Dec 27, 2018

December 20, 2018 CloserStill Media Announces Growth Investment from Providence Equity Partners LONDON – December 20, 2018 – Funds advised by Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”) have signed an agreement to invest in CloserStill Media (“CloserStill”), one of the world’s leading independent organisers of trade shows and events. Providence agreed to acquire a majority stake from Inflexion Private Equity (“Inflexion”), NVM Private Equity (“NVM”) and management. Phil Soar and Phil Nelson, co-founders of CloserStill, as well as the broader management team, will remain major shareholders alongside Providence. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. CloserStill is a fast-growing exhibitions business, operating an award-winning portfolio of global brands in the technology, learning and healthcare sectors. Flagship events include the London Vet Show, Cloud Expo Asia, Data Centre World, The Pharmacy Show, Learning Technologies and The Dentistry Show. The company has achieved significant organic and inorganic growth, with eleven acquisitions completed in the last three years. Today, CloserStill has a team of over 270 employees across a global network of offices in London, Paris, New York, California, Berlin, Singapore and Hong Kong. Philip Soar, Chairman & CEO of CloserStill, said: “Over the past ten years we have worked diligently to develop a best-in-class team that has driven our remarkable growth. Our business has also benefited from the expertise provided by Inflexion and NVM and we appreciate their significant contributions in the last three years. CloserStill now has a roster of the best attended and largest events focused on the high-value technology and healthcare sectors globally. We are excited to partner with Providence, who we have known for some time, and who have extensive experience in our industry and a superb track record in supporting growth businesses.” Phil Nelson, Commercial Director and co-founder of CloserStill, said: “Since founding the business in 2008, we have been fortunate to expand within our attractive sector verticals and I am thrilled with the results made possible by the dedication and creativity of our colleagues. I really look forward to the next chapter of our growth.” Andrew Tisdale, Managing Director at Providence, said: “CloserStill is an exceptional business led by a strong management team with a proven track record of developing and acquiring successful events around the world. With a compelling global portfolio and diverse customer base across the technology, learning and healthcare sectors, CloserStill is well-positioned to accelerate the momentum the business has generated to date. We are excited to partner with such a fantastic team and look forward to working together.” CloserStill was advised by Addleshaw Goddard LLP and DC Advisory on the legal and financial aspects, respectively. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal advisor to Providence and LionTree Advisors as financial advisor. About CloserStill CloserStill is a leading business trade show operator focusing on the healthcare, learning and technology sectors. Founded in 2008, CloserStill operates a portfolio of some of the fastest-growing, award-winning events, including: the London Vet Show, Cloud Expo Europe, Data Centre World, The Pharmacy Show, Learning Technologies and The Dentistry Show. CloserStill featured in the Sunday Times “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2018 and ranked in the top 100 of the Sunday Times International Track 200 in 2016, 2017 and 2018. In 2017, CloserStill was listed in the Financial Times FT1000 Index as the fastest growing exhibitions organiser and one of the fastest growing companies in Europe. In 2018 Industry Awards, CloserStill won “Best Trade Show”, “Best Trade Show Launch”, “Best Trade Show Rising Star”, “Best Salesperson in the Industry”, “Best Operations Team in the Industry” and “Best Marketing Team in the Industry”. About Providence Equity Partners Providence is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $30 billion in assets under management across complementary private equity businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 180 companies and has become a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.provequity.com . Media Contacts: December 17, 2018 Tes Announces New Owners LONDON – December 17, 2018 – We are delighted to announce the sale of Tes Global Group Limited (“Tes Global”) from TPG to Providence Equity Partners L.L.C. (“Providence”). The management and staff of Tes Global are pleased to welcome Providence as owners. The Executive team is looking forward to working together with Providence to build the business and help achieve its long-term success. Rob Grimshaw, CEO of Tes Global said: “We are delighted to be joining Providence at this exciting time in Tes Global’s journey. Our mission is to support and connect teachers and schools worldwide, helping them improve children’s lives through education. Over the next few years and backed by the strength of Providence’s expertise in the education sector, we look forward to taking that vision further. In particular, we aim to build on our already strong credentials as a software services provider, bringing smart digital solutions to schools both in the UK and worldwide. On behalf of everyone at Tes, I’d also like to thank TPG for their guidance as owners of the business in recent years and their unwavering support for our successful strategic transformation.” Dany Rammal, Managing Director at Providence, said: “By partnering with Tes Global, we can combine their leading education platform with our expertise developing innovative education businesses around the world to build an even stronger operator in this exciting sector. Providence has over 150,000 students across our existing portfolio of education-focused groups that includes NACE Schools, Galileo Global Education and Study Group International, which make us particularly well-positioned to help Rob and his team propel Tes Global’s world-leading community of teachers and school leaders towards its next phase of growth.” Antonio Capo, Partner at TPG Capital, said: “Since investing in Tes Global in 2013, we have worked closely with management to transform Tes from a predominantly print-based teacher classified business into a global digital education company. A number of strategic