Sector: Digital Commerce M&A

Digital Commerce & subsectors

  • Digital Agencies and Marketing Services
  • Marketing Application Software
  • Media
  • Entertainment & Retail
  • Social Networking
  • Online retail

Hampleton’s Digital Commerce practice forms an integrated global group spearheaded by Ralph Hübner, Axel Brill, Dr. Jan Eiben, Jonathan Simnett and Michel Annink, and covers all sub-sectors relating to digital marketing and e-Commerce.

Our Digital Commerce specialists have over 80 years of experience in marketing communications, digital transformation, online- and retail-commerce, and relationships with the broadest network of acquirers, investors and sellers in the industry.

The team members have advised on a multitude of operational, strategic and transactional projects to some of the biggest names in marketing and commerce including Edeka, Ikea, Kaufland, Kering, Microsoft, Omnicom, Walmart, WPP, Zalando and many others.

Hampleton advised the shareholders of pixi*, an e-commerce order processing and warehouse management software vendor, and arranged the sale of their company to Descartes Systems Group, a leader in on-demand SaaS solutions for logistics-intensive businesses. Neither the North American NASDAQ listed buyer nor the local champion in Germany had heard of each other prior to Hampleton’s introduction. The pixi* / Descartes transaction underscores Hampleton’s understanding, creativity and capabilities in finding the best matches in digital commerce, enterprise software and SaaS.

Featured Transaction M&A

GRO Capital's strategic investment in Queue-it

Hampleton Partners advised Queue-it ApS, the leading provider of a virtual waiting room SaaS, on a strategic investment by GRO Capital A/S, a leading investor with a track record of successfully investing in Northern European software companies.

Queue-it has built a strong, global portfolio of prestigious clients in the e-commerce, ticketing and public sector space, helping them to capitalize on peak web traffic events such as product launches, ticket onsales and big sales events such as Black Friday as well as the blockbuster economy.

The team at Queue-it will work with GRO Capital to further develop their product offering and expand their global footprint.

 

Featured transaction M&A

The sale of Tradebyte to Zalando

Hampleton Partners advised Tradebyte, an e-commerce integration software provider that connects brands and retailers with its supplier and providers, to Zalando, a Berlin based cross-platform e-commerce company.

Tradebyte uses its SaaS solutions by offering quick, cost effective ways to streamline the digital supply chain process. This transaction will be an effective tool for Zalando to make its mark as one of the leading e-commerce powerhouses.

Tradebyte supports Zalando in fufilling its vision of the Zalando platform as an operating system for the fashion world.

Featured transaction M&A

The sale of pixi* Software to Descartes

Hampleton Partners advised on the acquisition of pixi* Software, a leading Germany-based provider of technology solutions for e-commerce order fulfilment and warehouse management, to  the Canadian Descartes Systems Group (TSX:DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce.

pixi* brings Descartes a strong foothold in Germany and e-commerce technology for it to sell through its global sales & marketing channels.

Featured Transaction M&A

The sale of THP to Williams Lea Tag

Hampleton Partners supported Canadian based THP on their path to find its best acquisition partner, Williams Lea Tag, a UK based Advent International owned provider of end-to-end marketing execution services, powered by advanced data analytics and deep digital expertise.

THP has developed a compelling offer, delivering rapid, cost-effective on-demand content and social media solutions very effectively for key players within the food and beverage sectors.

Williams Lea Tag acquired THP to add on-demand digital and social media content capabilities and boost evolution of its global omni-channel proposition.

Ralph-Huebner

Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Sector Principal

Ralph Ch. Hübner

Ralph is a leading expert in digital marketing and has more than 15 years of experience in consulting, specialising in digital strategy. Ralph has extensive experience with all relevant tools and techniques to improve online success: brand positioning, utilisation of social media and e-commerce performance solutions through onpage and offpage measures.

