Filoblu opens its capital to private equity fund Gradiente, among the selling investors Ardian Growth

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Press release

Filoblu opens its capital to private equity fund Gradiente, among the selling investors Ardian Growth

  • 27 July 2021

  • Growth

  • Italy, Venice

6 minutes de lecture

Venice, 27 July 2021 – Fifth transaction for the private equity fund “Gradiente II”, managed by Gradiente SGR, which yesterday completed the investment in FiloBlu S.p.A., a business accelerator specialised in the management of online retail activities and digital services mainly for the fashion and consumer goods sectors. Founded in 2009, FiloBlu has been able to establish itself over the years as a reliable partner for those companies which consider the development and strengthening of the e-commerce distribution channel as a must-have and have integrated them within their corporate ecosystem.

With a turnover of more than €56 million in 2020, the company has more than 200 employees, 4 subsidiaries abroad and sales all over the world. The experience accumulated by the company over the years has enabled it to consolidate its know-how in order to be a reliable partner to support companies in the process of digital transformation and accelerated growth, which will be increasingly required in a system where e-commerce as a distribution channel will be essential to gain or maintain a competitive advantage in the market.

Gradiente has acquired a 67% stake in the company; the remaining 33% is held by Christian Nucibella, who founded and led the company throughout its successful history.
The investment of the private equity fund will give additional boost to FiloBlu in its path as a leader in the digital market of e-commerce and services in the digital transformation field.

“The partnership with Ardian has allowed us to better structure the company and enhance its reputation in the reference market. This second round of investment will allow FiloBlu to continue its growth with the same positive trend achieved over the years, seizing new opportunities unexplored to date, continuing to be a reference for innovative solutions, providing astrategic approach to the market in omnichannel key and development of brand equity for its customers” says Christian Nucibella, Founder of FiloBlu.

“In less than three years, FiloBlu has tripled its turnover thanks to its excellent ability to execute and transform its offer, without losing its entrepreneurial DNA of strong growth and profitability. Christian Nucibella’s proximity and agility have made the difference. A fine picture of our support for digital entrepreneurs,” commented Laurent Foata and Bertrand Schapiro of Ardian Growth.

“FiloBlu is an example of an Italian company active in a market characterised by favourable dynamics and very important growth trends that are affecting the daily activities of retail companies. We are delighted to support the company in this new development project aimed at establishing its leadership, also by seizing important opportunities for value creation through add-ons designed to expand the product offering and consolidate the company’s competitive position in its reference market”, Pietro Busnardo and Lorena Lorenzon of Gradiente SGR commented.

Gradiente was assisted by NCTM Studio Legale for contractual and tax advice, by KPMG for accounting advice and by Klecha & Co for business due diligence. The sellers were assisted by the law firm Giovannelli e Associati.

ABOUT FILOBLU

Founded by Christian Nucibella and based in Milan, Venice and Naples – FiloBlu is an on & offline strategy consultancy with a strong international vocation, offering tailor-made and complete solutions to companies operating in a variety of sectors (including: fashion, lifestyle, food). Strengthened by a team of over 200 specialised talents and studied as a successful case history by the Financial Times and Deloitte, FiloBlu has a sustainable, global and capillary vision at the service of the client, thanks also to solid agreements with international players. It has received numerous awards: FT 1000 Europe’s Faster Growing Companies in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021; 350 Digital Stars 2020 by La Repubblica Affari&Finanza; “Leader of Growth” by Il Sole 24 Ore and Statista in 2019, 2020 and 2021; EMEA Technology Fast 500 (since 2015) and Best Managed Companies by Deloitte from 2018 onwards.

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$112bn managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base.
Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.
Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 750 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of more than 1,200 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.

Press contacts

FILOBLU

ARDIAN - Headland

VIKTOR TSVETANOV

VTsvetanov@headlandconsultancy.co.uk

Tel: +44 207 3435 7469