acquisitions have enabled Tes to expand into teacher training and education technology, whilst heavy investment in systems and digital capabilities have resulted in disruptive product innovations for schools and teachers the world over. We are proud of what the company has achieved under our ownership, and wish Rob, his team and their new sponsor Providence continued success.” Tes Global was advised by Jefferies International Limited, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, and Travers Smith LLP and Providence was advised by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Arma Partners. In preparation for this transaction, the ‘THE WUR’ (Times Higher Education World University Rankings) business was separated from Tes Global and will remain under the ownership of TPG pending a sale in the New Year. Upon closing of this transaction, Tes Global and ‘THE WUR’ will be discrete businesses with different owners. EDITORS NOTES Overview of Tes Global Ltd: We believe in the power of great teaching. Tes supports and connects teachers and schools worldwide, helping them improve children’s lives through education. Building on our heritage of writing news for teachers for over a century, Tes is at the heart of the global teaching profession. We host a digital community of 11.6m educators, who create and share-teaching resources downloaded up to a million times a day. Through sophisticated digital tools and services, we help schools attract candidates to fill vacancies, as well as qualify and train their own teachers. Tes at a glance: 20% growth year on year on tes.com, including 2.1m average weekly unique users 1m classroom resources downloaded on peak days and 230m last year (over 1 billion downloads since Tes launched a resource sharing platform) 500K teachers clicked to apply for jobs in the past 12 months 5th largest ITT (initial teacher training) organisation in the UK 1st largest library of Continuous Professional Development content in the English-speaking world About Providence Equity PartnersProvidence is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $30 billion in assets under management across complementary private equity businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm’s inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 180 companies and has become a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.provequity.com . For more information, please contact: Providence Equity Partners Prov-SVC@sardverb.com lbarrett@tpg.com Tes Global jim@tes.com katy.gandon@tesglobal.com December 12, 2018 ShootProof Announces Strategic Investment by Providence Equity ATLANTA, GA – December 12, 2018 – ShootProof (the “Company”), a leading global provider of online gallery software and related services for professional and semi-professional photographers, today announced a significant growth investment by Providence Strategic Growth (PSG), the growth equity affiliate of Providence Equity Partners, a premier global asset management firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2010, ShootProof is a user-friendly, technology-enabled platform that allows photographers to share and sell their work commission-free. ShootProof is a one-stop shop for photographers around the world, offering a suite of professional tools to address all of their business needs, including online photo proofing, customizable password-protected galleries and mobile apps, invoicing, contracts and printing through its extensive network of partner labs. The Company also provides tools that help photographers manage their ongoing businesses, including email marketing and a dashboard for monitoring sales activity. Tens of thousands of photographers in 38 countries use ShootProof’s galleries and services, which are available in 18 languages. “PSG has deep experience and an impressive track record of partnering with founder-led software and technology-enabled services businesses, making them the ideal partner for ShootProof as we look to scale our platform and capitalize on market opportunities that we believe will accelerate our growth,” said Colin Breece, Co-Founder of ShootProof. Robert Swarthout, Co-Founder of ShootProof, added, “We are passionate about providing photographers with the tools they need to run successful and sustainable businesses. PSG shares our vision for technology innovation, and their strategic and operational expertise in building vertical SaaS companies will be invaluable as we expand our platform with new services that enhance the user-experience and help photographers focus on what matters most.” “ShootProof has built an exceptional brand and strong reputation in a large, highly fragmented vertical market combining software and payments,” said Matthew Stone, Principal at PSG. “Colin and Robert have built an excellent technology platform, and we have been impressed with the company’s growing offering and deep customer relationships. We are very excited to partner with this talented team to build on ShootProof’s success.” GrowthPoint Technology Partners served as financial advisor to ShootProof. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal advisor to PSG, and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP served as legal advisor to ShootProof. About ShootProof ShootProof is a leading provider of online gallery software and sales tools for professional and semi-professional photographers around the world. The user-friendly platform enables photographers to share and sell their photos commission-free in customizable galleries and apps, and deliver a better client experience with digital downloads, proofing, printing, and more. Founded in 2010, ShootProof serves tens of thousands of photographers in 38 countries, offering 18 different languages for galleries. ShootProof is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. For more information, please visit www.shootproof.com . About Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. Providence Strategic Growth (“PSG”) is an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”). Established in 2014, PSG focuses on growth equity investments in lower middle market software and technology-enabled service companies, primarily in North America. Providence is a premier global asset management firm that pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 180 companies and is a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information on PSG, please visit https://www.provequity.com/private-equity/psg , and for moreinformation on Providence, please visit www.provequity.com . Contacts November 05, 2018 GOLDEN GATE CAPITAL TO ACQUIRE VECTOR SOLUTIONS SAN FRANCISCO, CA and TAMPA, FL – November 5, 2018 – Golden Gate Capital, a leading private equity investment firm, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vector Solutions (“Vector”) from Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”), a premier global private equity firm. CEO Jeff Gordon and the current management team will continue to lead Vector, which will remain headquartered in Tampa, FL. