M&A Deal Summary

Kester Capital, Beekman Group, Calera Capital, Irving Place Capital, GTCR and TowerBrook Capital Partners Acquire Ironshore

On January 3, 2007, private equity firms Kester Capital, Beekman Group, Calera Capital, Irving Place Capital, GTCR and TowerBrook Capital Partners acquired insurance company Ironshore for 1.0B USD

Acquisition Highlights
  • This is Kester Capital’s 1st, Beekman Group’s 2nd, Calera Capital’s 1st, Irving Place Capital’s 1st, GTCR’s 3rd and TowerBrook Capital Partners’ 2nd transaction in the Insurance sector.
  • This is Kester Capital’s , Beekman Group’s , Calera Capital’s , Irving Place Capital’s , GTCR’s 4th and TowerBrook Capital Partners’ 4th largest (disclosed) transaction.
  • This is Kester Capital’s 1st, Beekman Group’s 1st, Calera Capital’s 1st, Irving Place Capital’s 1st, GTCR’s 1st and TowerBrook Capital Partners’ 1st transaction in Bermuda.
Investment Fate
  • Ironshore went public in 2014.
  • Ironshore was sold to a strategic buyer in 2015 for 1.8B USD.
  • Ironshore was divested to a consortium of strategic buyers in 2016.
  • Ironshore was divested to a consortium of strategic buyers in 2019.

M&A Deal Summary

Date 2007-01-03
Target Ironshore
Sector Insurance
Buyer(s) Kester Capital
Beekman Group
Calera Capital
Irving Place Capital
GTCR
TowerBrook Capital Partners
Deal Type Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)
Deal Value 1.0B USD
Advisor(s) BofA Securities
Aon Securities, Inc. (Financial)
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (Legal)

Target

Ironshore

Hamilton, Bermuda
Ironshore, Inc. is a provider of broker-sourced specialty property and casualty insurance coverages for varying risks on a global basis through its international platforms.

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Buyer(S) 6

DESCRIPTION

Kester Capital is a private equity firm focused on middle-market company investments in the UK. The Firm looks to invest a minimum of £5 million in businesses valued up to £100 million. Kester Capital was originally established in 2007 as Greenhill Capital Partners Europe, the European private equity arm of Greenhill & Co Inc. Kester Capital is based in London.


DEAL STATS #
Overall 1 of 13
Sector (Insurance) 1 of 2
Type (Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)) 1 of 10
Country (Bermuda) 1 of 1
Year (2007) 1 of 1
Size (of disclosed) 1 of 1
FOLLOWING DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2008-08-01 Travel Entertainment Group

London, United Kingdom

Travel Entertainment Group is a provider of of outsourced in-flight entertainment (IFE) services to the airline and cruise industries.

Buy -
Buyer

Beekman Group

New York, New York, United States

Investor Investor Investor Investor Investor


Category Private Equity Firm
Founded 2004
PE ASSETS 1.0B USD
Size Middle-Market
Type Sector Agnostic
DESCRIPTION

The Beekman Group, LLC is a private equity firm that invests in small to mid-sized healthcare, consumer, business, and financial services companies. TBG focuses on companies with revenues between $10 to $300 million. Beekman looks to invest $20 to $150 million per transaction. Specific areas of interest include hospital services, dental services, home care, outsourcing services, restaurants, specialty retail, consumer packaged goods, food and food services, infrastructure, education and training, logistics and distribution, insurance, specialty finance, community banking, and asset management. Target transaction types include MBOs, recapitalizations, consolidations, growth capital financings, corporate spin-offs, and special situations. The Beekman Group was formed in 2004 and is based in New York City.


DEAL STATS #
Overall 3 of 27
Sector (Insurance) 2 of 2
Type (Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)) 1 of 5
Country (Bermuda) 1 of 1
Year (2007) 1 of 1
Size (of disclosed) 1 of 1
PREVIOUS DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2005-12-30 TBG Food Acquisition

Tuckahoe, New York, United States

TBG Food Acquisition is a franchise platform company dedicated to acquiring and growing restaurant units of highly recognizable consumer brands in the quick-service restaurant industry. TBG Food Acquisition was founded in 2005 and is based in Tuckahoe, New York.

Buy -
FOLLOWING DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2009-11-10 TBG Anesthesia Holdings

United States

TBG Anesthesia Holdings, Inc. is an outsourced anesthesiology practice management company providing services to 20 hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers under exclusive contract in the Midwest.

Buy -
Buyer

Calera Capital

San Francisco, California, United States

Investor Investor Investor Investor Investor


Category Private Equity Firm
Founded 1991
PE ASSETS 3.5B USD
Size Large
Type Sector Agnostic
DESCRIPTION

Calera Capital Partners LP is a private equity firm that targets investments in mid-sized North American businesses valued up to $750 million. Calera Capital looks to invest at least $35 million of equity capital per transaction. Target industries include manufacturing, software, healthcare, consumer products and services. Prospective transaction situations include leveraged recapitalizations of privately held companies, restructurings, growth financings/acquisitions, corporate spin-offs, and take-private situations. Calera seeks businesses with leading market positions, attractive margins, and strong organic growth. Calera Capital was formerly known as Fremont Partners, a unit of the Fremont Group. Calera Capital was formed in 1991 and has offices in San Francisco, California and Boston, Massachusetts.


DEAL STATS #
Overall 14 of 35
Sector (Insurance) 1 of 3
Type (Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)) 13 of 23
Country (Bermuda) 1 of 1
Year (2007) 1 of 4
Size (of disclosed) 1 of 2
PREVIOUS DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2006-07-13 IPS

Compton, California, United States

IPS is a manufacturer of a wide range of adhesive cement, structural adhesives, and niche plumbing products primarily for residential, commercial, industrial, and international markets. IPS' products are sold under a number of highly regarded brand names, including Weld-On, Watertite, Studor, Truebro, and Guy Gray. IPS was founded in 1954 and is based in Compton, California.

