THI Investments has sold Corndel to Galileo Global Education
Corndel
Founded in 2016, Corndel is the go-to provider of high-quality professional apprenticeships for many of the UK’s largest employers, including 40% of the FTSE 100 and a growing number of public sector institutions, including central government departments and the National Health Service (NHS). The business is best known for its market-leading management and digital training courses, having tripled its learners on the program in the last three years to approximately 8,000 today.
The Deal
Lincoln International advised Corndel’s founders when they sold the business to THI Investments in December 2020 and continued to provide introductions and advice to the shareholders during their period of ownership, including managing inbound approaches from investors and trade buyers. It was the introduction of Galileo Global Education, one of the world’s leading education groups, operating across 13 countries with more than 170,000 learners, that culminated with the transaction in which Lincoln acted as the exclusive financial adviser.
Corndel perfectly complements Galileo’s portfolio of established higher education brands and materially increases their presence in the UK market. The transaction provides a clean exit for THI and an exciting strategic growth partner for Corndel’s experienced management team, led by James Kelly, Sean Cosgrove and Kat Ferguson.
Our Perspective
Edward Lethbridge, Lincoln International Managing Director who led the transaction, commented, “Corndel stands out as one of the UK’s most dynamic education groups, delighting learners and employers with its high-quality training provision. It’s been a privilege to support their equity story in 2020 and again in 2024. The latest transaction is a landmark deal for the UK skills sector and evidence of a broader global convergence of higher and professional education organizations.”
THI Investments
THI is a privately backed, pan-European private equity investor with more than €2 billion of assets under management. THI partners with organizations to help them scale and grow, with education and training being one of its core sectors of specialization and expertise.
Galileo Global Education
Galileo is a leading international provider of education. With operations in 13 countries and support to more than 170,000 learners each year, Galileo is focused on positive societal impact through transformational education.
We are very grateful for the thoughtful advice and clear sector expertise that Lincoln was able to bring in support of this successful transaction.
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