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1999, Vector is the leader in industry-focused eLearning and SaaS performance support solutions. The Company serves a broad range of industries with award-winning online education, safety, compliance and performance-optimization solutions. With an extensive and growing library of more than 8,000 courses written by over 250 subject matter experts, Vector uses the latest innovations in learning and technology to create safer, more capable and compliant organizations across the commercial, education and public sectors. “Vector Solutions has built a strong portfolio of industry-leading training technology and SaaS solutions that provide its customers with mission-critical tools,” said Rishi Chandna, a Managing Director at Golden Gate Capital. “Vector Solutions is successfully executing against its strategy – including expanding from eLearning solutions into a performance optimization company – and driving impressive growth. We look forward to partnering with Jeff and the terrific team to support the Company’s continued growth, both organically and through targeted acquisitions.” “We are pleased to work with Golden Gate Capital, which has a demonstrated track record of building long-term value for its portfolio companies,” said Mr. Gordon. “Given Golden Gate Capital’s significant software industry expertise and operational experience, as well as the financial resources to accelerate our growth strategy, we are confident that this partnership will support our next phase of growth. We thank Providence for their partnership over the past four years and are excited to build on our momentum as we embark on the next chapter of our success.” “We have enjoyed a successful partnership with Vector over the last several years,” said Peter Wilde, a Managing Director at Providence. “Under Jeff’s leadership, the Company has experienced tremendous organic and inorganic growth, significantly expanded its geographic footprint, course library and customer base, and more than doubled its size. We are proud to have helped add lasting value at Vector and advance the Company’s mission, and we are confident Vector has a bright future.” Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to Golden Gate Capital. Robert W. Baird & Co. served as financial advisor to Providence and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal advisor. About Vector Solutions Vector Solutions, a leader in eLearning and performance support, provides award-winning SaaS solutions for the architecture, engineering, construction, industrial, facilities management, public safety, IT and education industries. Its brands, RedVector, TargetSolutions, and SafeSchools, deliver continuing education, training, technology and performance management solutions using the latest innovations in learning and technology to create safer, more capable, more compliant organizations. Its extensive online and mobile learning library exceeds more than 8,000 courses written by over 250 subject matter experts and reaches almost 6 million professionals worldwide. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit www.vectorsolutions.com . Follow us on twitter @VectorPerform and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VectorPerformance . About Golden Gate Capital Golden Gate Capital is a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm with over $15 billion of capital under management. The principals of Golden Gate Capital have a long and successful history of investing across a wide range of industries and transaction types, including going-privates, corporate divestitures, and recapitalizations, as well as debt and public equity investments. Other notable software investments sponsored by Golden Gate Capital include Infor, BMC Software, LiveVox, and 2020 Technologies. For more information, visit www.goldengatecap.com . About Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”) Providence is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 180 companies and has become a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.provequity.com . Contacts Globe Newswire Franklin Templeton Investments Announces Acquisition of Alternative Credit Manager Benefit Street Partners SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN], a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments (“Franklin Templeton”), today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Benefit Street Partners L.L.C. (“BSP”), a leading alternative credit manager with approximately $26 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2018. The acquisition will bolster Franklin Templeton’s alternative offerings and expand its robust fixed income capabilities to include an array of alternative credit strategies, at a time when investors are increasingly allocating capital to less liquid and higher yielding credit opportunities. “We’re pleased to announce the acquisition of Benefit Street Partners and to welcome its seasoned and talented team,” said Greg Johnson, chairman and CEO of Franklin Templeton. “BSP’s differentiated approach to investing within the alternative credit space has resulted in a thriving business over the course of the last decade. The percentage of institutional investors expected to allocate to alternative credit for the long term is substantial, and this acquisition positions us well in a growing market. We are confident that BSP’s experience and capabilities, combined with Franklin Templeton’s global scale and extensive resources in more liquid credit investing, will enhance origination capabilities and increase our breadth and depth of expertise across the leveraged finance market.” Established in 2008, BSP is based in New York, with five additional offices across the US. BSP offers a