Omnes Capital's exits: SVP Groupe

Sector 
Business services
Entry Date 
08/2011
Exit Date 
07/2016
Buyer 
MML
Business 
Mid-Cap Buyout & Growth Capital

SVP Groupe

www.svp.com
Enable decision-makers to expand their skill set and ability to act on behalf of their business or their local authority

Via the companies it owns, Groupe SVP operates in four complementary business areas: SVP (information and help with decision-making for management and development), Business Fil (legal information and content by telephone and online), E-Paye (management and outsourcing of payroll and HR services), Agif and Fym (training and skills development).

Latest news
04/08/2016
Omnes Capital sells its stake in SVP Group to MML Capital
Read the press release
3669
Read the business case
“It’s almost a personal relationship – one in which all parties participate on equal footing. Their assistance helped us get going in the right direction.”
Olivier
LENORMAND
CEO,
SVP Group
> Read more
Mission accomplished for growth !A partnership for transformation3 questions for...

Five years after acquiring shares in SVP, Omnes Capital sells its take in the group.

We take a look back at this successful partnership

2011 :

Omnes acquires a €23 million stake in SVP


A 5-year partnership

  • 3 acquisitions in France and Canada between 2012 and 2016
  • 32 % turnover growth between 2011 et 2016

2016 :

  • 10,000 client companies and local authorities; 40,000 users
  • 650 employees located in France and Canada
A partnership for transformation

With a 32% uptick in turnover between 2011 and 2016, « we helped the Group complete three major acquisitions », explains Benjamin Arm, Managing Partner at Omnes Capital. The purchase of the French firm Fym Conseil in 2012 allowed SVP to round out its top management training offer.

 

In 2015 and 2016, « we worked together to find the best opportunities available, which ended up being in Canada with Synesis and Novaconcept and their e-learning solutions ». This decision achieved two goals in one fell swoop by strengthening the company’s existing offer and expanding into new markets.

 

« We concentrated our efforts on the sales force and lining up the product offer. In 2011, 90% of our offer focused on information service. Today, it is more diverse and includes an expanded training offer and a more complete externalised HR management solution ». The group grew again when it went from 500 employees in 2012 to over 650 working in France and Canada in 2016.

 

«Besides helping the group achieve its growth goals, we also helped it move into its new head office”. Between 2014 and 2015, SVP moved into 7,000-m2 of new office space in Saint-Ouen (93). “In addition to finding the site, it was also important to properly transfer the company’s operations, which is no easy task in the real-time information sector.” Likewise, capitalising on the low interest rates, “we refinanced the debt in 2015, which proved to be a major project, but we acted at the right time”. This strategy was win-win, “just like these past five years of a perfect partnership!»

3 questions for Olivier LENORMAND
Olivier
LENORMAND
CEO,
SVP Group
What were you looking for in this partnership with Omnes Capital ?

Our goal was to find a partner able to help us grow externally and organically in the international market with respect to our existing business lines while also rounding out our service offer. In Omnes Capital, we found an investor who, even before talking about money, worked proactively to understand our business lines, market, needs, and vision. The Omnes team presented us with the best possible action plan to reach our goals.

What have you achieved after five years of working together?

The outcome has been extremely positive. Our main contact person at Omnes was unfailingly enthusiastic, willing, and available. We spoke with each other on a regular basis outside of supervisory board meetings with complete transparency and a great deal of mutual trust. This is also what made us more agile and effective in our decision-making process. We were able to establish a truly personal relationship, which, in my opinion, was the key to our partnership’s success.

What comes next for the SVP Group?

The sale is happening at the right time. We have arrived at the end of our time with Omnes, but we will be pursuing our external growth strategy with other partners. We are currently finalising large-scale acquisitions in North America, Spain, and Germany.

svp-group
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