Pearson acquires Fronter
Pearson, the international education and information company, is acquiring Fronter, a European online learning company. Founded in Oslo in 1998, Fronter has built a learning platform (also known as a Learning Management System or 'LMS') which provides easy-to-use tools for secure online education and collaboration. The Fronter platform enables students to learn whenever and wherever they choose; review their personal study plan; submit assignments; communicate with teachers, peers and parents; and study on their own or in a group. Teachers use the platform to create, store and repurpose learning resources and coursework which their students access online. The platform includes more than 80 tools for teachers and students and is highly customizable in terms of functionality, design and language. Pearson expects the acquisition to strengthen both its own education business and Fronter by providing both companies' customers with a wider range of services; by enabling Fronter to expand into new geographic markets; and by supporting the growth of Pearson's education technologies globally.
Announcement Date: December 10, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Investis acquires Quartal Flife
Investis acquires Quartal Flife Oy, the Finnish-German online investor relations company, in a move which will establish Investis as a European leader in online corporate communications. The combined company will have over 1,000 clients in more than 20 countries globally, serviced by 180 employees operating in the UK, Germany, Finland, Italy and India. Pro forma revenues of the group in 2008 are projected to be around £12m. Investis is the UK’s leading corporate website specialist, providing services to around 500 clients including half of the FTSE100 and more than a third of the FTSE350. The company has around 100 clients across mainland Europe. The fit between the two companies is exceptional, not just in terms of products and geography, but also in their client-focused culture and shared ambition. The companies see huge opportunities in this market, as the center of gravity in corporate communications shifts rapidly towards the online medium across Europe.
Announcement Date: December 9, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Locatech, CrossGap and Jonckers announce merger
After a decade of successful economic partnership, Locatech and CrossGap will merge into Jonckers Translation & Engineering. The three companies are the founding members of LCJ EEIG, a Microsoft Premier Vendor. Locatech GmbH helps leading companies adapt their technically sophisticated products, websites, and e-commerce solutions into other languages. CrossGap provides essential support to companies attempting to establish worldwide markets for their products. Jonckers Translation and Engineering -- 2007 Microsoft Service Vendor of the Year as part of localization group LCJ -- delivers software, eLearning and multimedia localization services to the world's leading companies. The business opportunities opened up by the combined growth make the timing perfect for formal consolidation of the group's offerings. Building on their long history of working together in an economic partnership, the company can take advantage of exponentially greater capital and investment opportunities as a single entity.
Announcement Date: December 9, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Thomson Reuters to acquire Paisley
Thomson Reuters is acquiring Paisley, an industry-leading software provider of governance, risk and compliance solutions, which help multinational corporations, large accounting and consulting firms, and governmental agencies manage financial controls, internal audit processes, and enterprise risk management. Paisley has various offices in the U.S. and around the world and employs approximately 230 people. Upon closing, Paisley will become part of the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters. Paisley's web-based enterprise and SaaS software products enable their customers to automate, manage and control their internal processes. Paisley has become the GRC solutions vendor of choice around the world, and their leading software and critical relationships with key partners are highly complementary to Reuters’ position. By providing deep integration between Paisley's software and Checkpoint -- its leading digital platform for research, guidance, and compliance -- Reuters can give customers a one-stop solution to help them more effectively manage compliance with financial regulations, and secondly, more precisely manage their internal financial controls.
Announcement Date: December 3, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Intervate Solutions acquires Synergy Corporate Technologies South Africa
Intervate, a local Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and leading provider of enterprise content management solutions, has acquired Synergy Corporate Technologies (South Africa), another Microsoft Gold Partner based in Cape Town. The combined company will expand Intervate's scope of operations in the Western Cape region and enhance the value it is able to offer customers nationwide. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with recognized Information Worker, Custom Development and Data Management competencies, Intervate has extensive skill and experience in developing and deploying Microsoft .Net solutions on the Microsoft SharePoint platform. According to Migal van As, Chairman of Intervate, the acquisition will see Intervate merging the two companies' operations in Cape Town, boosting the organization's growth and market share in this region.
Announcement Date: November 13, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
BrainSell Technologies acquires FMG Systems
BrainSell Technologies, LLC, a leading Sage Software business partner, has acquired FMG Systems, a Sage business partner focused on customized business solutions for retail management, manufacturing/distribution, and financial accounting. The acquisition will allow BrainSell to expand its SMB business offerings providing expertise and software for end-to-end business solutions. Current clients will now have a one-stop solution provider from Accounting to CRM applications and expert services. With BrainSell's success in providing Sage CRM solutions and now adding accounting related solutions, it will now be better positioned to meet today's customer's growing demand for complete end-to-end business solutions.
Announcement Date: October 20, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
MediaBank buys Mediaplex Systems
ValueClick’s MediaBank, a provider of integrated technology solutions designed to enable marketers and agencies to better manage the end-to-end media buying process acquired Mediaplex Systems, Inc., a technology division within ValueClick, Inc. MediaBank's acquisition of the AdVault, ContentDepot, eBusiness solutions, and related platforms, which help advertisers, agencies and publishers manage their cross-media buying, production, finance, and related activities, will benefit the clients of both companies by providing access to a broad range of technology solutions to meet their advertising operations and analytics needs.
Announcement Date: October 20, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Oracle buys Primavera Software
Oracle Corp. has agreed to buy Primavera Software Inc., a provider of project portfolio management software, to accelerate its momentum in delivering mission-critical operational applications. Primavera's software helps companies prioritize project investments and manage complex projects. Together with Oracle's applications and infrastructure software, Oracle expects to provide the first comprehensive enterprise project portfolio management solution that helps companies allocate the best resources, reduce costs, meet delivery dates and ultimately make better decisions, all by using real-time data. Oracle Enterprise PPM will be tailored to project-intensive industries such as engineering and construction, aerospace and defense, utilities, oil and gas, manufacturing, and professional services.
Announcement Date: October 8, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed