Agena and Sovereign – the story so far

The story of Sovereign and Agena is one of partnership, technological innovation, a commitment to the highest standards of service, and an appreciation of the importance of its people.

When Sovereign invested in Agena Group in 2019, the aim was to build a market-leading group in the parking sector. Today the Group is one of the largest parking operators in the UK, managing more than 5,000 private car parks across the country in a range of sectors, including residential, health, education, leisure, and retail.

The journey begins

Agena’s journey began in Exeter in 2005 with the founding of Premier Park, a provider of car park management solutions, renowned for its customer-centric approach. Sovereign identified it as the perfect platform on which to build a leading UK car park management group.

Under the leadership of new CEO Paul Dawson, the former CEO of ParkingEye and Divisional Managing Director of Capita Parking Services, the business pursued on an ambitious Buy & Build strategy. In a little under 18 months the company acquired Atria, UK Car Parking Management and Park Watch, significantly expanding its market presence and capabilities.

To reflect this broadened scope and unified identity, the new corporate identity of Agena Group was launched. Since Sovereign’s investment, Agena’s headcount has increased by more than 350% since Sovereign invested, with revenue growing by more than 460%.

People power

Central to Agena’s success has been its progressive people strategy, supporting apprenticeships, leadership development, and an annual mentoring program. Employee well-being is prioritised through mental health first aiders and an employee assistance programme, and colleagues are offered two volunteering days a year to work on local and social impact projects.

The Group also places a huge emphasis on customer service, and its professional and ethical approach has resulted in more than 90% of the client base maintaining relationships with Agena for over 12 months.

Raising standards

Agena has been instrumental in raising standards within the parking industry. Its commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is central to its business approach and internal culture, and in recent years it has pivoted from high-labour, high-emission services to tech-enabled, user-friendly solutions.

In 2022, and with the support of Sovereign, the Group launched its ESG Strategy and published in first ESG Annual Report. Agena became the first operator in the sector to be certified as a carbon neutral in 2023, six years ahead of schedule, and its Environmental Committee was named Parking Team of the Year at the prestigious IPC Awards.

Agena also holds numerous ISO accreditations covering information security, environmental management and quality management, with additional certifications for cyber security, Mindful Employer recognition and Disability Confident Employer status.

Technological innovation

Agena’s investment in technology has driven innovation across its services. It captures billions of data points and analyses consumer behaviour to provide invaluable insights and enhance service delivery.

In particular, the Atria platform provides parking software, data, and tech solutions for both Agena’s own car park management businesses and other suppliers and clients, whilst the Sippi app, launched in 2023, provides a digital solution for e-permitting, cashless payments and access control, along with data insights to help drive growth and efficiency.

Partnership

From typical car park management services through to industry-changing innovation, Sovereign and Agena are working together to deliver responsible and ethical car parking solutions that unlock business growth for its clients and provide unparalleled parking experiences for their customers. It’s been a five-year journey of genuine collaboration, leading the creation of one of the most forward-thinking and influential businesses in the UK car parking sector.