Investcorp

Investcorp Holdings B.S.C.
Company typePrivate
Industryactivities of holding companies
financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding Edit this on Wikidata
Founded1982; 42 years ago (1982)
FoundersNemir Kirdar, Elias Hallak, Savio Tung, Cem Cesmig, Mike Merritt
HeadquartersManama, Bahrain
Key people
Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi
(executive chairman)
Rishi Kapoor
(co-CEO)
Hazem Ben-Gacem
(co-CEO)
ProductsPrivate equity, real estate, hedge funds, credit management
AUMUS$50 billion[1]
Websitewww.investcorp.com

Investcorp is a global manager of alternative investment products, for private[2] and institutional[3] clients. Founded in Bahrain in 1982, the firm has offices in United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, India, China, Japan, and Singapore. Investcorp's principal client base is in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council,[4] but it also has a growing base of institutional clients in North America, Europe, and Asia.

The group's biggest external shareholder is Mubadala Investment Company, a $229 billion Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, which has a stake of 20 percent.[5] The company's main activities include private equity, real estate, and credit management,[6] and has $50 billion[7] worth of assets under management, as of April 2023.  

Investcorp has 7 asset classes[8] which include private equity, real estate, credit, absolute return strategies, GP stakes, infrastructure, and insurance asset management.

History

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The company was co-founded in 1982 by Nemir Kirdar,[9] Elias Hallak, Savio Tung, Mike Merritt, and Cem Cesmig and acquired Tiffany & Co in 1984, floating in 1987.[10][11] In 1988, Maurizio Gucci sold almost 47.8% of Gucci to Investcorp,[12] and withheld the other 50% until 1993.[13]

The company diversified in 1997 into hedge funds.[14] Kirdar stepped down as CEO and executive chairman in 2015.[15][9] With Kirdar resigning, Mohammad Alardhi became the Executive Chairman of the company.[7] The changes also involved an update to the business model, which is now focused on raising funds, raising institutional capital, and diversifying strategies further.[16]

Investcorp made several acquisitions between 2016 and 2019, pushing into China with investments into tech and the food sector.[17][18] In 2019, the company also pushed into the US market with the acquisition of Mercury Capital.[19] Investcorp's portfolio company, Moneybookers, ended its relationship with WikiLeaks in August 2010.[20]

The company was regulated in Bahrain as a wholesale bank until 2019, when it voluntarily surrendered its wholesale banking license.[21] It remained listed on the Bahrain Bourse (BSE) for four decades until 2021, when it delisted itself as a result of low trading volumes.[5]

Investment areas

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Private equity

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Investcorp's traditional activity is private equity. This includes mid-size companies in North America, Western Europe and MENA including Turkey, as well as technology lower mid-cap investment,[22] through Investcorp Technology Partners.

The past and present portfolio includes over 175 investments.[23] Selected past investments include:

  • Tiffany & Co. – retailers of jewelry and luxury goods – acquired 1984, floated 1987
  • Gucci – designer, producer and distributor of luxury accessories and apparel – acquired from 1989 to 1993, floated 1996
  • Leica Geosystems – measuring instrument manufacturer acquired 1998, floated 2000
  • Circle K – chain of convenience stores – acquired 1993, sold 1996
  • Jostens – US provider of school-related affinity products – acquired 2000, sold 2003
  • Neptune Technology Group – US manufacturer of water meters – acquired 2001, sold 2003[24]
  • MW Manufacturers – a US maker of windows and patio doors – acquired 2002, sold 2004[25]
  • Hilding Anders – European mattress and bed manufacturer – acquired 2003, sold 2006[26]
  • Apcoa – European parking management providers – acquired 2004, sold 2007[27]
  • American Tire Distributors – the largest US independent tire distributor – acquired in 2005, sold in 2010[28]
  • Moody International – international provider of quality and safety services – acquired 2007, sold 2011[29]
  • FleetPride – North America's largest distributor of truck and trailer parts – acquired 2006, sold 2012[30]
  • ProUnlimited – United States–based software and services firm – acquired in 2014 jointly by InvestCorp & Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company.[31]
  • Corneliani – Italian luxury brand in June 2016[32]
  • Ageras [Wikidata] – Denmark-based online marketplace for professional services acquired 2017[33]
  • Avira – Germany-based cybersecurity company – acquired 2020, sold to NortonLifeLock in 2021[34]
  • United Talent Agency – global talent and entertainment company – acquired 2018, sold 2022[35]
  • Dainese – competitive motorcycling racing wear – acquired 2017
  • Sonos Group, provider of specialized clinical trial services to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry – acquired 2020[36]
  • XpressBees, end-to-end e-commerce logistics platform in India – acquired 2020[37]
  • FreshToHome, one of the world's largest fully integrated online brands in fresh fish and meat – acquired 2020[38]
  • Fortune International, specialty distributor of seafood and gourmet food products – acquired 2020[39]
  • RESA Power, provider of power services that enhances the safety, reliability, and efficiency of electric power systems – acquired 2021[40]
  • CloudCare, Italian tech-enabled digital sales and markets solutions platform – acquired 2021[41]
  • Marble Point Credit, US specialist asset manager focused exclusively on managing CLOs (collateralised loan obligation) and portfolios of broadly syndicated leveraged loans – acquired 2022[42]

