Francisco Partners Completes Acquisition of Blancco Technology Group

Francisco Partners, investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology businesses, completed the all-cash acquisition of Blancco Technology Group for 223 pence per share, representing an equity valuation of approximately £175 million.

As a result, Blancco is no longer listed on the London stock market.

With over 2,500 customers served across 70 countries, it is a market leader in secure data erasure and mobile lifecycle solutions. Its products allow organizations to protect end-of-life data against unauthorized access, safely redeploy storage assets, and firmly comply with increased data protection and privacy requirements.

“Since its founding 26 years ago, Blancco has created and delivered innovative solutions, with a focus on building a world class data eraser and diagnostic software platform,” said Matt Jones, CEO, Blancco. “We are pleased to partner with Francisco Partners, who are committed to continuing to build upon the company’s strong foundation and achieve its full potential. I want to thank each employee for their dedication to Blancco and contributing to our continued success.”

“We have been very impressed with the leading market position that Blancco has established through its best-in-class solutions and are thrilled to partner with Blancco’s management team to drive the next phase of expansion,” said Brian Decker, Partner at Francisco Partners, and Karl Shum, principal, Francisco Partners.

“Sustainability and e-waste reduction are increasing strategic priorities for customers of all sizes globally, and we see tremendous organic and inorganic growth opportunities for Blancco WW,” added Ravi Bhatt, VP, Francisco Partners.

Rothschild & Co served as financial adviser and Travers Smith LLP acted as legal adviser to the acquired company. Canaccord Genuity served as financial adviser and Ropes & Gray International LLP acted as legal adviser to the acquirer.