DC Advisory advised Levine Leichtman Capital Partners on the sale of MPW to Kaplan International

Mander Portman Woodward (“MPW”) is a leading UK provider of private sixth form education.

DC Advisory ("DC"), led by Richard Madden, Andrew Strudwick and Matthew Taylor, were engaged by LLCP in July 2015 to advise on the sale of the business.

With extensive experience in the education sector, the DC team were well placed to quickly identify and engage a select, competitive bidder group.

The process was specifically designed to maximise value and deliver certainty of outcome to a tight timetable, which meant that: (a) a full suite of diligence materials was provided to a narrow field of strategic and financial buyers as part of the first round, and (b) a staple debt package was organised by DC Advisory’s debt team to underpin the first round bids.

Following a highly competitive process, with strategic and financial buyers engaged across four continents, MPW was successfully sold to Kaplan.

It was a privilege and an education working with DC on this fast moving deal. They have a highly professional, state of the art process and an incredibly hard working and talented team. DC were able to source an impressively diverse array of deliverable bidders and I would especially like to commend them for their highly management friendly, trusting and open communications with us. That the final outcome was perfect for all concerned was in no small measure due to the sophistication and poise of the systems with which DC tackle the sell-side challenge – a class act if ever there was one.

Representing a great business with a great management team is always a pleasure, and I am delighted that it has proven to be a rewarding pleasure for our client, and all those involved in the successful transaction.