DGAP-News

EQS Group AG acquires Business Keeper GmbH - Seite 2

The purchase price amounts to EUR 95 million (cash and debt free) and is to be paid in two tranches within 12 months. The sellers are Macquarie Capital, as well as the founder of Business Keeper and the managing director. The first tranche of EUR 80 million will be financed by EUR 10 million in cash and an acquisition loan of EUR 50 million from Commerzbank Munich. EQS Group AG also plans to carry out a capital increase of 7.5 percent of the share capital without subscription rights. The new shares will be offered to subscribers of the capital increase in February 2021. Members of the executive board and the supervisory board together with Investmentaktiengesellschaft für langfristige Investoren TGV have committed to backstop the capital increase in full at EUR 38.00 per share.

Achim Weick, CEO of EQS Group AG: "For EQS, the acquisition of Business Keeper GmbH is equivalent to the acquisition of DGAP mbH in 2005, the beginning of a success story. Our leading position as a European cloud provider for whistleblowing systems puts us in the perfect position with the implementation of the EU whistleblowing directive in the individual member states, first and foremost in Germany, the largest market."

Business Keeper GmbH was founded by Kenan Tur and is currently headed by managing director Kai Leisering. Kai Leisering will continue to hold a senior position at EQS Group AG. In addition to numerous DAX companies, Business Keeper's customer base also includes other international corporations such as Danone, Nestlé and Samsung.

Kai Leisering, Managing Director of Business Keeper GmbH: "As a pioneer in digital whistleblowing systems, we are now contributing our expertise and many years of experience in the compliance sector to EQS Group AG. The EU Whistleblower Directive offers a great opportunity to embed ethical standards in companies and promote a values-based business culture. Together with EQS Group AG, we can make an even greater contribution to the implementation of good corporate governance and sustainability in companies."