Contact Ralph
Jonathan-Simnett

Director

Jonathan Simnett

Jonathan has been involved in the enterprise technology business for over three decades, managing and turning around existing business and helping management and their investors in fast-growth technology segments to grow, manage change, enter markets, transfer technologies, acquire, merge and sell. He’s worked with large and public infrastructure and system integration companies including: AT&T, Avaya, BroadSoft, BT, C&W, Cisco, HP, Global Switch, GMC, Huawei, Informix, Infosys, Intel, Myriad Group, Novell, IBM, IGT,  Nortel, OpenReach, Pace, TCS, and Sybase.

Contact Jonathan
Axel-Brill

Sector Principal

Axel Brill

Axel Brill is based in northern Germany and has over 25 years' experience in the software industry. Axel co-founded Hoffmann Datentechnik in the late '80s and as its CEO built it out to become Germany's leading workforce management (WFM) solution provider for the retail sector. He sold the company in 2006 to Torex PLC. After helping with the integration, Axel headed off for a three-year sailing tour of half the planet where he photographed undersea wildlife. Following this, he invested in a Danish WFM SaaS vendor and worked as a regional director for the world's leading WFM vendor, Kronos. 

Contact Axel

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Digital Commerce Report 2H2021

The Digital Commerce market has experienced monumental growth and saw huge upheaval in 2020 and 2021. It’s no secret that the growth of e-commerce and the shift to online platforms for work, school and play have boosted our overall confidence in and reliance upon digital commerce companies. But how much of this is reflected in Digital Commerce M&A and fundraising markets?

Read more
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News

Hampleton featured in Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Leader and more (2021)

Hampleton's reports have recently been featured in the Wall Street Journal and other media publications. 

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Backgorund
“We selected Hampleton because of their strong track record, experience and breadth of relationships in information management and enterprise software – which proved highly valuable to our transaction process.”
Steffi Körner, CEO of FAST LTA
“Hampleton led a structured process and was able to execute a great deal with the optimal partner for us."
Pascal Ruß, CEO of Simi Reality Motion Systems
"Hampleton’s level of experience and, above all, profound understanding of the automotive market, led us to the best possible transaction."
Carel van Helsdingen, Founder & CEO of 2getthere
"Hampleton were creative - they didn't think in one direction, they thought about the whole ecosystem in order to find the right partner for us."
Ken Belotsky, Chairman at Bright Box
"It‘s not only about selling your company but thinking about the next strategic step. In this regard we had very strong support from Hampleton."
Gregor Walter, CEO at pixi*
“It was a pleasure working with Hampleton Partners. From beginning to end, they managed every aspect of the process and brought together the optimal transaction for all our stakeholders while remaining an independent company.”
Ilkka Starck, CEO at Profit Software
“It was incredible working with the Hampleton team while finding a 'new home' for my life’s work. After over four decades building Tonbeller AG, I was able to secure the best partner amongst many interested parties. Hampleton managed every detail of the project and led the auction resulting in signing and closing within seven months. We were very happy with the results which were beyond our highest expectations.”
Rutger Hetzler, CEO at Tonbeller AG
"Hampleton have their heart in it. They know and enjoy what they are doing, and we trusted them wholeheartedly."
Gijs Hubben, CEO at BaseCase
“The Hampleton team never let up and helped us secure the growth financing we were looking for, with an investor from the industry bringing not just money but also know how and market relevant connections. Hampleton thinks strategically, not just financially.”
Dr. Eric Lindner, CEO at FBGS
“I was very impressed with Hampleton’s understanding of the high tech industrial products FBGS produces and their global network which enabled us to find our Munich based co-investor in California.”
Stephan Beier, Senior Investment Manager at bm|t beteiligungsmanagement thüringen
“With X2 Equity we won a new investor that not only supports us financially, but also brings vast experience in entrepreneurship in scaling technology businesses, further providing us with complementary operational resources and support.”
Dr. Eric Lindner, CEO at FBGS
“Hampleton’s understanding of the IT services industry and our business, as well as their modelling strength and transaction expertise, were an important support for us while expanding our business via a number of strategic acquisitions.”
Stephen James, CEO and Founder at SAGlobal
"Hampleton helped us find a partner that definitely matches us very well, but we would not have thought of them ourselves."
Uwe Reissenweber, Founder and Managing Director at DOCUFY