Skill BuilderS has acquired a majority stake in Lagarde & You Loopbaanontwikkeling
Antwerp – CFI is pleased to announce it acted as the exclusive corporate finance advisor to Skill BuilderS in the acquisition of a majority stake in Lagarde & You Loopbaanontwikkeling (“Lagarde”).
About Skill BuilderS
Skill BuilderS is a market leader in Belgium in HR advisory and coaching. With a team of 220 professionals, it coaches 15,000 people annually in talent development and assessment, career coaching, outplacement, and organisational (re)design and development. The company offers its services to job placement agencies, corporates, and medium-sized enterprises in Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia.
About Lagarde
Lagarde is a regional player in Limburg, the Netherlands, active in similar HR segments like Skill BuilderS, more specifically in prevention of sick leave (through coaching and job assessment) and in curative treatment (via re-integration and outplacement). The company also provides organisations with training and development programs focused on leadership development, vitality, behavioural change, effective feedback, and vision and mission development.
About the transaction
Lagarde and Skill BuilderS have previously collaborated on cross-border projects. Mr. Tibert Lagarde, founder and owner of Lagarde, sought to ensure the long-term continuity of Lagarde and found the ideal strategic partner in Skill BuilderS. Both parties share a similar vision and culture and are convinced that this collaboration will combine the strengths of both companies, enabling them to deliver even more comprehensive HR services to their clients. This first acquisition abroad demonstrates Skill BuilderS and its shareholders’ ambition for future growth.
CFI’s role in the process
The shareholders of Skill BuilderS invited CFI to provide comprehensive advisory services and support throughout the process, including initial assessment, negotiation of terms and conditions, supervision of due diligence, and guidance of legal counsel, ultimately resulting in a successful transaction on 30 May 2024.
Mr. Jens Van Mol, managing shareholder of Skill BuilderS: “We are grateful for the invaluable support provided by CFI throughout the entire transaction process. Their expertise and dedication were instrumental in achieving our goals and ensuring the deal concluded smoothly in a positive atmosphere among all parties. We look forward to exploring new opportunities with Lagarde & You. This partnership marks another milestone in the growth of Skill BuilderS in the Dutch market.”
Related
Business Services

has acquired a majority stake in

Transaction details
Skill BuilderS, a market leader in Belgium in HR advisory and coaching, has acquired a majority stake in Lagarde, a regional player in Limburg, the Netherlands, active in similar HR segments, more specifically in prevention of sick leave
This transaction was advised by:

Wim Folens
Partner, Managing DirectorOur latest transactions
Real Estate & Construction

has been acquired by

Transaction details
Blue Bay Building Products has been acquired by Wolseley Group, a leading specialist provider of plumbing, heating, cooling, and utility products to trade customers
Food & Beverage & Agribusiness

has sold

to

Transaction details
Fleury Michon has sold Room Saveurs, a trading company and laboratory specialized in the development of meal trays, to Kumo
Industrials

has transferred the equity interests of its subsidiary

to

Transaction details
Maezawa Kyuso Industries has transferred the equity interests of Maezawa Kyuso (Nanchang) to Guangzhou Hongxing Investment Co., Ltd.
Software & IT Services

have sold

to
a portfolio company of

Transaction details
Companyweb, the leading provider of subscription-based credit information and private company data intelligence in Belgium, has been sold to Altares, a provider of B2B data solutions, servicing medium and large companies across the entire data value chain