MidOcean Partners has agreed to sell Global Knowledge, a worldwide corporate training company, to Rhône Capital. MidOcean first invested in Global Knowledge in October 2011.
Global Knowledge is the largest worldwide provider of authorized training for technology vendors including Cisco, Microsoft, and VMware. In addition to vendor-authorized content, Global Knowledge develops and delivers proprietary content in IT and Business Skills areas such as networking, business process, and project management. Global Knowledge educates over 200,000 corporate professionals across 22,000 class sessions each year. The company is headquartered in Cary, NC (www.globalknowledge.com).
“Global Knowledge has been an excellent investment for our firm,” said Ted Virtue, CEO of MidOcean Partners. “We have enjoyed the opportunity to partner with a strong management team and to leverage the company’s leading market position to take advantage of a growing and increasingly important industry. MidOcean was also able to apply its methodologies and expertise to position the business for sustained growth and success going forward.”
MidOcean Partners invests in middle market companies active in the consumer and business services sectors. The firm has offices in New York and London (www.midoceanpartners.com).
During MidOcean’s term of ownership, Global Knowledge achieved significant organic revenue and EBITDA growth. The company accelerated its virtual learning offerings, expanded its technology education partnerships including the addition of IBM and Amazon Web Services and broadened its proprietary content suite within technology and business skills.
Rhône Capital is a global private equity firm with more than €3 billion under management and a focus on private equity investments in businesses with a pan-European or transatlantic presence. Sectors of interest include business services, chemicals, consumer products, food, industrial, materials, mining, and shipping. The firm was founded in 1996 and has offices in London and New York (www.rhonegroup.com).
Robert W. Baird & Co. advised Global Knowledge on this transaction.
2014 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 11-14-14