broad spectrum of investment capabilities to its investors, covering corporate performing and distressed private credit, structured credit and commercial real estate credit. The alternative credit asset class is seeing strong demand in a rising rate environment, with BSP generally focusing on high quality, primarily senior secured, floating rate debt. BSP’s senior management team has worked together for over two decades, at BSP and at another organization, and is supported by a deep bench of strategy leaders, portfolio managers and investment professionals with significant experience building institutional-quality businesses that have delivered strong results through multiple market cycles. Tom Gahan, founder, CEO and CIO of BSP, said, “We believe Franklin Templeton is the perfect long-term partner for our business. Franklin Templeton’s pedigree, global reach and extensive investment capabilities will provide BSP with increased resources and investment opportunities. We look forward to collaborating with Franklin Templeton’s experienced team to continue to deliver market-leading risk-adjusted returns to our investors. We are grateful to our partners at Providence, who helped launch and support BSP over the past decade.” Jenny Johnson, president and COO of Franklin Templeton, added, “Expanding our alternatives capabilities has been a strategic focus area for Franklin Templeton, and this acquisition will position us to capitalize on the growing and sought after alternative credit segment. We’re consistently seeing investors augment their traditional fixed income portfolios with alternative credit to enhance their risk/reward characteristics. BSP brings new alternative solutions within private credit that complement Franklin Templeton’s existing alternatives and fixed income capabilities to meet the evolving needs of our clients.” Jonathan Nelson, founder and CEO of Providence, said, “BSP’s combination with Franklin Templeton makes strategic and economic sense for all stakeholders. We couldn’t be more proud of Tom and the team’s success in building a world-class credit business. This has been a great 10-year partnership, and we wish them continued success.” This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and we anticipate the transaction will close in Franklin Templeton’s second quarter of fiscal 2019. Following the acquisition, Franklin Templeton’s alternative offerings will represent more than $40 billion in assets under management. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as financial advisor to Franklin Templeton, and its legal counsel was Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. BofA Merrill Lynch served as BSP’s financial advisor on the transaction, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP was its legal advisor. Conference Call Franklin Templeton will hold a conference call today at 11am ET to discuss its fourth quarter and fiscal year results, as well as the acquisition. Additional information on the acquisition can be found in the written earnings commentary at investors.franklinresources.com. The conference call will be led by Greg Johnson and Ken Lewis, CFO and executive vice president of Franklin Templeton, who will be joined by Tom Gahan and Richard Byrne, president of BSP. About Benefit Street Partners Benefit Street Partners L.L.C. is a leading credit-focused alternative asset management firm with approximately $26 billion in assets under management. BSP manages assets across a broad range of complementary credit strategies, including private/opportunistic debt, structured credit, high yield, special situations, long-short liquid credit and commercial real estate debt. Based in New York, the BSP platform was established in 2008 in partnership with Providence Equity Partners. For further information, please visit www.benefitstreetpartners.com . About Franklin Templeton Investments Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments provides global and domestic investment management to retail, institutional and sovereign wealth clients in over 170 countries. Through specialized teams, the company has expertise across all asset classes—including equity, fixed income, alternative and custom solutions. The company’s alternatives capabilities include private equity, hedge, commodities, real estate, infrastructure and venture capital strategies from Darby Overseas Investments, Franklin Real Asset Advisors, Franklin Venture Partners, K2 Advisors, Pelagos Capital Management, Templeton Global Macro and Templeton Private Equity Partners. Franklin Templeton Investments’ more than 650 investment professionals are supported by its integrated, worldwide team of risk management professionals and global trading desk network. With offices in over 30 countries, the California-based company has more than 70 years of investment experience and over $717 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2018. For more information, please visit investors.franklinresources.com . About Providence Equity Partners Providence is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 180 companies and has become a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.provequity.com . Forward-looking statements The statements contained herein may include prospects, statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any information or forward-looking statement contained herein, except as required to be disclosed by law. October 15, 2018 Providence, R.I. – October 15, 2018 – Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. (“PSG”), an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners L.L.C., a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management, today announced that Bill Aliber and Brian Shin have joined the firm as managing directors. “Bill and Brian’s considerable experience with software and technology-enabled service companies make them an ideal fit for PSG,” said Mark Hastings, Chief Executive Officer of PSG. “With his strong financial acumen and track record of driving significant revenue growth through organic and inorganic strategies, we expect Bill will provide valuable insights to enhance our portfolio companies’ financial activities. As a founder, CEO, advisor and investor in numerous technology companies over the past two decades, Brian has proven to be adept at identifying and building businesses that are disrupting traditional industries. He will be a