PEARSON (ITALY & GERMANY) acquired by SANOMA CORPORATION

Mediascience completed its fourth LBO, welcoming a new pool of investors led by Arkea Capital, alongside BNP Paribas Developpement and IRD Invest. This transaction marks the exit of Siparex, which had been the majority shareholder since 2012. Simultaneously, Mediascience acquired its competitor Sordalab (EUR13m revenue), creating a group with EUR60m in combined revenue. The financial sponsors invested a joint equity ticket of approximately EUR12 million to hold a large majority of the capital. The deal was initially launched in early 2020 but postponed due to Covid-19 school closures. The financing includes senior debt provided by a banking pool and mezzanine financing (Obligations Remboursables) from Picardie Investissement.

Galileo Global Education, alongside Bpifrance and BioMerieux, acquired a 46.5% stake in EMLyon, facilitating the exit of the previous private equity investor, Qualium Investissement. The Lyon Chamber of Commerce (CCI) remains the majority shareholder with 51%. The transaction included a EUR50 million capital increase, bringing the school's total investment capacity to over EUR100 million. The strategic rationale focuses on the "Confluences 2025" plan, emphasizing international recruitment through Galileo's global network, cross-disciplinary "hybridization" with design and engineering schools, and digital transformation. Under the new governance, Guillaume Pepy (former CEO of SNCF) was appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board, while Isabelle Huault continues as Executive President.

AD Education acquired Groupe Oktogone from its founder. This transaction marks a major diversification for AD Education, adding a strong "Online" vertical to its predominantly "Presential" portfolio. The deal allows the group to offer comprehensive hybrid learning paths. It follows a series of recent acquisitions by AD Education, including IMAAT (2021), Asfored (2022), and the ongoing acquisition of SAE Institute's European activities.

Five Arrows Principal Investments entered into an exclusivity agreement to acquire a majority stake in Groupe EDH from Quilvest Capital Partners and IK Partners. The transaction marks a new stage in the group's development, with the management team led by Amin Khiari reinvesting significantly to maintain a central role. Historic investors Quilvest and IK also planned to reinvest alongside Five Arrows. This capital reorganization follows an intense cycle of external growth marked by the acquisitions of Institut Cread (interior architecture) and ESEC (cinema). The new partner's ambition is to support the continuation of this consolidation strategy and strengthen the digitalization and international expansion of the group's brands.

Eduservices acquired L'Ecole Francaise, beating out another industrial player and two funds. The founders reinvested to keep a minority stake. This transaction follows an aborted Primary LBO process in 2021 where the target sought a very high valuation. The deal allows Eduservices to complete its offer: adding short, online, professionalizing modules to its existing portfolio of long-term diploma courses. The target's revenue surged during the pandemic due to the CPF scheme.

Capza Expansion acquired a minority stake in Eduservices, joining the existing financial pool of Parquest and Amundi PEF. The transaction was structured as a new LBO, including senior bank debt with specific capex lines to fund growth. The founder's family and the management team retained the majority control. The capital injection was aimed at accelerating international expansion in key European markets (Germany, Spain, Italy) and continuing the digitalization of the curriculum.

Sodexo has reduced its stake in the childcare sector by selling its French nursery business to the Grandir group. This strategic divestment allows Sodexo to refocus on its core activities while enabling Grandir to significantly expand its national footprint. By integrating these new facilities, Grandir strengthens its position as a leader in the French market, enhancing its capacity to provide high-quality educational services across the country.

InfraVia Capital Partners has entered the capital of Grandir, a major international player in early childhood education. This partnership supports the founding family and existing minority investors in their long-term growth strategy. The transaction aims to accelerate the group's international development, particularly in Europe and North America, while supporting its buy-and-build strategy and enhancing its educational offerings across its global network.

IEF2I Education has completed its third Owner Buy-Out (OBO), with MBO & Co entering as the new lead minority investor. The transaction involved a 30 million euro equity injection from the lead sponsor and Alliance Entreprendre, the latter choosing to reinvest in the new cycle. The deal allowed the previous investor, Galia Gestion, to exit its position entirely. The recapitalization was supported by a senior debt package of approximately 20 million euros, representing a leverage ratio slightly exceeding three times EBITDA. The strategic rationale for the deal is to double the group's size over the next business plan cycle. This growth will be driven by the diversification of the educational catalog and the opening or acquisition of new campuses in major French cities outside the Paris region. The founder and CEO, Chantal Berdaa, retains majority control of the group following the transaction.

The transaction involves the acquisition of a significant minority stake in International Schools Partnership (ISP) by Omers, a Canadian pension fund. Partners Group, the private markets firm that founded ISP and built it from the ground up, remains the majority shareholder on behalf of its clients. The primary driver for the deal was ISP's need for fresh equity capital to accelerate its ambitious global buy-and-build strategy. This capital injection was structured as an ownership extension, as some of Partners Group's existing limited partners were unable to commit additional funds due to their own portfolio management considerations. The new capital structure brings in Omers as a key third-party investor alongside new and reinvesting Partners Group clients. The proceeds from the transaction are earmarked predominantly for platform expansion through M&A. ISP has identified a strong pipeline of potential acquisitions, including smaller school groups and single schools that may be experiencing financial pressures, presenting attractive consolidation opportunities. Following the investment, key value creation initiatives will continue to focus on strategic acquisitions, ongoing investment in learning technology, and improvements to the physical infrastructure of its schools. Partners Group will continue to lead the implementation of this growth strategy in close collaboration with ISP's management team.