Apax Global Alpha Limited has acquired WGSN

LONDON, UK: Apax Global Alpha Limited (AGA), the closed-ended investment company providing access to the Apax Private Equity Funds, has invested approximately €21.5m in WGSN on a look-through basis.

On 1st February 2024, the Apax XI Fund, in which AGA is a limited partner, announced that it had closed the acquisition of WGSN, a leading consumer trend forecaster, from Ascential plc (LSE: ASCL).

Founded in 1998, WGSN is the world’s leading consumer trend forecaster. WGSN’s data and forecasts provide global trend insights across a wide range of industries, including fashion, beauty, food & drink, interiors, and consumer technology.

The WGSN platform enables clients to make critical design and purchasing decisions. The Company has been experiencing strong growth in recent years with a revenue CAGR of 8% from 2016 to 2022.

In partnership with the Apax Funds, WGSN will focus on enhancing and expanding its product design and consumer insight products across a wide range of consumer-facing industries, ensuring their expanding global client base make the right critical design and buying decisions to future-proof and accelerate their own growth.

Apax has extensive experience partnering with businesses in the information and data space, including the Apax Funds’ prior investments in sports-data specialist Genius Sports and workforce screening solutions provider Accurate Background. Apax also has substantial experience in B2B subscription sales from the Apax Funds’ historical marketplace investments.

Note that AGA’s investment in WGSN is calculated based on the look-through position of Apax XI’s overall investment in WGSN and is translated based on the latest exchange rates available where applicable.

AGA, whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange, provides investors with access to a diversified portfolio of private equity funds advised by Apax as well as a focused portfolio of mostly debt investments. In June 2022, AGA made a commitment of c. $700m to Apax XI.

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