The UK carrier integrator and hosting provider, MDNX Group, has announced its agreement to acquire the entire issued share capital of Easynet, a global provider of managed networking, hosting and cloud integration services, from Lloyds Development Capital.
The combination of Easynet and MDNX will create the largest independent network and hosting integrator in Europe. The merged operations of the two businesses will operate under the Easynet brand going forward.
The combination has been backed by Equistone Partners Europe Limited, one of Europe’s leading mid-market private equity managers, which will hold a majority stake in the newly formed Group. LDC has reinvested in the newly formed Group to acquire a minority stake alongside MDNX management.
The dynamic new Group is focused on delivering outstanding network, cloud, applications management and hosting services to public and private sector customers. The new operation, trading under the brand name Easynet, brings together the innovative product portfolios and shared customer service commitments of both Easynet and MDNX, and combines the organisations’ technical expertise and strong track records in the industry. This integration creates a dominant Group clearly structured to deliver a portfolio of business critical data services which will help customers drive growth and profitability, and gain a competitive edge in their markets. Easynet and MDNX are passionate about serving the needs of their customers, and this service ethos will run the entire way throughout the new organisation.
All countries within the Easynet Group will be part of this transaction, with the exception of the business in Germany. For a number of years, Easynet’s business in Germany has been successfully operating and developing its business specialising in the provision of unique high-end IT sourcing solutions to the Enterprise market. To enable this business activity to accelerate its growth further, the decision has been taken for it to become an independent, standalone business. Owned by its current shareholders, LDC and the management team, this independent business will now have a greater level of flexibility to further develop in the area of IT sourcing solutions. All customers stay with this company which will be renamed in 2014 to Nexinto GmbH.
In addition, the newly formed Group will create a new company in Germany into which all the dedicated network assets from the former German branch of Easynet will be transferred. It will then invest to build a new business in Germany which will be called Easynet Global Services GmbH and will partner with Nexinto in global network business.
Mark Thompson, Chief Executive and founder of MDNX, will also lead the new Group as Chief Executive, supported by Wayne Churchill as Chief Operating Officer and Mike Mulford as Chief Financial Officer. Former Easynet Chief Executive, Greg Clarke, will take up the role of non-Executive Chairman of the Group.
Chief Executive Officer for the new group, Mark Thompson said, “Combining the knowledge, portfolio and operational excellence of two leading-edge companies gives us a springboard to accelerate growth. We can change the way in which global businesses experience and interact with data, information and applications. Easynet and MDNX are perfectly aligned in terms of customers, products and service strategies, so the coming together of the businesses creates a dynamic collaborative organisation. It’s fantastic news for our customers”.
LDC has reinvested in the newly formed Group to acquire a minority stake alongside MDNX management.
