Consilio and Xact Data Discovery (XDD) announce that they have agreed to a merger of the two companies. The united company will operate as a global technology-enabled service provider and e-discovery leader.
The combined company will operate under the Consilio name and will consist of over 4,000 employees and active review professionals serving clients from more than 70 global regions across 11 countries. The company’s global operations will support small, mid-size, and large clients, regardless of how complex their challenges may be.
“This is a significant step for Consilio and XDD to bring together our respective strengths to deliver a more complete experience to the whole spectrum of client needs,” said Andy Macdonald, the CEO of Consilio who will continue as CEO of the combined company. “Joining our companies together will provide exponential growth opportunities for our clients. We believe our employees’ experience is directly connected to their ability to provide world-class service and solutions for our clients.”
Bob Polus, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at XDD, said, “We are pleased to join our services and offerings with those of Consilio. We have complementary global operations, a strong cultural fit, and a similar legacy of successful acquisitions and integrations. Both organizations have diverse strengths and fared well throughout the pandemic, leaving room for enhanced growth as a combined organization.” Mr. Polus will serve as the corporate development officer of the combined company.
In connection with the pending merger, investment funds managed by Stone Point Capital LLC and by Aquiline Capital Partners LLC have committed to partner with management in the ownership of the combined company. The acquisitions of Consilio, from GI Partners, and XDD, from JLL Partners, and the subsequent merger are subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approval.
Chuck Davis, CEO of Stone Point Capital, said, “We are excited to partner with Andy, Bob, and the combined company’s senior leadership team, as well as our friends at Aquiline, in the merger of these two impressive companies. We look forward to supporting Consilio and XDD as they continue to provide exceptional client service and to develop innovative solutions to reduce client risk.”
Jeff Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of Aquiline Capital Partners, said, “We are pleased to work with both management teams and Stone Point to merge these two businesses. The combined company will offer a compelling value proposition and be well positioned to thrive in a steadily growing market.”
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP acted as legal advisors to Stone Point Capital and Aquiline Capital Partners, respectively. Jefferies LLC represented Consilio and William Blair represented XDD as their respective exclusive financial advisors. Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Aquiline Capital Partners.