Real estate investment

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The real estate division[43] based in New York and London, sources and performs due diligence, and arranges financing and the acquisition of US and European properties and US commercial mortgage debt positions. The investment in these properties or loans is typically aggregated into a series of multi-investment portfolios for placement to clients. Debt investments are also made within a series of debt funds[44] which are managed by the group. Since 1996, Investcorp has acquired over 1,000 properties for a total value of approximately $23billion.[45] Investcorp is among the top-10 largest cross-border buyers and sellers of US real estate.[46]

Hedge funds

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Established in 1996, Investcorp's hedge fund business grew to an approximate value of $3.5 billion capital under management,[47] out of which approximately $0.2 billion is reserved for proprietary investments.[48] The hedge fund business provides institutional investors with access to its emerging manager program, investing with and seeding early-stage managers who, according to Investcorp research, outperform larger hedge funds on a risk-adjusted basis.[49] In 2020, Investcorp merged its hedge fund business with Tages Group, a European alternative asset management firm, creating a 50/50 joint venture.[50]

Credit management

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Investcorp Credit Management has assets under management of over $22 billion.[51] Based in London, New York, and Singapore, they manage funds that invest primarily in senior secured corporate debt issued by mid and large-cap corporates in Western Europe and the US.

Investcorp Insurance

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In October 2021, the company launched its Investcorp Insurance Solutions platform which provides investment management services to meet the unique investment needs of insurers.[52]

