21 INVEST, who has been majority shareholder since November 2015, will hand over the group to ALPHA PRIVATE EQUITY. The founders of IMPACT FIELD MARKETING GROUP will sell their minority stake while the management team significantly increases theirs. The proposed transaction is expected to close in Q2 2022 - subject to customary regulatory approvals.
IMPACT FIELD MARKETING GROUP (IFMG) provides solutions enabling its clients to roll-out their sales and marketing strategy across physical, mobile and digital channels throughout the customer journey.
Since the primary transaction was completed in 2015, the Group has undergone a deep transformation that began in 2016 with the managerial transition between the group's founders and Jean-Dominique CASTELLANI, hired to lead the Group.
Under his leadership, IFMG has continuously asserted its positioning as a key partner for multi-channel sales and marketing strategies, notably by integrating state-of-the-art solutions. The acquisition in 2021 of the collaborative e-ambassador platform DEMOOZ illustrates this approach.
IFMG has established itself as the #1 player in the French market, a position reinforced by the acquisition of Groupe ADDIKT, in March 2022. Furthermore, the Group has initiated a pan-European development plan with the acquisition of the Belgium leader in 2018, while advanced discussions are underway with several major players in Europe. As a result, the Group now generates more than €100m of sales.
This shareholding reorganisation rewards the transformation of the Group and confirms its promising prospects. IFMG's managers, who are reinvesting significantly, will rely on the expertise of ALPHA PRIVATE EQUITY to accelerate the initiated strategy, in particular by continuing the European expansion and enlarging the portfolio of solutions. For this new project, IFMG and its new shareholders chose to keep a sustainability-linked financing provided by EURAZEO and ZENCAP.
Fabrice VOITURON, Managing Partner and Hadrien JOURDAN, Principal at 21 INVEST FRANCE say: "When we invested in the IMPACT FIELD MARKETING GROUP, we were convinced by the company's potential to evolve from a pure operational marketing player to a multi-channel solutions provider. Together with Jean-Dominique CASTELLANI, we were able to reinforce the value proposition of the group, make it the undisputed French leader while giving it a European stature. IFMG is now ideally positioned to become the reference European player within its industry.”
Jean-Dominique CASTELLANI, CEO of IMPACT FIELD MARKETING GROUP comments: “This operation allows IFMG to continue its development. Our platform is ready to build a European leader in its market. We have, with 21 INVEST, whom I would like to thank for the work done, transformed and prepared our Company for the next phase. Today we provide solutions allowing us to implement the marketing and sales strategies of our customers. We are very happy to continue our entrepreneurial adventure with a leading financial partner. The ALPHA PE teams immediately understood our strategy and were able to show us the added value they can bring to IFMG, both in supporting our international development and in enriching our solutions, particularly digital ones.”
Patrick HERMAN, Managing Partner and Vincent Darras, Investment Director at ALPHA PRIVATE EQUITY add: "We are very happy to partner with IFMG for this new phase of development alongside Jean-Dominique CASTELLANI and his team. The group has significantly improved its offer over the last few years, reinforcing its position as a phygital solutions provider and kickstarting its international expansion. Now that the group is the leader in France and in Belgium, we will accelerate its development particularly in the UK and in Spain, to make IFMG a leading pan-European player. We will also push the digital expertise further to make IFMG a true omnichannel one-stop-shop for its corporate clients.”
Marc LEBRUN, Managing Partner at ADVISO PARTNERS mentions: "We are glad to have accompanied IFMG's shareholders in this important step in the Group's history. Over the last five years, Jean-Dominique CASTELLANI, the management team and 21 INVEST FRANCE have successfully transformed IFMG's business model by combining physical and digital strategy through a European dimension. The acquisition of ALPHA PE will enable the Group, already leader in France and Belgium, to accelerate its development in Europe and to become one of the leading pan-European players in omnichannel field marketing.”