Antin Infrastructure Partners acquires Pulsant

Antin Infrastructure Partners has acquired leading independent nationwide data centre platform in the UK from Oak Hill Capital and Scottish Equity Partners

Paris, London, New York 

Antin Infrastructure Partners announced today that it has acquired Pulsant, one of the leading nationwide providers of data centre and cloud infrastructure in the UK.

Pulsant owns and operates a portfolio of 10 data centres across seven cities in the UK. It provides essential data centre and cloud infrastructure, including colocation, private cloud, and network connectivity to a loyal base of over 1,000 private enterprise and public sector customers.

Demand for UK data centre and cloud infrastructure is expected to continue growing significantly in the coming years. This growth is underpinned by fundamental macro trends including increased outsourcing of IT and data infrastructure  ̶  particularly among UK regional businesses  ̶  and enables more secure and cost-efficient storage and processing of data. These trends have been further accelerated by the pandemic as companies and organizations look to overcome the common barriers to digital transformation by accessing reliable and scalable IT and data infrastructure.

Following completion of the acquisition, Antin will work with Pulsant’s experienced management team, led by CEO Rob Coupland and CFO Brad Petzer, to implement a clear growth strategy underpinned by further investment to continue developing the strong existing platform and network footprint.

Simon Söder, Partner at Antin Infrastructure Partners, said: “The pandemic has further reinforced the importance of reliable and flexible infrastructure for connectivity, storage and processing of data given the prevalence of remote working and as more businesses shift to cloud-based solutions. Through its network of regional data centres, Pulsant is uniquely placed to support businesses across the UK with high quality flexible data centre and cloud infrastructure solutions."

Rob Coupland, Chief Executive Officer at Pulsant, commented: “We thank Oak Hill Capital and Scottish Equity Partners for their support to date. In partnership with Antin, we now look forward to delivering on the considerable potential we see over the coming years, driven by our cloud and edge capabilities, our regional presence and our ability to deliver customised solutions.”

Mark Crosbie, Managing Partner of Antin Infrastructure Partners, added: “We are delighted to support Pulsant’s management team in the next stage of the company’s development. Rob and Brad have a combined wealth of leadership expertise in the data centre and cloud markets and we look forward to supporting Pulsant with further capital to enable it to meet the growing demand for its offering." 

Pulsant was advised by Jefferies International Limited (financial adviser) and Ropes & Gray LLP (legal counsel).

Antin Infrastructure Partners was advised by RBC Capital Markets and Greenhill & Co International LLP (financial advisers), Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP (legal counsel) and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP (financing legal counsel).

Media Contacts

Nicolle Graugnard

Communication Director, Antin Infrastructure Partners

Email: media@antin-ip.com

Guy Daniels

Chief Marketing Officer, Pulsant

Email: guy.daniels@pulsant.com

About Pulsant

Pulsant is a leading IT infrastructure services provider with a core focus on colocation, cloud and networking services to UK companies. Pulsant connects organisations to their digital potential via reliable, secure and scalable IT infrastructure and the UK’s digital edge through a national network of data centres and cloud platforms, helping navigate continuous digital disruption and accelerate growth.  Established in 1995, it has over 25 years of experience working with organisations to achieve their digital ambitions across the private and public sector. Pulsant also has a number of key accreditations including ISO27001.

About Antin Infrastructure Partners

Antin Infrastructure Partners is a leading independent private equity firm focused on infrastructure investments. Based in Paris, London and New York, and fully owned by its 20 partners, the firm employs over 140 professionals. Antin targets majority stakes in infrastructure businesses in the energy and environment, telecom, transport and social infrastructure sectors. Since its founding, Antin has raised approximately €17 billion in commitments from its global fund investor base and has made investments in 28 companies.