LONDON: Apax Global Alpha (AGA), the closed-ended investment company linked to the Apax Private Equity Funds, announced Friday that it expects to invest an additional approximately €3 million in WGSN after the trend forecaster’s acquisition of IWSR, a leading provider of beverage alcohol market insights.
WGSN, a portfolio company of the Apax XI Fund, disclosed on June 5 that it had acquired IWSR, which offers proprietary data spanning more than 160 countries. The move is expected to bolster WGSN’s position in the beverage sector and strengthen its capabilities in trend forecasting, AI-driven analytics, and consumer insights.
Apax XI first invested in WGSN in 2024, seeing an opportunity to drive value through product expansion and M&A strategies. With this latest acquisition, AGA has invested about €24.7 million in WGSN on a look-through basis, reflecting Apax XI’s overall stake in the company.
AGA, listed on the London Stock Exchange, provides investors access to a portfolio of private equity funds advised by Apax, alongside a smaller portfolio of debt instruments. The company maintains a commitment of approximately $700 million to Apax XI.