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US private equity firm TA Associates has acquired a majority stake in Dubai-based GCC education provider AlephYa Education, according to a press release. TA Associates cited AlephYa’s “strong, diversified platform driven by an impressive track record of M&A and operational excellence.” Neither party put a value on the transaction.
The new shareholder structure: Ashmore Investment Saudi Arabia will divest its entire stake in AlephYa, having been an investor since 2017. Existing investors Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) and Oman International Development and Investment Company SAOG (Ominvest) will retain “significant” stakes, the press release says. Prior to the transaction, GIC held 35% and Ominvest 15%, according to their websites. It’s unclear whether either Ominvest or GIC sold down portions of their stake as part of the sale.
More acquisitions in the cards? TA wants to see AlephYa expand regionally “bring high-quality, affordable education to more communities across the GCC,” TA Director Vishal Gupta said. “We see great potential for AlephYa’s continued expansion, both organically and through strategic acquisitions,” TA Managing Director Dhiraj Poddar added.
About AlephYa: Founded in 2017, the company operates 13 schools across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. AlephYa’s schools offer a mix of American, British, and local curricula, catering to over 18.5k students, including both local and expatriate families.
ADVISORS- Our friends at Al Tamimi & Company were advisors to TA Associates on the transaction. Goodwin Procter also provided legal counsel, while PwC Middle East was financial advisor to TA.
