In September 2015, investment firm The Carlyle Group (“Carlyle”) announced the acquisition of a 51% stake in PA Consulting Group (“PA”), a consultancy firm specializing in management consulting, technology and innovation. The transaction, subject to regulatory and pension approvals as well as a shareholder vote in November, is expected to close in December.
Transaction Role
Duff & Phelps was engaged by Carlyle to provide corporate finance advice on the acquisition of a majority stake in PA Consulting.
•Duff & Phelps’ business services sector team provided buy-side advice, in a competitive process, based on a deep knowledge of the consulting sector.
•The advisory team managed an accelerated buy-side timetable to ensure completion within an exclusivity period of four weeks.
Testimonial
Alex Stirling, Director at Carlyle, commented: “It was a pleasure to work with Duff & Phelps from start to finish. They played a critical role in unlocking this off-market primary buyout investment. We were grateful for their market insights and tireless efforts in managing the process, particularly during the accelerated diligence period.” Joel Hope-Bell, Managing Director at Duff & Phelps, commented: “We enjoyed working with Carlyle and believe they are an excellent partner for PA, both in preserving the company’s culture and supporting the next phase of their growth.”
About PA Consulting
PA is an employee-owned London based consultancy firm of over 2,500 people, operating globally from offices across North America, Europe, the Nordics, the Gulf and Asia Pacific. PA has specific expertise in energy and utilities, defense and security, financial services, health, life sciences, consumer and manufacturing, government, transport and logistics.
About Carlyle
The Carlyle Group is a global alternative asset manager, with $193 billion of assets under management across 128 funds and 159 fund of funds vehicles. Founded in 1987 in Washington, DC, Carlyle has grown into one of the world’s largest and most successful investment firms, with more than 1,700 professionals operating in 35 offices in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.