Vitruvian Partners Buys Callcredit

Vitruvian Partners has acquired a majority stake in Callcredit Information Group from Skipton Building Society. No financial terms were disclosed. Callcredit is a UK-based provider of credit reference service and direct marketing solutions to financial institutions. It has over 600 employees and annual turnover of approximately £50 million. Marks Baughan & Co. advised Vitruvian on the deal.

PRESS RELEASE

Vitruvian Partners, the European private equity firm, announced that it has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Callcredit Information Group from Skipton Building Society.

“Callcredit sits right in our sweet spot as an entrepreneurial organization, deploying smart technology and with a strong, customer-centric management team and great strategic opportunities ahead of it,” said David Nahama, a founding partner at Vitruvian. “We are delighted to be working with Chief Executive Officer John McAndrew and his team at this very exciting stage of their development.”

Callcredit provides the UK’s most innovative credit reference service and direct marketing solutions to financial institutions and others. Skipton supported Callcredit for almost a decade, developing it into one of the UK’s leading suppliers of credit and marketing information. Callcredit now has over 600 employees and annual turnover of approximately £50m.

Vitruvian is an independent private equity firm that specializes in middle-market buyouts, growth buyouts and growth capital investments in the UK and Northern Europe. Marks Baughan advised Vitruvian on its purchase of Skipton’s ownership stake.

“John Jacobs and Marks Baughan were extremely helpful in evaluating Callcredit and helping us close the transaction, said Nahama. John’s relationships and knowledge in the financial technology sector impressed us and added considerable value. In addition, John was there every step of the way to assist us in driving the process forward to completion. We would like to thank John for all his hard work from beginning to end.”

For Callcredit, its acquisition backed by Vitruvian marks the start of a new era as an independent organization. Vitruvian Partners will take Skipton’s place on the Board and is looking forward to injecting fresh investment, ideas and experience into the business’s future development. Callcredit, under its current leadership team, will continue to pursue its clear strategic direction focused on innovation and delivering outstanding value and service.

About Vitruvian Partners
Vitruvian Partners is an independent private equity firm that specializes in backing entrepreneurial managers through middle-market buyouts, growth buyouts and growth capital investments in the UK and Northern Europe, in sectors such as Financial Services, Technology, Media, Business Services and Leisure. The Firm was founded by a group of principals whose experience in the industry dates back to 1990 and who have demonstrated an ability to invest successfully over multiple market cycles across a spectrum of industries.

For more information about Vitruvian go to www.vitruvianpartners.com.

About Marks Baughan & Co.
Marks Baughan & Co. provides investment banking services to growth companies in the Financial Technology and Information Management sectors. Our narrow focus and deep expertise and relationships in these two verticals provide our clients with top-quality results driven by an efficient process. Started in 2004 by two former senior members of the Credit Suisse First Boston Technology Group, Marks Baughan & Co. has established itself as one of the most successful of the new boutique investment banks by combining bulge-bracket expertise with boutique service. Our clients range from public companies with multi-billion dollar market caps to private companies with $10 million in revenues. We deliver results for clients: advising on sales of entire companies and divisions, acquisitions, private placements of equity and debt securities, or strategic advisory services for CEOs and CFOs on public offerings, M&A plans, or investor positioning.