Our Dutch partners at FBM Corporate Finance are celebrating an unusual M&A completion.
In a single transaction, GoodtobeBetter, Fincade and STRADIS have joined forces under one new brand name: The Trainee Company.
Owned by Dutch investment house Quadrum Capital, the new grouping will offer traineeships in IT, Finance and Healthcare, with plans to add data traineeship in the near future. Together, the companies are better able to help develop young talent and thereby meet the ever-growing and changing demand from employers.
From a dealmaking perspective a very challenging but above all interesting transaction.
The founders of Fincade and Stradis wanted to end their business activities and talked to FBM about a sales process. At the same time, FBM entered discussions with industry peers GoodtobeBetter and Goodtobebetter Finance. FBM’s Derk Kropholler and Michiel Dullaert theorised how ‘virtually’ merging the four companies in one go would create a strong position in the market.
FBM then spoke to all stakeholders to investigate whether the companies could get on the same page, both in the short term and agree a shared future vision. This resulted in the ‘Stockholm Project’, in which a concise information memorandum was drawn up and discussed with selected investment companies. Although many parties found the proposition interesting, only a few investors were willing to take on the integration risk.
They mainly saw many opportunities in the trainee market. With the hands-on investment company Quadrum Capital, all parties clicked and the idea gained momentum.
An intensive process followed, with FOUR parallel due diligence processes. In addition, a business plan was written together with Quadrum. Subsequently, four purchase agreements were concluded.
Five remaining shareholders, together with Quadrum Capital, will enthusiastically fulfil their joint ambition. With great pleasure FBM guided this rare multi-faceted transaction to a successful close.
Further Completed M&A Deals – Oxford ADHD Centre acquired by Clinical Partners