Horizon Capital, a leading private equity firm in Emerging Europe, has increased its stake in Datagroup, Ukraine’s leading fiber infrastructure and digital services provider, from 73.46% to 96.13%, via its $370 million fund, Emerging Europe Growth Fund II, L.P. (EEGF II).
The deal participants said in a joint press release published on Thursday that EEGF II is pleased to be the sole investor in Datagroup, alongside CEO Mykhailo Shelemba, who holds 3.87%.
As a result of this transaction, the company’s founder Oleksandr Kardakov, and other minority investors, have fully exited Datagroup. Financial details of this deal were not disclosed.
“Since assuming operational control of the company in 2016, Datagroup has completed a full business turnaround, reducing net debt to EBITDA by 9 times to a low 0.3 level today, and delivering over 20% compound annual growth in EBITDA. Datagroup continues to invest heavily into CAPEX, embarking on a network modernization program that will enhance further the high quality of services and innovation provided to its valued clients,” Horizon Capital Principal Dmytro Boroday, who leads this transaction at Horizon Capital, Said.
He also said that Datagroup has boosted its leading position in B2B, wholesale, international traffic and satellite communication segments, and is poised to deliver continued solid growth, both organically and through M&A.
“I am proud of the company’s results and the successful transformation that has taken place over the past four years. I am pleased that the company has strengthened its partnership with Horizon Capital, an investor that has backed Datagroup for many years, and wish them success in their strategic ambitions. I am confident that, together with management, they will take Datagroup forward to a new stage of growth and development,” Oleksandr Kardakov, founder and former shareholder of Datagroup, said.