great asset to PSG as we continue to work with founders and entrepreneurs to rapidly build scale and value through our platform ‘buy and build’ strategy.” “I am delighted to welcome Bill and Brian to the growing PSG team,” said Peter Wilde, Chairman of PSG. “Having witnessed Bill’s capabilities firsthand at Ascend Learning for nearly a decade, I am confident he will add tremendous value at PSG’s portfolio companies. Brian is a talented investor with proven operational and leadership expertise that will help us capitalize on opportunities in our target markets. We look forward to Brian and Bill’s contributions as we continue support the growth of our portfolio companies and pursue new investment opportunities.” About Bill Aliber Mr. Aliber has over 20 years of experience as a CFO. Prior to joining Providence in 2018, Mr. Aliber was the CFO of Ascend Learning, a leading provider of educational content, software and analytics. Ascend Learning was a Providence Equity Partners portfolio company for ten years, and Mr. Aliber was the CFO for nearly nine of those years, during which time revenue increased from less than $200 million to over $450 million and the company completed numerous acquisitions. Prior to Ascend Learning, Mr. Aliber was the CFO of Hallmark Card’s various entertainment-related businesses. Mr. Aliber received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University. About Brian Shin Mr. Shin has 20 years of experience building high-growth technology companies. For more than a decade, he has been an angel investor or early shareholder in over 40 technology startup companies including HubSpot, Drift, Vesper, Misfit, Kayak, Sirtris Pharma, Frequency Therapeutics and Atrium. Most recently, Mr. Shin was a Partner with In-Q-Tel, a strategic investment firm supporting the missions of the United States Intelligence Community, where he led investments in areas including advanced analytics, AI hardware and integrated devices. Prior to In-Q-Tel, Mr. Shin was the Founder and CEO of Visible Measures, a venture-backed video analytics company that was acquired in 2017, as well as the Founder and Chairman of Mustbin, a venture-backed mobile security company that was also acquired in 2017. Mr. Shin received a Masters of Business Administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University. About Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. Providence Strategic Growth (“PSG”) is an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”). Established in 2014, PSG focuses on growth equity investments in lower middle market software and technology-enabled service companies, primarily in North America. Providence is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in capital under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 180 companies and is a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information on PSG, please visit https://www.provequity.com/private-equity/psg , and for more information on Providence, please visit www.provequity.com . Media Contacts Business Wire October 05, 2018 PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. (“PSG”), an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners L.L.C., a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management, today announced that Jim Moran has been named as a Senior Advisor to PSG. Mr. Moran will work closely with PSG on new investment opportunities and certain of the firm’s existing investments. Mr. Moran has over 23 years of experience as an investor and executive of technology startups across a variety of markets, including enterprise SaaS and cloud, open source, payments, mobile commerce and communications & infrastructure. Most recently, he was a managing director at North Bridge Venture & Growth Equity Partners, where he invested in and advised early-stage and growth-oriented companies, including mobile wallet provider Paydiant (acquired by PayPal) and endpoint security solution Confer Technologies (acquired by Carbon Black). Prior to North Bridge, Mr. Moran held key leadership roles at several successful startups, including serving as the CEO of Convergence Networks (acquired by ACME Packet), the COO of Virtusa, the co-founder and CRO of edocs (acquired by Siebel/Oracle) and the GM and SVP of Sales at CheckFree Corporation. “Jim is an industry veteran with decades of experience building technology companies to scale, many of which have resulted in significant value creation for all stakeholders,” said Mark Hastings, CEO of PSG. “He has a keen eye for identifying markets that are ripe for disruption, and considerable expertise in sourcing and vetting growth equity deals. We believe he will provide valuable insights and support as we continue to grow the PSG platform.” “Jim’s proven financial and operational leadership will help create additional value at our portfolio companies, and his extensive network and growth investing acumen will help us identify and pursue new investment opportunities in our target sectors,” said Peter Wilde, Chairman of PSG.About Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. About Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. Providence Strategic Growth (“PSG”) is an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners and is investing out of its third fund, with $1.3 billion of total capital. Established in 2014, PSG focuses on growth equity investments in lower middle market software and technology-enabled service companies, primarily in North America. Providence Equity Partners is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in capital under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 160 companies and is a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information on PSG, please visit www.provequity.com/private-equity/psg , and for more information on Providence Equity, please visit www.provequity.com . Contacts October 02, 2018 NEW YORK – October 2, 2018 – Anju Software Inc., a life sciences software platform backed by Providence Equity Partners, today announced that it has acquired San Francisco-based Zephyr Health, a company that provides comprehensive physician, institution and treatment data for every major disease area. Zephyr uses proprietary algorithms to link disparate data sources delivering actionable insights. With this acquisition, Anju continues to execute on combining robust software with actionable data to create tremendous