Civica snapped up for £1 billion

Software vendor Civica has been acquired by global private markets investment manager Partners Group for just over £1 billion (A$1.64 billion).

The company's management and ongoing strategy will remain intact, according to the buyer. Civica has 3700 staff, three-quarters of whom are in its native UK.

Civica is a leading provider to public sector, education and commercial customers, with Australian users including the Northern Territory Department of Education and the Central Coast Council. It supplied the Victorian state government's Infringements Enforcement and Warrants management system.

One of its largest competitors is Brisbane-headquartered software provider TechnologyOne. 

Civica, which was acquired by OMERS Private Equity for £390 million in 2013, has been the centre of buyout speculation for some time, with NEC last week floated as a possible suitor.

Bilge Ogut, managing director, Private Equity Europe, Partners Group, said: “We have been impressed by Civica's track record of long-term growth. We see our investment as an opportunity to back a high-quality market leader in a sector with evolving customer needs and the potential to increase scale through select acquisitions. 

"We are excited to work with Civica under the leadership of [chairman] Simon Downing and [chief executive] Wayne Story and to continue to grow the business," added Ogut. 

Downing said: “Civica has performed extremely well during the period of OMERS ownership, and moves on significantly enhanced in scale and capability.

"The business is very well placed to respond to the changing needs of our customers and the investment by Partners Group, with its emphasis on working alongside management to grow companies, ensures we have access to the resources and support to build on our existing plans.”