6 June 2022, Odense – Polaris, the Nordic private equity investor, has acquired a majority stake in Esoft Systems A/S (‘Esoft’) – the global market leader in photos, video, text and digital marketing for the real estate industry.
Since its foundation in 2000, Esoft has become an internationally based company that is present in over 20 markets on four continents and employs approximately 850 people worldwide. Esoft has generated high growth in its international markets due to an increased demand for digital solutions that are increasingly moving to new platforms.
“Esoft has created a leading position in the Nordic market and is facing further global growth with its unique solutions that can be produced and adapted to different geographical markets and requirements. We will support this development with our investment, and we look forward to a good partnership where we can contribute to the next phase of Esoft’s development,” says Rune Lillie Gornitzka, partner at Polaris.
New Group CEO
In connection with the change of ownership, Esoft’s founder and former Group CEO, René Dines Hermand, resigns from the day-to-day management and joins the company’s board of directors. The new Group CEO will be Ian Holmgaard who has so far been CEO of Esoft Danmark A/S and also a significant driving force in the development of Esoft’s growth strategy towards 2025.
“I have helped building a company that is in top shape and has never performed better. It is therefore with serenity and pride that I now pass on the baton to a new partner who I am sure can lift Esoft to new heights. I am extremely proud of the journey that Esoft and I have been on for over 20 years, and I would like to thank all the talented employees who over the years have helped making their mark on Esoft, and who can now participate in the journey towards unleashing the company’s potential as a true global market leader,” says René Dines Hermand.
A strong partner for the further journey
The outgoing chairman of the board, Torben Frigaard Rasmussen, is also pleased that it has been possible to find a strong partner for the further journey:
“Esoft has a strong management team and skilled, committed employees who can rightly have global ambitions – so it is a good match with Polaris and their experience in creating global market leaders,” says Torben Frigaard Rasmussen.
The new chairman of the board at Esoft will be Agner Mark, with whom Polaris already has a long and successful history.
Accelerating growth plans
With Ian Holmgaard as the new Group CEO and Polaris as the new partner, Esoft’s growth plans are now being turbo-charged. These plans include further global scaling, an investment in a further development of the organization and an even stronger market position in both Scandinavia and several other markets. A key element in the growth strategy will continue to be Esoft’s production hub in Vietnam, where it employs several hundred image specialists and where Esoft has won several awards for its CSR work over the years.
“It is a great honor to be allowed to be at the forefront of a Danish business adventure like Esoft. We invented the business vertical that we today are the market leader in, and here 20 years later we are still continuing to raise the bar for our industry via our global setup, our technology development and the way we do things. I hope I can help accelerate both our business and our organization further,” says Ian Holmgaard.
The parties have agreed not to disclose the sales price.