value to its customers, which include pharmaceutical companies, clinical research organizations (CRO), [full service] agencies and medical device companies. The acquisition of Zephyr also expands Anju's geographical footprint to San Francisco, London, U.K. and Pune, India. “Zephyr Health, MDC and Open Q, when combined. offer the most comprehensive data solution currently available to provide focused data for site and investigator optimization for clinical trials, provide key opinion leader (KOL) optimization for medical affairs and for commercializing a drug,” said Mr. Kurien Jacob, CEO of Anju Software. “We are pleased to combine Zephyr with Anju and have been encouraged by Anju's vision for creating the next generation platform for the life sciences industry,” added Brook Byers, an early investor in Zephyr and co-founder of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. “Zephyr’s big data analytics solution enables Anju’s pharmaceutical customers to improve research efficacy and significantly reduce the time it takes to bring life-saving therapies to market,” said Gopi Vaddi, Providence Strategic Growth Managing Director and a member of the Anju Board. “Zephyr is an ideal fit with Kurien’s vision for Anju as the Company continues to execute on its strong growth strategy.” “Providence is excited about the platform that is being built by the Anju team,” said Alexis Egan, a Providence Strategic Growth Senior Advisor.Mr. Byers and Joe Horowitz, managing general partner of Icon Ventures and an investor in Zephyr, will serve in an advisory capacity to Anju. About Anju Software Anju Software (“Anju”) is a leading provider of comprehensive software and data solutions to the life sciences industry. Anju provides an integrated platform spanning clinical, medical affairs and commercial operations. Anju has combined deep industry and software domain expertise to build a next generation platform for the life sciences sector that can scale to provide solutions that meet customers' needs from “molecule to retirement”. Anju solutions are used by large and small pharmaceutical companies, clinical research organizations, full service agencies and medical device companies. Data flow between functional areas, seamless communication with third party systems and AI-based data mining solutions provide a unique way for Anju customers to leverage critical information throughout their ecosystem. For more information, please visit www.anjusoftware.com . About Zephyr Health Founded in 2011, Zephyr Health is the leading insights-as-a-service company harnessing the power of global healthcare data for precise and confident product lifecycle performance for biopharmaceutical and medical device companies, focused on commercial and medical affairs areas of Pharma and Medical Devises Zephyr Health is venture backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Icon Ventures, and Google Ventures. For more information, please visit: www.zephyrhealth.com . About Providence Equity Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”) is a premier, global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity, investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm’s inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 180 companies and has become a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.provequity.com . Contacts: Sard Verbinnen & Co October 01, 2018 InfinityHR Adds Core HR, Benefits Management and Payroll to Arcoro’s End-to-End solution DES MOINES, Iowa--October 1, 2018 --Arcoro, a proven provider of human capital management (“HCM”) solutions for high consequence industries, announced today that it has acquired InfinityHR, an innovative leader in Human Capital Management. InfinityHR joins the existing Arcoro HCM platform companies of BirdDogHR and ExakTime and marks the third human resource (“HR”) software acquisition by Arcoro this year. Arcoro, which is backed by Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. (“PSG”), continues to fulfill its commitment to delivering integrated, easy-to-use HCM solutions for high consequence industries. With the U.S. unemployment rate hovering at 3.9% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hiring, managing and retaining great employees is a competitive endeavor that continues to be critical to business longevity and success. Arcoro understands that high consequence industries, including construction, engineering, manufacturing and healthcare, face these challenges in addition to their rigorous reporting requirements for compliance. Accordingly, the acquisition of InfinityHR brings core HR features, benefits management, payroll, Affordable Care Act reporting and other features that can be integrated seamlessly into the Arcoro solution. “We are very excited to join Arcoro,” said Jeff Torczon, president and CEO of InfinityHR. “Arcoro has assembled a strong HR solution offering. We look forward to introducing our solution across the Arcoro family of companies and sharing the Arcoro solutions with our customers and strong partner network.” “InfinityHR’s product suite is highly complementary to the current Arcoro product suite, and will further empower Arcoro’s customers with a highly integrated HCM solution with the breadth of capabilities they are looking for,” said PSG Managing Director Gopi Vaddi. “Their strong core HR software solution, support structure and partner network reinforces our go-to market strategy. We are very happy to have InfinityHR join our team, and very excited about the great cultural fit.” “We are pleased to see InfinityHR joining the suite of Arcoro products,” said Todd Skokan, CEO of BirdDogHR. “We think the expanded core HR functionality will make Arcoro’s strong array of offerings even stronger.” “We are looking forward to the expanded offering available through the Arcoro platform of products in the HCM space,” said Tony Bowden from Payroll Systems, an InfinityHR partner. “InfinityHR continues to be a leading partner for our customers, providing best in class core HR functionality, benefits management, ACA reporting and payroll functionality. Integrated talent management provided by BirdDogHR combined with ExakTime’s time and attendance platform will give us an opportunity to increase our HCM offerings all under the Arcoro brand.” About Arcoro Arcoro combines proven human capital management (HCM) software solutions designed to help high compliance