References

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  1. ^ Khan, Sarmad (27 February 2023). "Bahrain's Investcorp enters Japan in global expansion push". The National. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Investcorp appoints Yusef Al Yusef as Head of Private Wealth | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN". DT News. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  3. ^ Armental, Maria. "Investcorp Collects More Than $1.2 Billion to Invest in North America". WSJ. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. ^ "In Times of Trouble". Forbes. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Latest Gulf Delisting Ends Almost Four-Decade Era for Investcorp". Bloomberg.com. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Investcorp". Investcorp. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b Hill, Andrew (16 April 2023). "Mohammed Alardhi: the fighter pilot on taking the controls at Investcorp". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  8. ^ Release, Press. "Investcorp acquires Shearer Supply, a leading HVAC equipment distributor". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  9. ^ a b Anderson, Robert (4 October 2017). "Founder of Bahrain's Investcorp retires | UAE News". Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  10. ^ James, Rod (8 October 2019). "Three firms changing the PE landscape: Investcorp". Private Equity International. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Investcorp Names CEO, North America". Institutional Investor. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  12. ^ "INVESTCORP BUYS HALF OF GUCCI | JOC.com". www.joc.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  13. ^ Tagliabue, John (14 December 1995). "INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS: Gucci Gains Ground With Revival of Style;Belt-Tightening in the Work Force And Lavish Spending on Marketing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Jam today, jam tomorrow". The Economist. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  15. ^ "Nemir Kirdar, a father of private equity in the Persian Gulf, dies at 83". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  16. ^ Thompson, Jennifer (7 September 2019). "Mohammed Alardhi: 'We want to be a diversified business'". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Bahrain's Investcorp inks deal to target Chinese tech investments". ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Investcorp, Chinese Partners Launch $500M PE Fund to Invest in Asian Food Sector". Global AgInvesting. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  19. ^ "Bahrain's Investcorp acquires Mercury Capital as it expands financial portfolio". The National. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  20. ^ WikiLeaks says funding has been blocked after government blacklisting | Media | The Guardian
  21. ^ "Bahrain's Investcorp receives regulatory approval for organizational realignment". www.spglobal.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  22. ^ "Zift Solutions Receives $70 Million in Funding to Expand Market Leadership". www.newswire.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  23. ^ Saadi, Dania (30 January 2019). "Investcorp enters India with acquisition of a private equity and property business". The National. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Investcorp sells Neptune for $475m – PE Asia". Privateequityasia.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  25. ^ Smith, Peter (29 August 2005). "Investcorp reports rise in net income". FT.com. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  26. ^ Staff, P. E. I. (30 December 2012). "Investcorp buys Hilding Anders in secondary". Private Equity International. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  27. ^ "Investcorp: Apcoa geht an Eurazeo – manager magazin". Manager-magazin.de. 19 February 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  28. ^ "American Tire Distributors Holdings Announces Acquisition By". Bloomberg. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  29. ^ Gray, Alistair (8 March 2011). "Intertek in £450m Moody International deal". FT.com. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  30. ^ Hillary Canada (9 October 2012). "FleetPride Motors Over to Its Latest Private Owner, TPG". Pevc.dowjones.com. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  31. ^ Bahrain's Investcorp, Mumtalakat buy U.S. workforce services firm PRO Unlimited | Reuters
  32. ^ "Investcorp acquires majority stake on Italian luxury brand". Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  33. ^ "Bahrain Bahrains Investcorp acquires majority stake in marketplace Ageras". Gulfbusiness. 15 March 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  34. ^ "German security firm Avira has been acquired by Investcorp at a $180M valuation". TechCrunch. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  35. ^ "Investcorp Announces Sale of United Talent Agency Investment".
  36. ^ East, Forbes Middle. "Investcorp Expands Healthcare Portfolio With Latest Acquisition In Danish Clinical Trial Firm Sanos Group". Forbes ME. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  37. ^ "Investcorp invests in Indian logistics startup Xpressbees". The Times of India. 22 November 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  38. ^ Rahman, Fareed (15 November 2020). "Investcorp backs Indian start-up FreshToHome". The National. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  39. ^ Kamel, Deena (12 February 2020). "Bahrain's Investcorp acquires US-based food distributor". The National. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  40. ^ Power, RESA. "Investcorp Acquires RESA Power, a Leading Electrical Services Provider, from Blue Sea Capital". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  41. ^ "Bahrain asset company Investcorp acquires Italian price comparison site CloudCare". gulfnews.com. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  42. ^ Rahman, Fareed (2 December 2022). "Bahrain's Investcorp agrees to buy Marble Point Credit to expand its portfolio". The National. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  43. ^ "Private Equity Real Estate July/August 2007 Volume 3, Issue 6" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  44. ^ Platt, Eric; Gara, Antoine (2 December 2022). "Bahrain's Investcorp buys US private credit manager for $200mn". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  45. ^ Rahman, Fareed (24 January 2022). "Investcorp's real estate deal volume in US hit $4bn in 2021". The National. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  46. ^ Godinho, Varun (16 February 2022). "Bahrain's Investcorp acquires 64 industrial properties worth $640m in the US". Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  47. ^ Hedgeweek (22 November 2022). "Strategic partnerships key to growth". Hedgeweek. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  48. ^ Investcorp (2022). Annual Report 2022. Investcorp.
  49. ^ "Investcorp eyes overlooked hedge funds". Reuters. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  50. ^ "Amid Market Turmoil, A New Alternatives Joint Venture Emerges". Institutional Investor. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  51. ^ "Investcorp to acquire CLO specialist Marble Point Credit Management". Pensions & Investments. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  52. ^ Investcorp. "Investcorp Launches Insurance Solutions Business". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
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