Charlesbank Capital Partners and M/C Partners Close Acquisition of Acxiom ITO

August 3, 2015

Charlesbank Capital Partners and M/C Partners Close Acquisition of Acxiom ITO

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Charlesbank Capital Partners and M/C Partners today announced they have closed their acquisition of the IT Outsourcing business of Acxiom (NASDAQ: ACXM).

Ryan Carroll, Managing Director at Charlesbank, said, “As a standalone company with a focused, well-capitalized shareholder group, highly experienced leadership team, and passionate, talented employees, Acxiom ITO is well-positioned for success. Charlesbank and our partner, M/C Partners, feel confident that the company will exceed the expectations of customers, employees and suppliers in the months ahead.”

“This acquisition will help the company expand its leadership in the IT and mainframe outsourcing space,” said Gillis Cashman, Managing Partner, M/C Partners. “We are very pleased to be working with Charlesbank to grow the company and provide Acxiom ITO’s clients with continually evolving and improving products and services.”

Charlesbank has deep and relevant experience investing in similar companies including past investments in IT outsourcing, telecom and complex corporate carve-outs. In strengthening Acxiom ITO as a standalone entity, the team will draw on its expertise to capitalize on key growth avenues, ensure a smooth transition for all clients and equip the company to more adeptly meet the needs of its customers.

In addition to providing funding for the acquisition, M/C Partners will be leveraging its broad experience in the IT infrastructure and communications services markets. The firm has been a leading investor in this segment for more than two decades, having previously invested in Involta, Fusepoint, Attenda, Denovo, Zayo Group and Lightower.

Webster Bank’s TMT practice provided financing for the transaction. Goodwin Procter served as the legal advisor for the buyers.

About Acxiom Acxiom is an enterprise data, analytics and software-as-a-service company that uniquely fuses trust, experience and scale to fuel data-driven results. For over 40 years, Acxiom has been an innovator in harnessing the most important sources and uses of data to strengthen connections between people, businesses and their partners. Utilizing a channel and media neutral approach, we leverage cutting-edge, data-oriented products and services to maximize customer value. Every week, Acxiom powers more than a trillion transactions that enable better living for people and better results for our 7,000+ global clients. For more information, please visit www.acxiom.com.

About Acxiom IT Outsourcing, LP Acxiom ITO provides IT services that help clients deliver better, faster, more cost-effective results. Our services extend across all platforms to meet a variety of needs. We pride ourselves on delivering superior customer service and innovative solutions that enable our customers’ success. Acxiom ITO has been recognized in the top 3 for mainframe outsourcing by a leading analyst firm. For 46 years, companies that require high-performance, secure, reliable IT have turned to Acxiom ITO and remained loyal clients — some for over 15 years. To learn more, please visit www.acxiomIT.com.

About Charlesbank Capital Partners
Based in Boston and New York, Charlesbank Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity investment firm managing more than $3 billion of capital. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital financings, generally investing $50 million to $150 million per transaction in companies with enterprise values of $100 million to $750 million. The firm seeks to partner with strong management teams to build companies with sustainable competitive advantage and excellent prospects for growth. For more information, please visit www.charlesbank.com.

About M/C Partners
M/C Partners is a private equity firm focused exclusively on the communications, media, and information technology sectors. The firm has invested over $1.5 billion into nearly 100 companies in those sectors. Companies M/C has backed include Cavalier Telephone, Fusepoint, GTS Central Europe, ICG Communications, Involta, Legendary Pictures, Lightower, MetroPCS, NuVox, Open Mobile, and Zayo Group. The firm has strong institutional backing from the nation’s leading pension funds and endowments as well as a long track record of success. M/C Partners has offices in Boston and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.mcpartners.com.

Zack Halpryn

Zack Halpryn is an Associate at M|C Partners, where he focuses on investment opportunities in the digital infrastructure and technology services sectors. Prior to joining MC, Zack worked at HarbourVest Partners, where he was focused on buyout and growth equity investments. Previously he worked at Performance Equity Management and Credit Suisse. Zack received a B.B.A in Finance (summa cum laude) from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He currently lives in Boston’s West End and in his spare time enjoys playing sports (volleyball, basketball, golf), reading and watching the Celtics.

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Established in 1999 and based in Raleigh, is a trusted, local communications and managed services provider to businesses leveraging its fully owned fiber network. celito creates technology solutions for businesses across all sectors both large and small. From supplying high-speed Internet service, to providing quality VoIP telecom service, to setting up your office network, they offer turnkey solutions from the desktop to the cloud

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Jason P. Stutman

Jason Stutman is a Senior Fund Accountant at M/C Partners, responsible for the cash management of co-investment vehicles, preparing quarterly financial statements, and communication with Limited Partners. Prior to joining the firm in 2023, Jason worked in the Portfolio Analytics Group at HarbourVest Partners. He earned a BSBA with honors in Finance with a minor in Computer Information Science from The Ohio State University. Jason lives in South Boston and enjoys cheering on Boston sports teams, playing hockey and golf and traveling.

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Cuba Burch Berner

Cuba Burch Berner is an Associate at M|C Partners, where he focuses on investment opportunities in digital infrastructure and technology services. Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Cuba was an Equity Research Associate at Citi covering infrastructure companies within the telecommunications industry, including data centers and wireless towers. He holds a B.S. in Mathematics with a specialization in Economics from the University of Chicago. Cuba currently lives in Boston’s West End and enjoys a myriad of outdoor activities including running, swimming, hiking, and skiing.

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James F. Wade

Jim Wade co-founded M/C Partners in 1986 with Dave Croll. He has been investing in communications and technology services since the advent of wireless and broadband, cornerstones of the firm’s sector focus. As Chairman, he manages the firm’s investment process, and continuously seeks out management teams, company prospects and financial resources to grow the portfolio. Jim’s successful track record includes MetroPCS (IPO), Lightower Holdings (acquired by Berkshire Partners), Cavalier Telephone (acquired by PAETEC), NuVox Communications (acquired by WindStream), Attenda (acquired by Darwin Private Equity), Melita (acquired by Apax Partners), PR Wireless (joint venture with Sprint affiliate in Puerto Rico), Thrive Networks (acquired/recapitalized by Court Square) and Involta (acquired by Carlyle Group). Today he serves as a director on the Board of Connectivity Wireless and has responsibility for Omega Wireless. Jim graduated from the University of Notre Dame a B.B.A in Finance and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives outside Boston with his wife and four children. Jim was an avid boater and is now an average golfer.

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Abhishek Rampuria

Abhishek (A.B.) is a Partner at M/C Partners, where he leads origination, deal diligence and portfolio company support for investments in a variety of communications and technology services segments. He currently serves on the Board of Ascend Technologies, Connectivity Wireless, Edafio Technology Partners, TowerCom and serves as a Board Observer for Thrive Networks. A.B. previously served as a Board Observer for Ensono (acquired by KKR) and QOS Networks (acquired by Zayo). Prior to joining M/C Partners in 2015, A.B. worked at Altman Solon (formerly Altman Vilandrie), a technology, media & telecommunications focused strategy consulting firm, where he completed projects for both operating companies and private equity investors. A.B. received a B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He lives in Boston’s South End and outside of work, enjoys skiing, cycling, traveling and cheering on his home-town Patriots and Celtics.

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