and high consequence companies improve efficiencies, limit risk and build high-performing teams. With over 8,000 customers and 360,000 daily users in 20 countries around the world, Arcoro provides easy-to-use, cloud-based HCM software and services that are designed to give organizations the competitive edge needed to scale and grow effectively and efficiently. Visit us online at www.arcoro.com . About BirdDogHR BirdDogHR offers comprehensive talent management software and managed services — everything you need to guide the entire employee lifecycle. The cloud-based talent management system is straightforward and easy to use, so you can safely focus on implementing strategy — not learning new software or worrying it won’t keep up with changing regulations. Managed services operate as an extension of your HR department and deliver the expertise and focus you need. Organizations can see ROI in effective growth management, bottom line results and compliance peace of mind. BirdDogHR specializes in high-consequence and government contracting industries because they have unique needs. Companies from other industries can use the BirdDogHR talent management solution — and they do — but the solution is built with the most rigorous compliance needs in mind. BirdDogHR is a platform company for leading HCM provider, Arcoro. Visit us online at www.birddoghr.com . About ExakTime Founded in 1999, ExakTime is a 20-year leader in time and attendance tracking for construction and field services and the #1-selling system in North America. ExakTime’s cloud-based wireless, mobile, and rugged timekeeping solutions are easy to implement and use for any size company. Accurate digital time tracking and convenient payroll syncing streamlines operations, saving businesses time and money and ensuring they remain compliant. Easy access from any location and powerful reporting provide the insights businesses need to effectively manage their growing workforces. ExakTime is used daily by more than a quarter million workers in dozens of industries, in more than 20 countries. For more information, visit www.exaktime.com . About InfinityHR InfinityHR is an innovative leader in Human Capital Management. We cater to businesses of all sizes, providing solutions to help them manage, maintain, communicate, and automate employee and company-wide human capital management processes. With a proven track record, our powerful HR software solution provides comprehensive Human Capital Management, Benefits Management, Payroll, Compliance, Extensions, and an innovative Mobile App, in one completely integrated and secure system. This includes interfacing capability for both Payroll and Insurance Carrier systems, and links with hundreds of major partners. InfinityHR brings together the most essential HR tasks in one place, simplifying processes and allowing teams to get back to the work that matters most. For more information, please visit www.infinity-ss.com . About Providence Strategic Growth Providence Strategic Growth (“PSG”) is an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners (“Providence”). Established in 2014, PSG focuses on growth equity investments in lower middle market software and technology-enabled service companies, primarily in North America. Providence is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in capital under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 160 companies and is a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information on PSG, please visit https://www.provequity.com/private-equity/psg , and for more information on Providence, please visit www.provequity.com . Contacts Business Wire September 26, 2018 PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. (“PSG”), an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners L.L.C., a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management, today announced that Mark J. Emkjer and Ben Kaplan have been named as Senior Advisors to PSG. Mr. Emkjer and Mr. Kaplan will work closely with the PSG team to identify and pursue new investment opportunities and support certain of the firm’s existing investments. “Mark and Ben are two seasoned executives with strong track records of developing and executing growth strategies in their respective sectors,” said Mark Hastings, Chief Executive Officer of PSG. “We look forward to leveraging their tremendous operational expertise and deep experience in the healthcare technology and financial technology industries as we continue to grow the PSG platform and strive to build profitable and high-growth software businesses.” Peter Wilde, Chairman of PSG, added, “We are pleased to welcome Mark and Ben to the PSG team. Their breadth of experience, extensive network of relationships and proven ability to drive growth through both organic and inorganic strategies are an ideal fit for PSG’s platform. I am confident they will provide valuable strategic and insightful perspective and look forward to their contributions in the years ahead.” About Mark J. Emkjer Mr. Emkjer has 35 years of experience in the healthcare technology industry, and has served as the Chief Executive Officer of five public and private companies in the provider, health plan and life sciences sectors. Most recently, Mr. Emkjer served as CEO of WebMD Health Services, where he led a turnaround of the business that included a rewrite of strategy, assembly of an executive team and the execution of various operating tactics that led to significant growth and numerous high profile sales. Prior to WebMD, Mr. Emkjer served as CEO and a member of the board of Accelrys, a scientific informatics software and services company for life sciences, chemical and materials research and development, where he led the company’s spinoff from Pharmacopeia. Prior to Accelrys, he was the President and COO of Sunquest, a leading provider of clinical data management, where he helped significantly bolster the company’s profit and shareholder equity over the course of three years, culminating in the sale of the company to MISYS PLC for $404 million. Previously, Mr. Emkjer served as the CEO of Pace Health Management Systems, a clinical decision support provider that was sold to 3M Corporation under his leadership, and HCC, a leading international provider of financial solutions to the healthcare industry. Mr. Emkjer currently serves on the board of directors at Care Payment, The Rancho Santa