Growth-Oriented Investment Firm Partners with the Leading Global Professional Learning Platform
New York, New York; December 21, 2015 — GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc.), the leading global platform for professional learning, today announced that SFW Capital Partners, a firm focused on innovative information services companies, has made a strategic investment of approximately $212 million in GLG to support continued growth.
“Our mission is to transform the way the world’s top professionals share expertise and learn, and we are excited that our new partnership with SFW will help us further boost our growth and continue to diversify,” said Alexander Saint-Amand, Chief Executive Officer of GLG. “We are executing a plan for rapid expansion while at the same time fostering an employee culture of learning, curiosity, service, and responsibility. We believe that SFW’s track record of building businesses, supporting employees, and improving customer experience make them an ideal partner.”
“The speed of innovation and rapid changes in how we work are driving a revolution in informed decision-making and life-long professional learning,” said Roger Freeman, a Co-Founder and Partner of SFW. “GLG’s professional learning platform, with its focus on peer-to-peer and on-demand learning, is at the leading edge of that trend. This platform, combined with GLG’s leading global position, excellent and stable management, and continued investment in its people and its customer experience, enables it to execute and deliver on its growth plan while being a great place to work.” Freeman and two other representatives of SFW will join GLG’s board.
In addition, GLG announced that as part of this transaction it repurchased a substantial number of shares held by existing shareholders, through a tender offer. Taken together, the transactions add an engaged, informed, and experienced partner to support GLG’s growth; capitalize the business with appropriate flexibility to support rapid expansion; and deliver meaningful proceeds to GLG shareholders.
GLG is the world’s largest network for one-on-one professional learning, connecting business leaders, investors, consultants, social entrepreneurs, and other top professionals to the insights and expertise they need from more than 425,000 members and other experts. The company, founded in 1998, has approximately 1,100 full-time employees in 22 offices in 12 countries. GLG expects double-digit growth in revenue and EBITDA for 2015.
About SFW Capital Partners
SFW Capital Partners is a leading investor in analytical tools and related services companies, including providers of information, software, analytical instrumentation, and related business services. SFW is a specialized private equity firm that exclusively invests where its 20+ years of knowledge of the relevant business models, technology, competitive dynamics and service requirements gives it a unique ability to support management teams in growing their companies and building value. For more information, please visit www.sfwcap.com.
About GLG / Gerson Lehrman Group
GLG is the world’s leading platform for professional learning. Business leaders, investors, consultants, social entrepreneurs, and other top professionals rely on GLG to learn in short- and long-term engagements from more than 425,000 members and other experts. Clients partner with GLG to address their most complex strategic challenges, make better business decisions, and advance their careers through conversations, mentorships, small group convenings, surveys, and other interactions—all within a rigorous compliance framework. Global, technology-driven, and nimble, GLG’s approximately 1,100 employees work in 22 offices in 12 countries. For more information visit www.GLG.it.
Contact: press@glg.it