CMS has advised the ESPIRA private equity fund on the acquisition, made with ICON's executive management team, of ICON Communication Centres, an award-winning provider of multilingual contact centre services, from the joint administrators of former energy broker Utilitywise Plc. The Czech Republic's FORLEX law firm advised Icon management, and Pinsent Masons reportedly advised the administrator.
ICON was an independently managed and operated company, not connected to Utilitywise’s operational business. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
An ESPIRA press release describes ICON Communication Centres s.r.o as "a Prague-based contact center that utilizes technology-led outsourcing solutions to connect global brands with local customers," and reports that its "nearly 300-strong team of brand evangelists deliver leading customer communication and acquisition strategies in over thirty languages." According to press release, "for sixteen years, ICON has proved to be a valuable partner in growing customer loyalty for its clients thanks to its professional service delivery and competitive price point."
That ESPIRA press release states that the fund's strategy "is to partner with exceptional Central European management teams that have balanced gender representation, in order to unlock their value and accelerate growth." In addition, according to the press release, "existing clients will benefit from the stability that comes with the continued expertise of ICON’s executive management team and from the robust financial support from ESPIRA. ICON will maintain its core operations in Prague and will undertake appropriate expansion as new business opportunities arise."
CMS's team consisted of UK Partner Laura McIntosh and, in Prague, Managing Partner Helen Rodwell, Counsel Patrik Przyhoda, and Associate Stepan Havranek.
The FORLEX team was led by Partner Ivan Barabas, supported by Senior Associate Simona Zahradnickova.
