GCP Capital Partners has acquired World Trade Group (WTG), an international provider of business-to-business events, training and online lead generation services, in a GBP27.5m management buy-out.
WTG was founded in 1997 by Victor Lewis and the current CEO, Andrew Brown, and runs a broad portfolio of large-scale business summits in Europe, North America and Asia. The company also has a fast-growing portfolio of online products and technical training courses. WTG is focused on global growth sectors such as energy and pharmaceuticals and was recently featured in the Sunday Times International Track 100 as one of the UK’s fastest-growing international companies.
Adam Maidment (pictured), Partner of GCP, says: “GCP favours supporting primary buy-outs of businesses with a strong track record and good growth prospects in attractive markets. WTG fits all of these criteria. WTG’s summits, which provide businesses with a valuable source of lead generation, are clearly differentiated from other business events and occupy an attractive niche in the growing face-to-face business events market. The business is well-positioned to continue to build on its excellent track record and capture further growth in new territories and with new products.”
GCP has taken a majority stake in the business and is supporting WTG CEO Andrew Brown and his management team with their strategy of continued geographic and sector expansion in business summits and extension of their successful online offering. In addition, GCP has made further funding available to expand WTG’s geographic and sector reach through selected, complementary acquisitions.
Brown says: “We were looking for a partner who had the right level of ambition and strategic drive, a partner that could really add value. I am confident we have found the perfect match with GCP who support our growth plans and our vision for transitioning WTG into a major global media and events business in the next 3-4 years.”
The acquisition is GCP’s second in the media services sector, following its investment in Travel Entertainment Group, one of the world’s leading providers of in-flight entertainment services to the airline industry.
Maidment says: “Media services is a sector with a number of attractive underlying characteristics. We look forward to exploring further investment opportunities in the sector.”
