Growth investor Erisbeg acquires UK critical communications firm

(l-r) Andrew Murphy, Partner, and Alan Kerr, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Erisbeg Photograph - Fennells

Caoimhe Gordon

Dublin-based private equity fund Erisbeg has acquired PageOne Communications from digital services company Capita.

PageOne, which is based in the UK, provides critical communication solutions to companies, including public sector organisations, such as the NHS.

It was first acquired by Capita in 2014.

The value of the transaction was not disclosed but brings the total value of investments made by Erisbeg to €70m over the past two years.

The company launched its Erisbeg I LP fund in 2021.

Last October, AIB invested €10m into the flagship fund, bringing the total value of the fund to €110m.

Erisbeg already owns BP Multipage, an Irish business which provides similar communication solutions to companies and agencies operating in healthcare, emergency services and industrial sectors.

Erisbeg will now seek to “exploit” the strength of both companies in order to generate further opportunities for growth.

“Managing critical communication infrastructures for corporates and for the emergency services is a hugely important business and PageOne are acknowledged leaders in this sector in the UK with a stream of blue chip and Government clients,” Erisbeg partner Andrew Murphy said.

"Together with BP Multipage we see huge opportunities for synergies and growth,” he added.

The private equity firm was founded in 2017 by Alan Kerr and Mr Davy, formerly of Blackstone and DCC, respectively.

Erisbeg currently has investments in the critical communications, healthcare, compliance, logistics and recruitment sectors.