LAVA is pleased to have advised on the sale of Glasgow-headquartered SVL Business Solutions to customer experience and AI transformation partner, FourNet, in a complex transaction involving sensitive customer contracts and regulatory requirements.
SVL provides specialist services and technology to organisations across the UK in financial services, utilities, public safety and other enterprise markets. Its longstanding expertise in interaction recording, analytics and workforce management has broadened over the last five years into wider customer experience transformation and AI.
The acquisition brings together two businesses that have worked alongside each other for nearly a decade, strengthening FourNet’s customer experience expertise and expanding its presence in multiple markets.
Both SVL and FourNet work with mission-critical institutions, including blue-light emergency services and financial services customers, so it was essential that the deal progress smoothly and seamlessly without any risk of disruption to SVL’s team or clients.
Ensuring continuity of the vital services we provide was a key concern for us, so LAVA’s incredible technical expertise really meant the SVL team could focus on the smooth running of the business, while they handled the rest.
David Kindness SVL CEO
LAVA worked with SVL’s leadership team to prepare the business for sale, including analysing complex financial information, developing management accounts and identifying potential buyers. Our early involvement helped ensure the transaction was carefully structured to protect SVL’s customers and support its future growth.
LAVA have secured an excellent result that protects the incredible legacy of SVL while providing the funding that will enable real investment into the company, ensuring it can thrive and grow into the future.
Stuart Sinclair SVL Chairman
The deal creates a combined UK business with more than 230 people, over 450 customers and revenues of around £65m.
LAVA’s extensive preparation allowed us a deep understanding of the business that streamlined the process of proactively preparing the highly complex data set, and creating a more documentable process to collate, cleanse and provide financial information to interested investors. With management accounts in place and LAVA’s experts combing through the complex data to provide clear, actionable insights, we undertook anonymous market testing with a very select few potential partners we were confident could deliver.
Having known the SVL team for a few years now as we worked together to prepare them for this process, it’s even more gratifying to see them reach the right result with a great partner like FourNet, and I have no doubt it was the right move for everyone involved.
Hamish Martin LAVA Partner
The transaction also involved complex regulatory and contractual requirements associated with SVL’s emergency services customers, which LAVA helped navigate while maintaining business continuity.
This was a fascinating deal to work on given the inherent complexity of the data as well as the sensitive nature of the key client contracts. Our ability to navigate this in a way that avoided any disruption to the core business was really rewarding to be a part of.
Sunil Samani & Millie Counsell LAVA deal team
UK-based, PE-backed FourNet combines consultancy, customer experience and AI transformation expertise with cybersecurity and operational capabilities.
The acquisition continues the company’s expansion through organic growth and acquisitions that add specialist expertise, customers and delivery capacity.
SVL is an excellent strategic fit for FourNet, bringing specialist expertise, an established customer base and technology partnerships that complement the wider business. LAVA’s detailed preparation and understanding of SVL helped ensure a well-managed transaction, and we look forward to supporting the next stage of its growth as part of FourNet.
James Painter Partner at Palatine, FourNet’s private equity backer
LAVA Advisory Partners
LAVA is an M&A advisory with a difference. We never do the same deal twice, working across all sectors and scopes to focus on where our creative, bespoke approach to dealmaking can have the most impact.
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