Fe Foundation and Anju Software Inc. – a PSG portfolio company. He was recently on the board of inContact, where he served on the committee that negotiated the sale of the company for over $1 billion, as well as the board of Hooper Holmes, which has now merged with Provant Health. He has also been a lecturer at the University of California’s Rady School of Management addressing MBA candidates on various topics including turnarounds, leadership and the healthcare industry. Mr. Emkjer received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Florida Atlantic University. About Ben Kaplan Mr. Kaplan has more than two decades of experience building high-growth SaaS and fintech companies, driving both innovation and operational excellence. Most recently, Mr. Kaplan was President and CEO of CashStar, a leading provider of mobile prepaid and digital gift card solutions. Over the course of his leadership, he drove revenue growth by over 400% and significantly increased profitability, culminating in its sale to Blackhawk Network in 2017. Prior to CashStar, Mr. Kaplan served as Chief Operating Officer at Cartera Commerce, a leading provider of card-linked marketing and affiliate advertising solutions. Previously, he held leadership positions at KNOVA Software, which was acquired by Consona Corporation, North Systems, Broadbase Software and Commerce One. Mr. Kaplan received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College. About Providence Strategic Growth Capital Partners L.L.C. Providence Strategic Growth (“PSG”) is an affiliate of Providence Equity Partners and is investing out of its third fund, with $1.3 billion of total capital. Established in 2014, PSG focuses on growth equity investments in lower middle market software and technology-enabled service companies, primarily in North America. Providence Equity Partners is a premier global asset management firm with approximately $60 billion in capital under management across complementary private equity and credit businesses. Providence pioneered a sector-focused approach to private equity investing with the vision that a dedicated team of industry experts could build exceptional companies of enduring value. Since the firm's inception in 1989, Providence has invested in more than 160 companies and is a leading equity investment firm focused on the media, communications, education and information industries. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI, and also has offices in New York and London. For more information on PSG, please visit www.provequity.com/private-equity/psg , and for more information on Providence Equity, please visit www.provequity.com . Contacts SaaS Report August 27, 2018 Congratulations to Alex Terry, Chief Executive Officer of Conversica , and Todd Skokan, Chief Executive Officer of BirdDogHR , on being named to SaaS Report’s Top 50 SaaS CEO’s of 2018 list. CEOs are selected based on reviews by their employees and industry colleagues, and this year, nearly 5,000 nominations were submitted. The individuals were also evaluated on key areas including integrity, intelligence, energy, company culture and company growth. Alex Terry – CEO of Conversica Conversica is a provider of SaaS-based automated sales assistant software for engaging inbound leads in the sales process in the Automotive, Technology, Education and Finance industry verticals. Alex has over 20 years of Management experience in high-growth SaaS, artificial intelligence and machine learning companies. Before joining Conversica, Alex was CEO at Become, Inc. and prior to that, he was EVP and General Manager at Zoomerang.com. As a technology and business innovator, Alex holds multiple patents for his work in internet services, integrated communications and interactive billing systems. Todd Skokan – CEO of BirdDogHR BirdDogHR is a leader in talent management solutions for construction, engineering and skilled trades industries. Todd has more than 23 years of experience in SaaS and e-learning and is a proven leader in Human Capital Management. Since becoming BirdDogHR’s CEO in 2013, he has grown the company from 12 employees to over 60, earning BirdDogHR a spot on the Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing businesses list for the fourth consecutive year. Previously, Todd held leadership positions at Intelledon, GeoLearning, Vital Learning, Learn2, Skillsoft and ITC Learning. To read the full article and learn more about Alex and Todd, click here . Inc. Magazine August 27, 2018 Congratulations to six Providence Strategic Growth portfolio companies AbacusNext , BirdDogHR , Conversica , Formstack , Patron Technology and YourCause for making the Inc. 5000 list– Inc. Magazine’s 2018 ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. PSG is proud to partner with these companies’ management teams to help support and facilitate their accelerated growth. AbacusNext is a vertically focused provider of practice management software and hosted private cloud solutions to small- and medium-sized law firms and other compliance-related verticals. BirdDogHR is a leader in talent management solutions for construction, engineering and skilled trades industries. Conversica is a provider of SaaS-based automated sales assistant software for engaging inbound leads in the sales process in the Automotive, Technology, Education and Finance industry verticals. Formstack is a versatile online form solution and automation technology platform that enables users to capture and manage data. Patron Technology is a growing ticketing and CRM software provider for Arts and Culture organizations. YourCause is a provider of a SaaS-based platform that corporations use to manage philanthropic efforts such as employee giving, volunteering and corporate grants. The company also offers a donor management platform to nonprofit organizations. To see the full list and learn more about the companies, click here . Recommended cash offer (the "Offer") for Chime Communications plc ("Chime") by Bell Bidder Limited ("Bidco") (the "Transaction"). ACCESS TO THIS SECTION OF THE WEBSITE MAY BE RESTRICTED UNDER SECURITIES LAWS IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS. THIS NOTICE REQUIRES YOU TO CONFIRM CERTAIN MATTERS (INCLUDING THAT YOU ARE NOT RESIDENT IN SUCH A JURISDICTION), BEFORE YOU MAY OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION. 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