William Blair acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Project Management Academy (PMA), a portfolio company of Leeds Equity Partners, in connection with its sale to Morgan Stanley Capital Partners.
PMA was attracted to William Blair's deep knowledge and expertise in the training and education space. This transaction represents William Blair's 10th transaction in the education and training sectors over the past 18 months.
M&A interest in corporate training continues to grow, and evolving trends in the workplace and learning ecosystem are changing how companies invest in talent. PMA is poised to benefit from these trends given the growing complexity of projects and desire for project management skillsets.
About the Companies
Project Management Academy is a leading provider of training and ongoing support of project managers in certification, skills development, and leadership. With a diverse delivery platform that offers both live, in-person training, in addition to virtual online and asynchronous offerings, Project Management Academy provides its services in over 55 cities to over 12,000 students each year, in addition to hundreds of companies annually.
Morgan Stanley Capital Partners is a leading middle-market private equity platform that has invested capital in a broad spectrum of industries for over two decades. The team focuses on privately negotiated equity and equity-related investments primarily in North America, as well as Europe and other regions. Combining the talents of seasoned investment professionals and experienced operating partners, the team attempts to create value in portfolio companies primarily through operational improvement.
Leeds Equity Partners is a private equity firm focused exclusively on investing in the Knowledge Industries, a $3.0 trillion industry comprised of companies operating in the education, training, and information services sub-verticals. The team assists its portfolio companies through a number of different resources, including an active Board of Advisors, the shared ecosystem of their portfolio companies, and an established network of industry executives and thought leaders.