Acuris, the BC Partners and GIC-backed provider of global data, intelligence, research and analysis has acquired SparkSpread, a specialist online news service providing exclusive intelligence on M&A and financing in the global energy industry.

Founded by journalists Will Ainger and Victor Kremer in 2005, New York-headquartered SparkSpread has become recognized as a premier source for energy financing, trading and M&A intelligence. The platform will join Acuris’ Infrastructure division.

The investment comes at a time of both heightened levels of interest in energy sector investment opportunities and political pressures for cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy. As the demand for actionable intelligence and data is rising in the sector, SparkSpread’s highly reputable content is a perfect fit with Acuris’ growth ambitions in this space.

“We are excited to welcome the acclaimed SparkSpread team to the growing Acuris family,” said Hamilton Matthews, CEO of Acuris. “We have been considering ways to broaden our energy sector coverage for asset managers, fund investors and advisors alike. We look forward to collaborating with Will and Victor to achieve this.”

“SparkSpread makes an ideal partner to Inframation, offering comprehensive energy coverage produced by a highly regarded and knowledgeable team of journalists”, commented Jonathan Goor, Managing Director of Acuris’ Infrastructure division. “We look forward to working closely with the SparkSpread team and their extensive subscriber base to support this highly regarded news service in their ambitions to become the world’s leading news, data and research platform for the energy and power finance community.”

“Acuris’ broader reach and larger platform will allow us to better serve our subscribers while focusing on our core editorial mission of providing exclusive intelligence for the energy community,” said SparkSpread co-founders Will Ainger and Victor Kremer.

EY advised the SparkSpread shareholders on the transaction.

About Acuris

Acuris powers business growth for financial and professional services firms worldwide. Through subscription-based digital services and a wide range of industry-leading events, we provide unique, high-value content that enables our customers to make the decisions based on high quality research and analysis. Acuris’ sector specialists and expert analysts interpret data and intelligence to deliver fresh insights that create business opportunities for our customers. We’re trusted by many of the world’s principal advisory firms, investment banks, law firms, hedge funds, private equity firms and corporates, who rely on our brands to help them understand specialist markets.

Founded in 2000, Acuris is a fast-growing family of information brands united by common characteristics: sector expertise, analytical skill, proprietary data and solutions that are packaged for maximum value. We have over 1,000 staff, including 500 specialist journalists and analysts, in 67 locations globally. The Company is majority owned by leading private equity firm BC Partners, who in June 2017 announced the sale of a c.30% minority stake to Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC.

For more information: www.acuris.com

About SparkSpread

SparkSpread is a publication of Great North Road Media.

Will Ainger and Victor Kremer, journalists with more than 20 years’ collective experience covering the U.S. and European energy markets, are the directors of Great North Road Media.

For more information: www.sparkspread.com