the target's employees, reinforcing the firm’s long-standing partnership model and aligning interests between the management team and the new industrial sponsor

The acquisition of TRM Partners by Two Circles represents a strategic consolidation designed to merge predictive fan data analytics with institutional sponsorship sales execution, responding to corporate marketing procurement shifts that demand auditable, data-backed returns on advertising spend over traditional broadcast impressions. Under its prior independent ownership cycle, TRM Partners validated its commercial framework by securing significant multi-year partnerships with global consumer brands and automotive sponsors, establishing a high-yielding sales pipeline that sustained momentum through macroeconomic disruptions

Argon & Co, a leading independent management consulting firm specializing in operations strategy and transformation, has partnered with Ardian to accelerate its global expansion. Through this transaction, Ardian Growth has taken a minority stake in the firm, providing the financial resources necessary to fuel a proactive external growth strategy.