Newbury: LDC invests in Amberjack management buyout
James Cowper Kreston has announced the completion of LDC’s investment in Amberjack. The team acted as buy-side advisers to LDC during the transaction.
Spectrum Corporate Finance advised the shareholders. The MBO was led by Amberjack’s existing management team - chief executive Cynthia Bostock and managing directors Sophie Meaney and Cassie Sissons.
Newbury-based Amberjack is the UK’s market-leading specialist in designing and delivering early careers and large scale recruitment programmes for blue-chip organisations.
Amberjack provides its specialist services and software products to many of the UK’s largest employers, with a particular focus on early careers candidates - specifically graduates, school leavers and apprenticeship programmes. It uses proprietary cloud-based software tools to automate processes, manage application volumes and provide data driven insights to help assess and select candidates and also provide a professional experience to candidates. Clients include major organisations such as Unilever, GSK, Mars, Network Rail, BP, Heathrow Airport, Virgin Media Liberty Global and members of the Big Four.
LDC has invested £17.6 million of equity to support a management buyout and accelerate the business’s growth strategy, including providing capital to support investment in the software and technology propositions and help the business to explore complementary acquisitions to broaden its service offering.
Cynthia Bostock, chief executive at Amberjack, said: “Amberjack’s growth is testament to the fantastic service our teams provide to all of our clients and the increasing sophistication required in large recruitment campaigns and specifically for junior talent.
“We’ve grown Amberjack to become the undisputed market leader in our sector and are looking to expand our service offering even further with LDC’s investment. The support of an established private equity partner with comprehensive experience in helping firms that provide technology services will help us accelerate our ambitious growth strategy.”
Chris Baker, investment director at LDC in the South, said: “Amberjack offers a market-leading proposition that enables companies to be more sophisticated with their early careers and high volume recruitment campaigns and attract, identify and hire the best talent for their business.
“With Cynthia, Sophie and Cassie at the helm, it’s no surprise that the business is growing with increasing momentum and has built an enviable client list. We look forward to working with the team to continue to build on their exceptional achievements to date.”
Stuart Williams, corporate finance partner at James Cowper Kreston, said: “It has been a pleasure to advise LDC on their investment in Amberjack. The business has both an enviable client base and reputation in the market and with LDC’s backing I am sure this will continue. I wish Cynthia, Sophie and Cassie luck on the next stage of their journey.”
Clive Hatchard, Managing Director at Spectrum Corporate Finance commented: “Amberjack is a unique business which proved incredibly attractive to potential investors. The quality of its management team, the suite of technology products supporting its consultancy service together with an unparalleled list of blue-chip, global clients has enabled it to grow significantly in the last few years. The market it serves is large and defensible which provides for an exciting future with continued growth and client wins.”
LDC was also advised by Gateley plc, HMT, Silxo and PMSI Consulting.
Amberjack was also advised by Clark Holt.
