January 2011 - LD&A, the leading pan-European investment bank for TMT companies, announces the successful sale of Techlightenment Ltd to the Experian Group (LSE: EXPN)
Techlightenment is a data-driven technology and social media marketing services company. The company quickly became one of the leading social media marketing companies in the world by combining its leading, proprietary technology with its deep understanding of social media campaigns, data focused strategies and metrics focus. Techlightenment's product suite includes Alchemy, the most sophisticated platform to manage large scale social advertising campaigns. The company was founded in 2007 by Gi Fernando and Ankur Shahand and is headquartered in London. It serves global advertising agencies and multinational companies including GlaxoSmithKline, Universal Pictures and Nissan.
Techlightenment was acquired by Experian, a PLC listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and a constituent of the FTSE 100 index whose total revenues for the year ended 31 March 2010 was GBP 3.9bn. Employing approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries, Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 90 countries. It helps individuals check their credit report and score, protect against identity theft, and helps businesses manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making.
LD&A, comments: "we are delighted with the transaction and glad to be part of such a major milestone in the history of social media. This is the most significant transaction in this category so far and the first time a corporate giant enters the sector. For the industry, this validates the maturity and the value of social media as an effective and valuable customer channel (alongside online, email and mobile) and opens a range of new marketing opportunities. The combination of Experian, the recognised leader in data marketing services, and Techlightenment, the world's leading social media services business creates the clear sector leader and has enormous potential. Finally, this important transaction confirms LD&A's sector expertise, global footprint and operational capability."
