Palladium, a leading provider of transaction advisory and value creation services to private equity firms, has entered a new era following its acquisition by Inspirit Capital and PCB Partners. We spoke with co-founder and CEO James Prebble to hear his thoughts on the deal, why he’s excited about the future, and what’s next for Palladium.
Congratulations on the acquisition, James. Can you share your initial thoughts and feelings about Palladium joining forces with Inspirit Capital and PCB Partners?
“Obviously we're very excited to partner with Inspirit Capital and PCB Partners given their incredible track record. Working alongside Will Stamp, Ben Doltis and Tim Farazmand is fantastic not just for me but for the business at large. Their experience of the sector, and perspective on value creation and successful exits will be invaluable for Palladium as we continue to expand the breadth of our service offering to clients.”
What factors made Inspirit Capital and PCB Partners the right partners for Palladium at this stage of your journey?
“We were fortunate enough to have been very popular during the acquisition process, but what really helped Inspirit Capital and PCB Partners stand out from the rest was how quickly they understood the work that we do, the passion they had for our existing AI capability, and the opportunities they could see for further development of our tech, data and AI capabilities. We felt they shared the same level of enthusiasm as us and they were very aligned with our future vision.”
How do you see this partnership accelerating Palladium’s growth and value creation capabilities for your clients?
“Obviously having access to such an experienced team of investors, who have spent the majority of their careers in the Private Equity sector, is hugely advantageous for us. They've already proved an excellent sounding board in such a short space of time post transaction completion. But beyond that, I think it’s the autonomy that Inspirit affords their investments, giving us the room to do what we do best, is where we will see the most benefit. To know we have the support of the investment team when we need them, and of course the firepower to make investments into new and existing capabilities, combined should prove hugely valuable for the prospects of the business.”
Are there any immediate strategic priorities or changes you plan to implement as a result of this deal?
“We're certainly planning on continuing the excellent progress we've made in the North American market and we're committed to further growth in this region. We'll be exploring further expansion of the team to support the increasing demand for support from our client base there. In addition to this, we intend to continue to build on the Data & AI capabilities we already have within the business, both in diligence and value creation. We have some exciting new developments in the AI space coming later in the year, which we look forward to sharing.”
What are your hopes and ambitions for Palladium over the next few years as part of the Inspirit and PCB family?
“I think as we enter this new chapter for Palladium, our ambitions are twofold. Firstly, building on the legacy of the business, which has always strived to innovate and adapt to the latest technology developments. It's this mindset that has helped us stay at the forefront of digital advisory in the Private Equity sector. With our new partnership, we will have the resources to accelerate innovation and embrace the latest technology advancements. Secondly, the ambition is to continue on the growth trajectory we've followed for the last decade, to continue to establish the Palladium brand in North America and add to our fabulous roster of clients there, and to continue growing and evolving our technology, AI and data implementation practice.”
