Bregal Unternehmerkapital agrees to sell majority stake in ACTICO: the advisors

Funds managed by BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital – the largest and most active mid-cap investment company based in the DACH region – have signed an agreement with Keensight Capital – one of the leading private equity managers active in Growth Buyout investments across Europe – for the sale of a majority stake in portfolio company ACTICO Group.

According to anonymous sources close to LegalcommunityGERMANY, the financial and legal advisors who worked on the deal are: Raymond James, EY and Latham Watkins.

Having entered ACTICO’s capital in March 2021 with a majority stake, the Bregal Unternehmerkapital funds will remain involved alongside ACTICO Group’s management team. Both BU and the management team will continue to closely support ACTICO Group in its further expansion as a market leader in software solutions for regulatory compliance and risk management. The company intends to accelerate its international growth both organically and through further acquisitions, to continue expanding its product range.

ACTICO Group, based in Germany with headquarters in Friedrichshafen and four other locations, specializes in digitizing regulatory compliance, asset administration, supervisory reporting, and automating credit risk management for banks and insurance companies worldwide. The company is recognized for its innovative technological solutions that help financial institutions remain compliant with the evolving regulatory landscape and effectively manage risk. ACTICO Group was founded in 1997 and was acquired by a German industrial group in 2008. In 2015, the management team conducted a spinoff from the parent company. In 2021, as part of a structured business succession, the Company began its partnership with BU funds with the aim of pursuing an ambitious growth plan.

Thanks to the close collaboration between BU and ACTICO Group, the Company has been successfully transformed from a founder-focused software company oriented toward professional services into a leading and scalable RegTech platform. The company’s management has been strengthened, the sales network expanded, and the IT infrastructure enhanced. Additionally, significant investments have been made on the product front in areas such as cloud technology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence capabilities. Furthermore, the development of a credit risk platform and the transformation of the ACTICO Compliance Suite into a cloud-native solution have generated strong interest outside the European reference market. In 2022, ACTICO Group acquired Fact, a German company specializing in the digitization of investment management. The acquisition led to a significant expansion of the Group’s client base and product and service offerings. As a result, ACTICO Group has more than doubled its turnover during BU’s investment period. Today, the company is one of the leading RegTech platforms in the DACH region and provides its solutions to more than 300 renowned financial sector companies worldwide.

Hans Jürgen Rieder, CEO of ACTICO Group, stated: “We thank BU for their support over the past four years. Their dedication and expertise in the software sector has taken ACTICO Group to a higher level, and we are pleased that BU will continue to be a valuable partner in our growth journey with Keensight’s new ownership. The partnership with Keensight will allow us to embark on the next phase of our growth journey. Keensight’s experience in developing companies active in software solutions, together with its global network, will enable ACTICO Group to seize new opportunities in key markets and deliver even more value to our customers.”

Philipp Struth, Partner at BU, added: “Over the past four years, we have actively supported ACTICO Group in developing its product portfolio, building a high-performing management team, and positioning the organization for sustainable growth. With these solid foundations, we are confident that ACTICO Group is now ready for its next phase of expansion – and we look forward to continuing to support their fantastic team as partners on this journey.”

Stanislas de Tinguy, Partner at Keensight Capital, concluded: “ACTICO Group has a unique positioning to leverage the rapidly evolving market for credit and compliance software. With its team of experts and innovators, we look forward to accompanying the company in its future expansion, and to contributing to accelerating its growth in current and new markets.”