JT has confirmed that it has reached agreement to sell a majority stake in its Internet of Things (IoT) division to the family backed private equity investor Perwyn.
The new business will remain headquartered in Jersey. JT were advised exclusively on this deal by Arma Partners.
There are almost 10 million JT SIMs in active use today around the World
This division was created as part of JT’s international expansion drive in 2014 and has doubled in size every year for the last 3 years. It provides device connectivity services to customers around the world.
The sale has been timed to maximise the excellent growth potential of this successful business by securing substantial investment from a new owner who specialises in providing risk capital to rapidly growing technology businesses. JT will continue to benefit from this growth by supplying services to the new company and retaining a minority stake in it.
Phil Male (pictured), JT’s Chairman said: “I am immensely proud of the hard work, talent and commitment which the JT team have shown to get our IoT business to this point. Together we have grown this business from inception into an entity now worthy of a sale at this scale. This sale not only shows the vast potential and value of Jersey’s digital sector, but also demonstrates that within Jersey we have both the human talent and the funding to enable and build globally successful digital businesses.
Now is the right time for JT to sell the majority of this business, in order to further turbo-charge that success. Whilst retaining a minority stake and becoming a supplier to Jersey’s biggest technology business, we believe that in Perwyn we have a new owner for the business with the vision and risk appetite to fund and grow this young, dynamic and growing global Jersey business.”
Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré, said: “This is extraordinarily good news for Jersey and a clear marker of just what can be achieved in the digital economy. We welcome this significant inward investment to the Island, which will lead to growth and exciting employment opportunities for Islanders.
“The agreement clearly shows that Jersey is gaining a global reputation as an incubator of successful digital businesses, and I am determined that this will represent the start of an even more exciting time for Jersey’s digital sector.“
Andrew Wynn, Founder and Managing Partner of Perwyn, added: “We are extremely pleased to have secured the purchase of JT’s IoT business. We have been watching JT’s development in this space for some time with great interest and are impressed by both the speed and scale of their success and growth in this area. They are now one of the most attractive players in this global market.
“The process of dealing with JT and the island of Jersey during this transaction has been collaborative and productive. We are confident this relationship will bring benefits to Jersey, as well as augmenting the island’s future attractiveness as an incubator for leading-edge innovative businesses. We look forward to working with the JT team to complete the transaction, which is one of important size and scale for us.”
Who is Perwyn?
Founded in 2013, Perwyn is a family-backed, international private and growth equity investor.
Perwyn works closely with investee companies applying strategic and operational expertise in addition to providing capital. Perwyn is free from the usual private equity funding cycles, focusing above all on their investments rather than fund raising.
There are two main focuses of the business.
- Perwyn Private Equity is an active lead investor, seeking buyout opportunities in established, growing, cash generative market leaders headquartered in the UK or Western Europe where it can make a material impact on growth and profitability. Perwyn invests in businesses with an EV of £/€50-300m, seeking partnership investment support for growth initiatives or transition.
- Perwyn Growth Capital invests in growing businesses across the same markets, with a passion for backing entrepreneurs and founders on their winning strategy. We seek primarily minority equity investments of £/€5m-50m to help accelerate growth.
