IBM Buys i2 Holdings; Silver Lake Exits

IBM is buying i2 Holdings Ltd., a provider of intelligence and analysis software used by the national security, defense, public safety and private sectors. Terms of the deal were not released. The sale provides an exit for private equity shop Silver Lake Sumeru, which bought the company in 2008. i2 is based in Cambridge, England.

PRESS RELEASE
Silver Lake Sumeru, a global leader in private equity investments in middle-market and growth technology companies, announced the completion of the sale of its portfolio company, i2 Holdings Limited, to International Business Machines Corporation.

i2 is the leader in developing and delivering sophisticated technology solutions for intelligence acquisition, management and analysis. Customers using the i2 Clarity Platform and Coplink Policing Solution have access to a comprehensive range of visualization and multidimensional analytics. i2’s technologies are widely used by organizations across the national security, defense, public safety and private sectors. i2 has 350 employees and major offices in Cambridge, U.K., McLean, VA, and Tucson, AZ.

Silver Lake Sumeru acquired i2 in 2008, with a strategy to enhance product offerings, grow revenue, and improve profitability. i2 has undergone a significant transformation, including meaningful changes to the product roadmap and technology strategy, and has grown substantially while sustaining ongoing profitability and enhancing its strategic position.

“We are pleased that IBM shares our optimism and confidence in the market for i2’s solutions,” said Hollie Moore Haynes, Managing Director of Silver Lake Sumeru. “We have worked with i2’s management team to establish i2 as the leading provider of intelligence analysis software.”

“We are proud of what i2 has accomplished in a relatively short period,” said John Brennan, Managing Director of Silver Lake Sumeru. “The i2 platform represents the clear future of intelligence management and analytical systems, enabling organizations to manage exploding data volumes and support the increasing diversity of analytical techniques required to achieve their missions.”

“We have enjoyed a tremendously productive relationship with Silver Lake Sumeru,” said Robert Griffin, CEO of i2. “They’ve been a valuable partner to us in supporting our vision and operational goals as we have grown our business and enhanced our market leadership position.”

Silver Lake Sumeru has been investing actively in leaders in the analytics and intelligence software sectors. In addition to i2, recent investments include Talend, the leading provider of open source data management software, and Opera Solutions, the leading provider of enterprise analytics software and services.

Jefferies & Company acted as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal counsel to i2 in the transaction.

About Silver Lake Sumeru
Silver Lake Sumeru is a global leader in private equity investments in middle-market and growth technology companies. The Silver Lake Sumeru team applies fundamental operating insight, deep technology sector expertise, and world-class investing skills to invest in and partner with companies. Silver Lake Sumeru’s portfolio includes leading technology companies such as Locaweb, Opera Solutions, Power-One, PrimeSense, SMART Modular, and Talend. Silver Lake Sumeru is the middle-market investment fund of Silver Lake, the global leader in private equity investments in technology and technology-enabled industries.