CapMan Buyout invests in fast-growing Forenom C

CapMan Buyout Press Release                    7 December 2016 at 12.00 noon EEST

CapMan Buyout invests in fast-growing Forenom

CapMan Buyout X fund has agreed to invest in Forenom, a leading Nordic temporary housing service operator. CapMan acquires a majority equity share in the company with the aim to grow the company's core business and further strengthen its market position in the Nordic countries. Forenom's current owner Barona Group as well as Forenom's active management will continue holding minority stakes in the company.

Forenom manages more than 3,200 furnished apartments, several aparthotels as well as hostels across the Nordics. The company was established in 2000 and is the Nordic market leader in its field as measured by the number of apartments and turnover. Forenom's diverse clientele includes 25,000 private individuals and corporations. The company has approx. 260 employees and expects turnover of around €60 million for 2016. In addition to offices in Finland, the company has offices in Stockholm, Oslo as well as Copenhagen.

"We are very pleased with our investment, which allows us to accelerate Forenom's growth and utilise the opportunities of a dynamic market. Traditionally there has been a gap in accommodation services between hotel accommodation and permanent housing. The demand for high quality housing solutions has grown and the market for accommodation services is becoming increasingly diverse. Migration and for example more prevalent international secondments support this trend and we expect the Nordic markets for serviced apartments to grow significantly faster compared to other accommodation and hospitality markets. We see growth opportunities in accelerating organic growth and in consolidating the fragmented Nordic market thanks to Forenom's strong position and brand. Forenom's committed management has been successful in developing the company and in creating a strong and unique corporate culture. We are glad to continue together from here," says Pia Kåll, Partner at CapMan Buyout.      

"We sought a strong partner for the implementation of Forenom's strategy. We believe that CapMan, with expertise in the hotel and real estate sectors as well as in the internationalisation of businesses, is the right partner to help Forenom reach its goals," says Markus Oksa, CEO of Barona Group.

"The development of the field is fierce. We have reach a status as a frontrunner and market leader as part of Barona Group. In this situation, it is especially inspiring to have a top professional of CapMan's calibre as our growth partner. Together, and with the support of our customers, we are well-positioned to earn our place in the forefront of the development of the accommodation business," comments Johannes Kangas, Forenom's CEO.   

The investment in Forenom is the ninth of the CapMan Buyout X fund, which was established in 2012. The transaction is subject to the approval of the competition authorities and is expected to close on 31 December 2016.

For more information, please contact:

Pia Kåll, Partner, CapMan Buyout, p. +358 207 207 555 Johannes Kangas, CEO, Forenom Oy, p. +358 40 572 1421

CapMan www.capman.com twitter.com/CapManPE

CapMan Buyout is a specialised mid-market private equity partnership in the Nordic region, with 18 investment professionals in Finland and Sweden. The team has made more than 80 investments and 60 exits since 1989 and its tenth fund CapMan Buyout X is currently in active investment phase.

CapMan is a leading Nordic investment and asset management company. For more than 25 years, we have been developing companies and real estate and supporting their sustainable growth. We are committed to understanding the needs of our customers in an ever-changing market environment. Our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions for our investors and value adding services for professional investment partnerships, growth-oriented companies and tenants. Our independent investment partnerships - Buyout, Real Estate, Russia and Nest Capital - as well as our associated company Norvestia are responsible for investment activities and value creation. CapMan's service business offering includes fundraising advisory services, purchasing activities and fund management services to both internal and external customers. CapMan has 100 professionals and assets under management of €2.8 billion.

Forenom    www.forenom.fi twitter.com/Forenom

Founded in 2000, Finnish Forenom manages over 3,200 furnished apartments, as well as several aparthotels and hostels around the Nordic countries. By the number of apartments and turnover, Forenom is the market leader in business accommodation in the Nordic countries. The versatile clientele of Forenom includes 25,000 private customers and corporations. Forenom has a staff of around 260 employees and is expecting €60 million in turnover in 2016. In addition to offices in Finland, Forenom has offices in Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen. Friday Flats, an online community for home rental and hosting, is also a part of Forenom.   

Barona Group www.baronagroup.com twitter.com/BaronaGroup

Barona Group is a community of Finnish companies working in various sectors to improve working life. Barona Group was founded in 1999, and its turnover in 2016 is expected to exceed €300 million. We employ over 5,000 employees. Our mission is to build bespoke, innovative solutions in order to facilitate development and growth for our customers. Currently, we operate in nine countries including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Russia, Poland, Spain, and Belgium.