SI Global were lead sell-side advisors to LDC and Instinctif Partners on the divestment of Instinctif Partners' Middle Eastern & North African operations on its sale to Italy's leading corporate affairs advisory group, Excellera Advisory Group.
This deal will give Excellera a significant presence in the Middle East & Arabic speaking North African markets where Instinctif Partners' MENA has been established for more than 12 years. The company will retain the same management team, led by founder CEO Samantha Bartel and will operate under a new name, IP Excellera, marking the change in ownership of the company and Excellera’s expanding footprint in one of the world’s fastest-growing and most dynamic markets.
With the addition of IP Excellera, the Group’s total turnover will exceed USD 75 million, with a team of more than 350 professionals, further extending its international footprint. IP Excellera’s offices in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai will expand the Group’s global network, which already includes locations in Berlin, Brussels, Genoa, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Rome, and Treviso, bringing the total to 14 locations worldwide.
Gianfranco Piras, Chairman of Excellera Advisory Group and Partner at Xenon Private Equity, said: "The acquisition of IP MENA marks a fundamental step in Excellera’s growth journey, confirming the soundness of our investment strategy and the Group’s ability to attract high-value companies in fast-growing markets. At Xenon Private Equity, we have believed from the very beginning in the creation of a strong, competitive Group capable of establishing itself as a leading player in the corporate affairs sector and serving as a platform for further aggregation. Entering the MENA region strengthens Excellera’s platform and broadens its scope, laying the foundations for long-term growth."
Samantha Bartel, CEO of IP Excellera, added: “We are delighted to be joining Excellera Advisory Group for the next stage of our growth journey. It has been an amazing 12 years since we established in MENA and I’d like to thank all colleagues for their hard work and dedication and clients for their loyalty, who have made it so special over the years. We will continue to build our value proposition so we can consistently offer our clients the very best advice across strategic communications, capital markets and investor relations, corporate reporting, and ESG & sustainability and service our growing client roster even better.”
On working with SI Global, Neil Carter, CFO at Instinctif Partners said: "SI played a pivotal role in the successful disposal of our MENA operations. From the outset, their team demonstrated a deep understanding of the market dynamics and brought a strategic, well-informed perspective to the process. Their ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships, anticipate potential challenges, and maintain momentum throughout the transaction was invaluable.
Their guidance was consistently thoughtful, commercially astute, and aligned with our strategic objectives. We are grateful for their support and would not hesitate to recommend them as a trusted advisor in similarly complex transactions."
Read the full press release here.
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