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OCI Spring Newsletter 2024

Oakley Capital
04.04.24
5 min read

Welcome to our Spring newsletter with news and views from across OCI, the Investment Adviser Oakley Capital and the underlying portfolio companies.

In this edition: a productive period for dealmaking continues with a roll-up play backing an exceptional founder in the fragmented auto repair market, a medical software investment marking Oakley’s sixth platform deal in Iberia, plus plenty of bolt-on acquisitions across core sectors. We’ll bring you the highlights from Oakley’s recent AI Forum which featured guest speakers from Nvidia and Microsoft Turing, as well as practical AI tips from IU Group and North Sails. Plus: Oakley celebrates winning Mid-Market Firm of the Year at the Private Equity International Awards.

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New Deals

Horizons Optical Image

Oakley Capital invests in Horizons Optical, a provider of medical software used to make premium spectacle lenses: ageing populations and increased screen time means poorer eyesight and increased demand for specialist spectacles. Horizons Optical makes 10 million so-called ‘progressive’ lenses to meet this demand. Oakley’s investment via Origin I will help accelerate international growth and R&D.

Steer Listing Image

Oakley Capital agrees investment in Steer Automotive Group, the UK’s largest and fastest-growing independent collision repair group. In just six years Richard Steer has grown the business to take a 5% share of the highly fragmented UK market. Partnering with Oakley will facilitate Steer’s next stage of growth.

7NXT Gymondo

7NXT acquires wellbeing app 7Mind to create the leading platform for physical and mental fitness: The combined business will create an expanded platform with the critical mass to participate in further M&A opportunities in a wellness market that is expanding in the DACH region and internationally.

News and Insights from across Oakley

AI Forum

Oakley Capital Cyber & AI Forum:

Leaders from across the Oakley portfolio and network gathered in London to discuss the challenges and opportunities that AI offers, with speakers including from Nvidia, Microsoft Turing and Oakley partner Touring Capital. Portfolio companies worked through a simulated cyberattack, and shared insights into using AI to enhance sales and marketing, building AI tools vs. buying off-the-shelf, and tips for growing AI talent. We’ll be sharing some of these insights over the next few weeks.

PEI Award

Oakley wins Mid-Market Firm of the Year in Europe, in the prestigious Private Equity International Awards 2023, plus Secondaries Deal of the Year in Europe for Oakley’s exit from IU Group. This follows a record year for Oakley, raising €4.8bn, investing €1.5bn and realising €1bn for our investors.

Level 20 appoints Rebecca Gibson as new Chair: This is well-deserved recognition of Rebecca’s achievements in the industry, but also demonstrates Oakley’s ongoing commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion across the firm and our wider industry. In this interview, Rebecca discusses the importance of creating a sustainable career path for women in private equity.

Oakley Philanthropy & EDI

The Miles in March Challenge
Celebrating International Women’s Day
The Miles in March Challenge
Celebrating International Women’s Day
Mim

#TeamOakley raised the bar for this year’s flagship charity fundraise,  collectively clocking up 20,000 km or just over 12,400 miles by cycling, running, walking and skiing over the month of March. That’s up from our 15,000 km target last year. Monies raised will go to this year’s chosen charity, Groundbreaker Talents, which helps underprivileged women in Uganda to train as software engineers.

IMG 0839 (1)

Oakley’s private equity industry breakfast brought together women from across PE to network and learn more about our chosen charity Groundbreaker Talents, helping disadvantaged women in Africa to learn coding. We also hosted a series of celebratory internal breakfasts across our offices in London, Munich, Milan and Luxembourg. Also read our IWD viewpoints from female leaders across the Oakley portfolio.

What the Oakley team are reading

Erika Furbert, Sustainability Associate

Red Notice: A true story of high finance, murder and one man’s fight for Justice by Bill Browder

Pete Schaffer, Legal Director

And Away by Bob Mortimer

Jonathan Clapham, Investment Director

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

Latest Reporting

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OCI Spring Newsletter 2025 07.05.25
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OCI Autumn Newsletter 2024 14.11.24

If you would like to know more, contact a member of the OCI team.

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