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Partners Group Mulls Sale of Content Outsourcing Firm SPi Global

Partners Group Mulls Sale of Content Outsourcing Firm SPi Global

Partners Group Holding AG is considering a sale of content outsourcing company SPi Global, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Swiss buyout firm is in the early stages of evaluating a potential sale amid interest from prospective buyers, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. A deal could value the business at $800 million to $1 billion or more, the people said.

Other private equity firms and industry players have shown preliminary interest in acquiring SPi Global, the people said. No final decisions have been made, and Partners Group could still opt against a sale, the people said.

A representative for Partners Group declined to comment.

Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Paranaque City in the Philippines, SPi Global provides outsourcing services to financial services firms, education, science, technical and medical research publishers globally, according to its website. It employs more than 14,700 people in countries including the Philippines, India, China, Vietnam, the U.S., the U.K., and Nicaragua.

Partners Group bought SPi Global from CVC Capital Partners in a 2017 deal valuing the firm at $330 million. Any transaction would add to the $17.4 billion in private-equity divestments of Asian companies over the past 12 months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

SPi Global has expanded via acquisitions. Last year, it bought a majority stake in business-to-business edtech service provider LearningMate from India-focused private equity firm Helix Investments for an undisclosed amount.

With about $109 billion in assets under management, Partners Group has been an active dealmaker this year. The firm and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, which were co-owners in GlobalLogic Inc., agreed to sell the U.S. software development company to Hitachi Ltd. for $8.5 billion.

Partners Group is also in exclusive talks to sell Cerba HealthCare, a French laboratories firm which it owns together with Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board, to buyout firm EQT AB in a deal valuing the company at about 4.5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) including debt, Bloomberg News has reported.

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