Moore Kingston Smith advises Actica Consulting on Gemba Advantage acquisition
Moore Kingston Smith has advised Sovereign-backed Actica Consulting, a leading firm specialising in technology transformation and cyber security services for the UK public sector, on its acquisition of Gemba Advantage.
Founded in Guildford in 1998 and backed by Sovereign Capital Partners since 2022, Actica Consulting continues to expand rapidly through its buy-and-build strategy. This latest acquisition follows their purchase of Ntegra, a digital engineering firm, in August 2024. With a team of over 200 professionals, Actica is positioning itself as a key player in the public sector technology space.
Gemba Advantage, established in London in 2018, is a renowned software and data engineering company, providing cutting-edge digital solutions to clients with stringent security and integrity requirements, including UK public sector organisations.
Sovereign Capital Partners is a specialist private equity house that partners with high-quality businesses and management teams in the UK and Europe to deliver transformational growth. Established in London in 2001, the firm specialises in buy-and-build, roll-outs, IBOs/MBOs/MBIs, expansion and development.
Moore Kingston Smith Corporate Finance, led by newly appointed debt advisory partner Guy Taylor, played a key role in financing this acquisition. Building on the relationship established during the Sovereign Capital Partners investment in Actica in 2022, Guy explored multiple potential financing options for the new acquisition loan and materially improved on the pricing and terms provided by the original lender.
In this transaction, Moore Kingston Smith provided debt advisory services demonstrating an ability to improve on existing loan terms and pricing. The transaction was completed on a tight timeline, providing an optimum financing solution for Actica to complete this strategic acquisition on improved terms.
Dr Mike Murphy, Group CEO at Actica, said: “We are excited to announce the second acquisition of our buy-and-build journey with Sovereign Capital Partners. In August, we added Ntegra to the Actica Group, and now the addition of the high-quality engineering team at Gemba Advantage will further enhance the group’s offerings in the areas of delivery of highly secure systems covering business apps, development and operations, cloud-based solutions and data analytics.”
Jeremy Morgan, Partner, and Emma Flin, Investment Director at Sovereign Capital Partners, said: “This is an exciting and hugely significant acquisition for Actica and exemplifies our commitment to investing in high-growth companies as part of our buy-and-build strategy. Gemba has an outstanding reputation in the market, with a highly talented and experienced management team. By bringing Gemba’s strengths in software and data engineering into the fold, Actica will not only enhance its service offering but also unlock new avenues for growth, positioning the group for long-term success.
“In this transaction, Guy’s experience and expertise helped us achieve a great result on the financing for Gemba Advantage. He is pragmatic and knowledgeable and he goes the extra mile to ensure a successful outcome.”
Guy Taylor, Corporate Finance Partner at Moore Kingston Smith, concluded: “It has been a privilege to collaborate again with the Actica and Sovereign teams on this project. The digital transformation sector is incredibly dynamic, and it’s exciting to witness how companies are leveraging buy-and-build strategies for growth and expansion. We wish all the success to Actica and Gemba Advantage’s team in this next chapter.”
