21.06.16
Sovereign successfully exits Lifetime Training Group
Sovereign Capital, the UK private equity Buy & Build specialist, today announces that it has entered a binding contract to realise its investment in Lifetime Training Group (“Lifetime”), one of the UK’s largest vocational training providers, through a sale to Silverfleet Capital. Completion is subject to regulatory approval.
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Sovereign originally backed the management buy-out of Lifetime in 2011. Since then:
- the number of learners has increased from c.10,000 per year to c.22,000 across the UK.
- its areas of sector focus have diversified predominantly from fitness to delivering across the hospitality, health & social care, retail, early years, business & administration and beauty sectors.
- the Group has delivered year-on-year growth.
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Bristol, Lifetime offers apprenticeship programmes and commercial training. Clients include Greene King, David Lloyd Leisure, Fitness First, Mitchells & Butlers, Pizza Express, Marstons and Bupa. The business which employs c.750 employees, 415 of which are tutors or trainers, works across both the private and public sectors. In addition to its training and e-learning capabilities the business has an awarding body service ‘Innovate Awarding’.
We are delighted to have had the opportunity to partner such a strong business and management team over the last five years. In this time the Group has diversified across a number of sectors and is today widely recognised for the high quality vocational training service that it provides. We wish the team every success for the future.
Andrew Hayden, Managing Partner, Sovereign Capital
Lifetime’s founding principle was to support individuals and businesses to perform better through the delivery of outstanding training programmes. Today this principle remains central to the business and has enabled Lifetime to become one of the UK’s leading vocational training providers. Sovereign has been a highly supportive investor that really knows the market and I am delighted to continue to have the opportunity to help shape the direction and evolution of the Group.
Alex Khan, Chief Executive, Lifetime
