CFI advised Gilde Equity Management Benelux and management on the sale of Cohedron (fmr Future Groep) to funds managed by Argos Wityu (fmr Argos Soditic)

Amsterdam/Paris – CFI Netherlands acted as the exclusive corporate finance advisor to Gilde Equity Management Benelux (‘GEM Benelux’) and management on the sale of Future Groep (‘Future Groep’ or the ‘Company’), including its subsidiaries Talenter, PLANgroep, PLANgroep Solutions, OBIN, Human Capital Group and Future Communication, to funds managed by Argos Wityu Partners (‘Argos Wityu’, fmr Argos Soditic).

Future Groep is an organization with 800 employees closely co-operating. Through its subsidiaries Talenter, PLANgroep, PLANgroep Financiële Services, Human Capital Group and Future Communication, Future Groep provides a wide range of BPO, project staffing and ancillary services in the field of debt management and financial file processing, allround HR and communications advice, back- and midffice services and strategic and operational services within the public sector and the social domain. Future Groep has an history that traces back to 1979 and was spun-out of the Conclusion group, also founded by Mr. Bijlsma, in 2016. GEM Benelux entered the Conclusion and Future Groep combination as a shareholder alongside Mr. Bijlsma and management in 2013.

Future Groep’s founder, Mr. Roelof Bijlsma, remains involved with the company as a shareholder and non-executive Board Member. Following the transaction, Mr. Jeroen Ekkel will take over as CEO from Mr. Bijlsma. Mr. Ekkel (43) held previous board positions at Atlas Professionals and Brunel.

Argos Wityu is an independent private-equity group with offices in Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, and Milan. Since its creation in 1989, the group has executed over 75 transactions on companies with an average enterprise value ranging from € 25m to € 200m euros. With € 900m euros under management dedicated to acquisitions, the group develops a unique investment strategy on complex transactions focused on transformation and growth as opposed to leverage. Its entrepreneurial approach is characterized by close proximity with the management teams and by a strong support to implement their strategic projects. Argos Wityu changed its name from Argos Soditic in 2018.

The transaction is the fifth from Argos Wityu’s seventh fund, Euroknights VII, which closed at € 520m in November 2017. It signifies the first transaction in The Netherlands and follows acquisitions of aerospace services provider Revima, home fragrance business Lampe Berger, inflatable boat manufacturer Zodiac Milpro, and Italian food packaging group Fabbri Vignola.

CFI Netherlands initiated a strategic dialogue between (the shareholders of) Future Groep and Argos Wityu.

The transaction closed on 14 December 2017.