The 2020 M&A Awards will be presented in Belgium on Thursday, March 18, 2021.
If the covid health situation and the associated measures permit, the summit in M&A, corporate finance and private equity will meet for the third time on March 18 at the Hôtel de la Poste in Brussels.
A professional jury consisting of captains of industry and M&A experts nominated fifteen deals in five categories on November 10. The winners will be announced during the award show on March 18, 2021.
What was striking was the limited number of deals in the Best Large Cap Corporate Deal and Best Mid Cap Corporate Deal categories. The corona crisis and the fact that transactions were put on the back burner as a result undoubtedly had something to do with this. Despite these circumstances, there was an extensive shortlist in the Best PE Growth Capital Deal category. There were also an impressive number of deals in the categories Best Venture Capital – Technology Deal and Best Venture Capital – Life Sciences Deal. Technology and Life Sciences are two sectors in which Belgium excels, according to the jury.
Nominees Best Large Cap Corporate Deal 2020
- Aedifica acquires Hoivatilat
- DPG Media acquires Sanoma Media Netherlands
The jury nominates the acquisition of the Finnish healthcare real estate company Hoivatilat by the regulated real estate company (RREC) Aedifica. Thanks to this acquisition via a public tender offer, Aedifica enters the Scandinavian market. The deal is therefore an important stepping stone in Aedifica's growth strategy to become a European player.
The jury also appreciates the takeover of Sanoma Media Netherlands by DPG Media. Thanks to this strategically smart move, DPG Media strengthens its market leadership in the Netherlands and can further focus on digitalization.
Nominees Best Mid Cap Corporate Deal 2020
- Boehringer-Ingelheim acquires GST
- FPIM & Sabena Aerospace acquire Sabca
Given the limited activity in this category, the jury and the organization decided to nominate only two deals. Firstly, the takeover of the Belgian GST by Boehringer Ingelheim. According to the jury, this deal rewards the good track record of GST, active in a sector in which Belgium is among the world's best. Moreover, GST's research activities remain in Belgium.
According to the jury, the takeover of Sabca by FPIM & Sabena Aerospace also deserves a nomination, especially because of its Belgian roots. Thanks to the deal, Sabca will once again be in Belgian hands and can become an important player in the aviation sector, one of our most important strategic investment sectors.
Nominees Best PE Growth Capital Deal 2020
- Ecolab acquires CID Lines
- Entry of Avista Capital Partners into Vision Healthcare
- Tosca acquires Contraload
The jury emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship in this category.
The first nominee, the acquisition of CID Lines by Ecolab, illustrates the beautiful combination of entrepreneurship and private equity. CID Lines was founded by two Belgian cousins and is now a world leader in its sector. Under the influence of two generations of private equity, the product portfolio was expanded and internationalized, while the family shareholders always remained on board.
According to the jury, Avista Capital Partners' entry into Vision Healthcare, founded by Yvan Vindevogel in 2017, is both a final part of an impressive growth trajectory and a new beginning of further expansion.
The acquisition of Contraload, founded by two young Belgian entrepreneurs, by the American Tosca (in the portfolio of Apax Partners) enables the company to become a real global player. In addition to the strong strategic fit between the two companies, the jury also praises the key role of the private equity players.
Nominees Best Venture Capital – Technology Deal 2020
- Deliverect
- Odoo
- Secure Code Warrior
- Silverfin
In this category, the company's journey is at least as important to the jury as the capital acquired. To emphasize the activity in this category, the jury nominated four deals here.
The first nominee is Deliverect, founded by two Belgian serial entrepreneurs, who build on their previously acquired know-how. Thanks to the capital round and the entry of the Canadian Omers Ventures, the company gains access to the North American market.
The jury nominates Odoo for the performance of both the entrepreneur and the company, as an illustration of how management and investors can attract a high-quality, highly selective partner (the American Summit Partners) in a relatively short period of time.
Thirdly, Secure Code Warrior is competing for the award. According to the jury, this Belgian-made technology has enormous potential and will receive resources for its further expansion thanks to a capital round with renowned investors (including Goldman Sachs).
Fourth, Silverfin is on an impressive growth trajectory and is now at the head of the pack of rapidly scaling companies in Belgium.
Nominees Best Venture Capital – Life Sciences Deal 2020
- ExeVir Bio
- Illumina acquires BlueBee
- iTeos Therapeutics
The first nominee is ExeVir Bio, whose platform technology shows promise not only for Covid-19, but more broadly for viral diseases. The treatment comes into effect at the most critical moment, namely: when the immune system goes crazy. The start-up is supported by UCB, among others, and will have a very competent leadership team.
In addition, the jury nominates the acquisition of BlueBee by Illumina because of the great complementarity. BlueBee's ‘DNA sequencing’ technology is a strategic quantum leap for medicine.
Finally, iTeos Therapeutics also deserves a nomination for the largest capital round of the year. The Walloon company that develops immunotherapy for cancer patients managed to raise a huge amount of money from both new and existing investors in the midst of the corona crisis and went public shortly afterwards.
A vigorous debate and a rigorous selection process
The deals that qualify for an award were announced between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020. After preliminary research, the pitches were assessed by the professional jury. Each deal was extensively discussed and assessed for, among other things, originality, complexity, financing structure, vision and timing. Jury chairman Urbain Vandeurzen asked each jury member to put together a top three and then argue for them. Ultimately, fifteen nominees emerged unanimously.
Members of the professional jury
The six-member professional jury consists of:
- Urbain Vandeurzen (Chairman Panel of Judges, Co-Founder and Chairman Smile Invest NV, former Chairman and CEO LMS International and Honorary Chairman VOKA)
- Renaat Berckmoes (Co-Founder and Partner Fortino Capital)
- Pierre Demaerel (Secretary General of the BVA and Chairman of the Belgian Growth Fund)
- Philippe Haspeslagh (Professor and Honorary Dean Vlerick Business School, Chairman Ardo and Capricorn Partners)
- Michaël Sephiha (Journalist Mediafin/De Tijd)
- Eric van Zele (former CEO Barco)
The winners will be announced by the jury on March 18, 2021. For more information and availability of dinner tables and tickets, visit MA-Awards.be or contact us.