Buy -
FOLLOWING DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2007-02-08 Software Architects

Westchester, Illinois, United States

Software Architects is a provider of information technology consulting services. The company has vast experience in delivering customized solutions designed for Fortune 500 and middle-market companies.

Sell -
Buyer

Irving Place Capital

New York, New York, United States

Investor Investor Investor Investor Investor


Category Private Equity Firm
Founded 1997
PE ASSETS 4.4B USD
Size Mega
Type Sector Agnostic
DESCRIPTION

Irving Place Capital (formerly Bear Stearns Merchant Banking) is an independent private equity firm focused on making investments in middle-market companies located in North America and Western Europe. Irving primarily looks for opportunities in the retail, financial services, consumer products and packaging sectors, but will also consider investments in other traditional and service based businesses such as restaurants, transportation/logistics, healthcare, energy, and industrial products/services. The Firm's target investment size is $50 to $250 million of equity capital and EBITDA in excess of $7 million. Prospective transaction situations include traditional management buyouts, growth capital financings, divestitures, consolidations, and recapitalizations. Irving Place is based in New York City.


DEAL STATS #
Overall 27 of 49
Sector (Insurance) 1 of 1
Type (Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)) 8 of 15
Country (Bermuda) 1 of 1
Year (2007) 1 of 7
Size (of disclosed) 1 of 8
PREVIOUS DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2006-08-02 CH4 Energy SIX

Fort Worth, Texas, United States

CH4 Energy SIX is an oil and gas exploration and production company focused on onshore conventional and unconventional basins. Its operations are primarily focused on the East Texas and Barnett Shale regions. CH4 Energy SIX was founded in 2002 and is based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Buy €224M
FOLLOWING DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2007-01-16 Caribbean Financial Group

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

Caribbean Financial Group is a regional consumer finance company offering unsecured personal loans, sales finance, and related credit insurance products to middle-income individuals in the Caribbean and Central America. Caribbean Financial operates retail storefronts in Panama, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago, and Mexico.

Buy -
Buyer

GTCR

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Investor Investor Investor Investor Investor


Category Private Equity Firm
Founded 1980
PE ASSETS 15.0B USD
Size Mega
Type Sector Agnostic
DESCRIPTION

GTCR is a private equity firm that typically partners with management when pursuing acquisitions. The Firm looks to grow companies through build-on acquisitions, consolidations, and internal growth. GTCR will consider both equity and mezzanine capital commitments and concentrates its investment activity in consumer products & services, healthcare services, outsourced business services, technology, transaction processing, and pharma/medical products. GTCR was formed in 1980 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.


DEAL STATS #
Overall 44 of 142
Sector (Insurance) 3 of 6
Type (Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)) 16 of 26
Country (Bermuda) 1 of 1
Year (2007) 1 of 5
Size (of disclosed) 4 of 17
PREVIOUS DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2006-11-29 National Processing

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

National Processing Company (NPC) is a provider of payment processing services. NPC is the provider of debit card and credit card acceptance in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the small-to-medium merchant market. NPC provides a wide range of payment processing solutions, from point-of-sale credit card processing to e-commerce solutions.

Buy -
FOLLOWING DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2007-01-17 HSM Electronic Protection Services Inc

Columbus, Ohio, United States

HSM Electronic Protection Services, Inc is a leading provider of electronic security monitoring services in the United States. The Company provides design, installation, maintenance, and monitoring services for electronic security systems to commercial and residential customers. Based in Lisle, Illinois, HSM is led by James Covert, a veteran of the security monitoring business.

Sell $545M
Buyer

TowerBrook Capital Partners

New York, New York, United States

Investor Investor Investor Investor Investor


Category Private Equity Firm
Founded 2001
PE ASSETS 17.4B USD
Size Mega
Type Sector Agnostic
DESCRIPTION

TowerBrook Capital Partners is a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyouts, leveraged build-ups and distressed situation investments throughout North America and Europe. TowerBrook prefers control-oriented investments and actively pursues complex situations that other firms may avoid. Target sectors include consumer services, distribution, beverages, pharmaceuticals, media, technology, communications, software, and healthcare. TowerBrook Capital Partners was established in 2001 and is headquartered in New York City.


DEAL STATS #
Overall 20 of 99
Sector (Insurance) 2 of 5
Type (Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)) 17 of 35
Country (Bermuda) 1 of 1
Year (2007) 1 of 4
Size (of disclosed) 4 of 13
PREVIOUS DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2006-12-01 Auto Europe Group

Portland, Maine, United States

Auto Europe Group is a global distributor of leisure car rental services. Auto Europe operates three primary business units: Auto Europe - North America, which brokers car rentals for outbound North American travelers to Europe under the Auto Europe and Kemwel brands; Auto Europe - Europe, which brokers car rentals for intra-Europe travelers; and DriveAway Holidays, which brokers car rentals for outbound Australian travelers to Europe. Auto Europe Group was founded in 1954 and is based in Portland, Maine.

Sell -
FOLLOWING DEAL
DATE TARGET DEAL TYPE VALUE
2007-02-01 Jimmy Choo

London, United Kingdom

Jimmy Choo is a branded designer, wholesaler and retailer of women’s shoes remain the core of the product offering, alongside handbags, small leather goods, scarves, sunglasses, eyewear, belts, fragrance and men’s shoes. Jimmy Choo was founded in 1996 and is based in London, United Kingdom.

Buy £185M