LEEDS, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Callcredit Information Group, backed by private equity firm, GTCR, has acquired the Spanish Confirma group of companies, comprising Confirma Sistemas and Soluciones Confirma, which specialise in fraud prevention and anti-money laundering (AML) software solutions.
The strategic acquisition, sees Callcredit take a majority shareholding in the Madrid-headquartered business which is a leader in Spain in what is an increasingly technology-led and rapidly growing market. Callcredit entered the Spanish market in 2015 and has been developing its business and expansion plans following this initial success.
The acquisition, which will form part of the Callcredit Spain operation, establishes a firm market presence and a platform for further expansion. It will accelerate international growth and the development of Callcredit’s fraud prevention and risk management business and will enable it to offer its additional industry-leading fraud solutions to a wider client base.
Callcredit Spain will be headed by Juan Antonio Villegas who is a veteran of the industry having served as a former Director General of Experian and Trans Union España.
Callcredit is looking to invest in and grow Confirma, which already boasts an impressive client roster which includes over 40 clients amongst which are both domestic and international banks, consumer lending institutions and insurance companies.
This is Callcredit’s third acquisition in less than 18 months, having bought customer experience specialist, Numero, in March 2016 and device fraud protection firm, Recipero, in September 2016.
Commenting on the announcement, Mike Gordon, CEO, Callcredit Information Group, said: “There is a real momentum within the business at the moment. As a Group we have a focused strategy and international expansion is a key component of this.
“Spain represents a significant opportunity for Callcredit and its future growth. The acquisition of Confirma and the appointment of Juan Antonio Villegas as an experienced country head gives us a firm presence in the market and brings a unique offering which complements our wider proposition. Confirma has an impressive roster of over 40 clients, including leading banks and consumer finance organisations.
“Callcredit Information Group is continuing to develop its fraud prevention and risk management capabilities and this acquisition complements our core proposition of delivering technology enabled data solutions.”
About the acquisition
Confirma group of companies (Confirma Sistemas de Información, S.L. and Soluciones Confirma ASNEF-SIGNE, S.L.) has two primary lines of business: market-leading fraud risk solutions to consumer finance organisations, retailers and banks to support their decisioning processes and detect fraud at the time of credit application; and global anti-money laundering (AML) software solutions to those entities regulated by the Spanish Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 10/2010. It operates in sectors which are complementary to Callcredit Information Group, including banking, insurance, consumer finance, retail, financial technology, telecommunications and utilities.
As part of the acquisition, the entire Confirma team is expected to stay in place, with the aim of growing the business as Callcredit continues to invest in its offering within the geography.
Callcredit engaged BDO Spain as financial advisors and Écija as legal advisors on this transaction.
Ends
Notes to Editors
The information in this statement is intended for journalists and media professionals only. The information should not be construed as a financial promotion under the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) Handbook of rules and Guidance.
About Callcredit
Callcredit specialises in credit referencing, database marketing solutions and software analytics and fraud and is an expert in managing consumer data for businesses across every sector. The Group is structured into three geographic markets: UK, North America, and International Markets. The markets are supported by three specialist line of business teams: Credit and Marketing Data, Software, Analytics & Fraud, and Consumer Markets. Callcredit focuses on developing innovative products and services across these specialisms to help businesses make smarter and informed decisions throughout the customer lifecycle.
Founded in 2000, Callcredit includes the UK’s second largest credit reference agency (CRA) and employs more than 1,200 professionals across Leeds, London, Stockport, Warrington and Kent, and its international offices in U.S., Spain, Japan, China, Dubai and Lithuania and also has agents working across international markets. In 2014 Callcredit was acquired by private equity business, GTCR.
In a first for UK consumers, in 2011 Callcredit launched Noddle (www.noddle.co.uk), the free-for-life credit reporting and scoring service with no hidden fees or 30-day trial periods, which now has more than three million customers. This service helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score and protect against fraud and identity theft.
