Maven’s Manchester team has led the MBO of Vodat International Limited (Vodat) from its founder Mike Bielinski in a GBP5m transaction.
Vodat provides managed network and communications solutions to business customers, with a particular focus on the UK retail sector in which it has a leading market presence.
Cheshire based Vodat was established in 2002 by the current CEO and senior management team, and has achieved year on year sales and profit growth, increasing sales by over 50% since 2008. The business has a current customer base covering over 7,000 live sites and places a strong emphasis on ensuring excellent service, resulting in exceptional customer retention rates.
Vodat is now one of the fastest growing providers of communications solutions to UK businesses, offering a range of products and services including secure real-time data networks, Wi-Fi solutions, IP Telephony services and disaster recovery. The company has also developed an innovative managed payment service which addresses the compliance challenges currently facing businesses which accept card payments, as a result of the introduction of Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS).
Vodat’s products enable retailers to reduce costs, boost store productivity and increase sales in an increasingly competitive trading environment. The company’s established customer base includes a diverse mix of well-known retailers, including Warehouse, Fat Face, Oasis, Beaverbrooks and Poundland.

The Maven investment was led by Ryan Bevington and Jonty Hall. Tim Scott and Nigel Barratt at Hurst advised Mike and Christine Bielinski, the vendors of Vodat.
Neil Poultney, Managing Director of Vodat International Limited, says: “We are really pleased that Maven has chosen to invest in our business, and are confident that this will help us achieve our aspirations. Our goal is to continue our strong growth by building on the diverse and innovative product offering and the provision of exceptional service.
"We were keen to find a partner with similar drive and ambition, and have been very impressed by the Maven team, which has a vast amount of experience and an excellent track record in adding value to successful businesses.”
Ryan Bevington (pictured), Investment Director at Maven Capital Partners, says: “We’re delighted to be backing a proven management team which has developed a strong market presence and achieved significant growth despite difficult economic conditions. The business is well placed to achieve further expansion over the next few years, particularly with the roll out of the new products and services. We look forward to working closely with the team and supporting the development of the business.”
Tim Scott Corporate Finance Partner at HURST, says:“Unsurprisingly there was a lot of interest in this business; it has an excellent position in an exciting market and is led by a high quality management team. The MBO was perfect for all parties, giving the management team the opportunity to take on the business whilst still maximising the value received by the outgoing shareholders. The deal demonstrates with careful planning and execution, and selecting the right investor, MBOs will continue to be completed in what remains a challenging market. We are delighted to be retained advisers to the business and look forward to working closely with the management team to continue to drive the business forward and to maximise shareholder value.”
