Following Warburg Pincus’ exit, investment in Accelya will fuel further innovation and growth for global solutions provider to the airline and travel industry.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Accelya, a leading global provider of financial, commercial and analytics solutions to the airline and travel industry, announced that it is being acquired by Vista Equity Partners, a leading investment firm focused on enterprise software, data and technology-enabled businesses. Vista’s investment in Accelya is the first made by the firm’s permanent capital investment fund Vista Equity Partners Perennial, which is focused on growing industry-leading vertical software companies through long-term investments in product expansion and feature enhancement.
Accelya has been at the forefront of travel and transport for more than 40 years and provides solutions spanning the airline lifecycle encompassing financial, commercial and cargo and logistics processes to over 400 clients across the globe. Accelya’s mission-critical insights, solutions and services allow customers to stay at the leading-edge of industry change and provide scaled industry platforms that process more than 5 billion financial transactions annually.
John Johnston, Chief Executive Officer of Accelya, said, “Our clients count on us to deliver datadriven insights, efficiency and unrivaled value in a highly competitive industry, while also managing risk and compliance and delivering an excellent customer experience. Vista shares with us a long-term view and focus on product innovation that will allow us to accelerate the expansion of our solutions to propel our clients forward in the dynamic travel marketplace. On behalf of the team, I’d also like to thank Warburg Pincus for their valuable contribution and strategic insight over the years.”
Like Vista’s other investment strategies, Perennial invests in mission-critical, enterprise software businesses seeking to sustain market leadership and advance product innovation. The Perennial strategy is differentiated by its permanent capital structure which allows it to pursue longer-term value creation opportunities in partnership with companies and their management teams by providing both capital and expertise to accelerate their success.
“Accelya is at the forefront of innovation and positioned to shape the airline and travel industry for decades to come, making it an exceptional first investment for Vista’s Perennial Fund,” said Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista. “We look forward to working with John and the talented management team at Accelya to identify further opportunities for growth as they continue to serve the leading airlines, travel agents, and shippers across the world.”
Warburg Pincus will exit its partnership with Accelya upon its sale to Vista, which is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. In jurisdictions where it is required to do so, Vista will take appropriate steps to comply with any mandatory open offer requirements.
Adarsh Sarma and David Reis, Managing Directors of Warburg Pincus, added, “We are proud to have supported Accelya through a transformative period of organic and acquisitive growth, creating a truly world-class business. We want to thank John Johnston and his team for their unrelenting hard work and commitment during our ownership. We are excited for their next chapter with Vista who will continue to advance Accelya’s development and growth, building on its exceptional foundation of operational excellence and market-leading technology.”
Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Evercore served as the financial advisors to Accelya and Warburg Pincus. Kirkland & Ellis served as the legal advisor to Warburg Pincus. For Accelya, Socios Financieros served as the management team’s advisor and Squire Patton Boggs served as the legal advisor. Goldman Sachs and Houlihan Lokey served as the financial advisors to Vista. Simpson Thacher served as the legal advisor to Vista.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
