Argyle Executive Forum, a portfolio company of The Wicks Group of Companies since June 2015, has acquired Innovation Enterprise, a producer of networking events and a provider of marketing services, from CFO Publishing, a portfolio company of Seguin Partners since January 2010.
Innovation Enterprise produces more than 122 annual events in the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and provides digital and media marketing services for executives in finance, big data, analytics, innovation, strategy, digital, and supply chain functions. The company has offices in New York, London and Boston (www.theinnovationenterprise.com).
Argyle Executive Forum (Argyle) hosts more than 150 full-day forums, private dinners, virtual conferences, think tanks and roundtable discussions for its Fortune 500 C-level executive membership. The company’s events allow its members, speakers and sponsoring partners to connect in person, in a peer-to-peer, protected environment to share thought leadership, high level networking and direct discussion with fellow business leaders. Argyle was founded in 2004 and is led by CEO Danny Phillips. The company is headquartered in New York (www.argyleforum.com).
“This transaction establishes Argyle as the world’s leading producer of high-touch engagement events, as well as the leading provider of finance executive-focused marketing services in North America,” said Mr. Phillips. “Our newly combined entity will produce more than 350 executive events, 200 webcasts, over 400 marketing services campaigns, and provide content solutions to more than two million executives in 2016.”
The Wicks Group of Companies invests in lower-middle-market companies operating in the information, education and media industries principally in the United States and Canada. The firm was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in New York (www.wicksgroup.com).
Seguin Partners invests in companies active in the business-to-business information, publishing, media, healthcare, security, and outsourced business services sectors. The firm was founded in 2006 by Martin Madden and Chris Needham and is based north of Boston in Middleton, MA (www.seguinpartners.com).
Monroe Capital (www.monroecap.com) was the co-syndication agent on a senior credit facility to support Argyle’s buy of Innovation Enterprise. Investment bank Redwood Capital Group (www.redcapgroup.com), led by Kathleen Thomas, Partner, was the advisor to Sequin.
© 2016 Private Equity Professional • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 5-26-16