Mid-market private equity firm Equistone Partners Europe (‘Equistone’) has acquired a majority stake in Nexus Vehicle Rental (‘Nexus’), a leading B2B vehicle rental aggregator platform, from Phoenix Equity Partners (‘Phoenix’). The management team, led by David Brennan, John Ellis and Alex Cook, will continue to lead the business. The financial terms of the transaction are undisclosed.
Leeds-based Nexus operates an asset-light business model, providing a broad range of corporate, credit hire and leasing customers with access to the UK’s largest rental supply chain, with 550,000 vehicles across 2,000 locations through its proprietary IRIS tech platform. Since inception 22 years ago, the company’s sustained growth has spurred it on to become one of the UK’s leading tech-driven business mobility providers, having reached over 4 million rental bookings in 2022.
Since Phoenix Equity Partners invested in 2018, Nexus has experienced strong growth and demonstrated its resilient business model through the pandemic. Nexus has recently diversified into the plant hire and taxi market, as well as investing further in Nexus Connect, a unique mobile application that streamlines the rental process for end-users whilst on the move. Nexus is also planning to launch several other product developments in 2023 to support the changing mobility requirements of its customer base.
The Equistone investment was led by Partner Andi Tomkinson, Investment Director Seb Leusch and Investment Manager Will Copeland, who will work alongside Nexus’ management team on the next stage of the journey. Equistone typically invests between €25m and €200m in mid-market companies.
Andi Tomkinson, Partner at Equistone, said: “Nexus operates a unique business model very effectively, and provides a great service to its customers and suppliers where the attractiveness of its proposition has been demonstrated over many years. The business, led by an impressive management team, has navigated the challenges presented by the pandemic and the vehicle supply shortage admirably, demonstrating its resilience and its ability to provide top quality customer service to its customer base to whom vehicle supply is often ‘mission-critical’. Equistone’s Manchester office has been tracking Nexus for a number of years and we’re excited to be partnering with the team in its next phase of growth.”
David Brennan, Executive Chairman at Nexus Vehicle Rental, added: “Over the past four years, we have grown significantly. Phoenix has been a fantastic partner, helping us to meet our ambitions and supporting us through the pandemic. Equistone’s investment sets us up for our next exciting chapter of growth as one of the UK’s leading tech-driven mobility providers. Not only does it demonstrate the confidence in the business, but it is testament to the outstanding performance of our senior management and wider team.”
Tim Dunn, Partner at Phoenix, said: “We have backed a number of technology-driven platform businesses in recent years, and the Nexus story is emblematic of what we try to achieve with them. The business has gone from strength to strength: expanding its service offering, growing the senior executive team, winning new customers, and further developing its digital platform, IRIS. The Nexus team has been a joy to work with over the last four years and we know that David, John, and all their colleagues will continue to prosper with their new partner, Equistone. We wish them all the best for the future.”
Equistone was advised by Rothschild & Co (lead advisory), Simon Kucher (commercial due diligence), Deloitte (financial and tax due diligence), Crosslake (tech due diligence), PwC (tax structuring) and Addleshaw Goddard (legal).
Nexus Vehicle Rental and its shareholders were advised by Houlihan Lokey (lead advisory), OC&C (commercial due diligence), KPMG (financial and tax due diligence), Endava (tech due diligence) and Travers Smith (legal). Management was advised by Park Place Corporate Finance, Deloitte and Squire Patton Boggs.
Ares Management funds will continue to support the business as a lender, with Dechert providing counsel to Ares.
ENDS
Press contact for Equistone:
Will Holroyd, MC2
07925498586
Notes to editors
About Equistone Partners Europe Limited
Equistone is an independent investment firm wholly-owned and managed by its executives. The company is one of Europe’s leading investors in mid-market buyouts with a strong, consistent track record spanning over 40 years, with more than 400 transactions completed in this period. Equistone has a strong focus on change of ownership deals and aims to invest between €25m and €200m+ of equity in businesses with enterprise values of between €50m and €500m. The company has a team of over 40 investment professionals operating across France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK, investing as a strategic partner alongside management teams. Equistone is currently investing its sixth buyout fund, which held a final closing at its €2.8bn hard cap in March 2018.
Equistone is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Further information can be found at www.equistonepe.com.
About Phoenix Equity Partners (www.phoenix-equity.com)
Phoenix Equity Partners is a private equity investor in medium-sized, UK-based companies. Founded in 2001, the firm has successfully invested more than £1.3bn in over 55 companies, across a wide range of sectors, backing entrepreneurs and management teams with bold plans to build great businesses. The sale of Nexus Vehicle Rental is the sixth successful exit from Phoenix’s 2016 Fund, following the sale of Sygnature Discovery, Rayner Surgical Group, Travel Chapter, Forest Holidays and 1000heads.
About Nexus Vehicle Rental
Nexus Vehicle Rental is the UK’s leading tech driven business mobility provider. Through Nexus’ unrivalled supply chain, it can source any vehicle, anytime, anywhere, usually within two hours of a booking being made.
Nexus’ online rental booking platform, IRIS, means business customers can access more than 550,000 vehicles including 100,000 specialist and commercial vehicles and 50,000 HGVs across 2,000 locations. New rentals can be booked in 30 seconds and repeat bookings in just 10 at the click of a mouse or via smartphone.
Nexus’ technology also identifies cost inefficiencies and customers can save up to 20% on their rental spend.
