Over the past four years, Beech Tree has helped BCN to accelerate growth from c.£10m turnover to over £40m, through strong organic growth and executing a strategic acquisition strategy. The business has evolved its capabilities from largely reselling IT hardware and IT support to providing a comprehensive digital transformation offering across the Microsoft stack. BCN has also made significant investments in its people and systems, resulting in the business being able to service thousands of customers efficiently with leading levels of customer satisfaction.  

 

BCN Group is a leading digital transformation and technology solutions provider in the UK, delivering a range of managed IT services covering both private and Public Cloud(Microsoft Azure), Microsoft Modern Workplace solutions, application development, data analytics, security, and connectivity to over 1,000 customers. BCN is headquartered in Manchester with 3 further offices across the North, employing over 200 people, including over 150 trained support staff and technical engineers.

 

BCN’s market-leading organic growth has been supported by 5 strategic acquisitions targeted at augmenting the company’s rich portfolio of products and services. The most recent acquisitions of Cloud2 and PublicView have deepened BCN’s sector expertise in Healthcare by adding PowerApps, Automation, Data Analytics and Data as a Service capabilities to deliver repeatable IP solutions across the sector.

 

Adam Rudd, Partner at Beech Tree Private Equity commented: “It has been a fantastic journey working alongside the BCN team and together we have built a business that we can all be proud of. When we backed them in 2018 we could see the potential to create a market leading Microsoft partner capable of supporting the entirety of a customer’s digital transformation journey. Through an alignment of our shared vision and a focused execution of our organic and M&A strategy, we have achieved what we set out to do. We have really enjoyed working with the BCN team and wish them the very best for the future. I am sure with the support ECI will bring the team they will continue on their journey to become the UK’s leading Microsoft focused MSP ”.

 

Simon Kelf, Co-Founder of BCN Group commented: “It has been a great experience over the last four years, since Beech Tree Invested in BCN. We have built a market leading management team and importantly created what we set out to achieve. The organic growth supplemented by selected acquisitions have allowed us to become a market leader in the space. The Beech Tree team has been a real partner and helped us in achieving our fantastic growth and it has been a pleasure working with them on this journey. I am proud of the business we have built and I wish Rob and the team the very best for the future.”

 

Rob Davies, CEO at BCN Group commented: “In this age of digital transformation, there is a phenomenal growth opportunity for BCN Group to support clients to solve their IT challenges and achieve the best possible results from technology for their business. When I joined BCN Group both management and Beech Tree agreed a strategy to position us as a market leading business for the future. It has been a fantastic four years delivering on that strategy and Beech Tree have been an important partner every step of the way. Together we have created an incredible business. I look forward to the next stage of our journey partnering with ECI Partners as we focus on our goal of becoming the UK’s market leading Microsoft MSP”.

 

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About Beech Tree Private Equity:

 

Beech Tree Private Equity is a leading sector-focused investor. They invest between £10m and £35m into high growth UK headquartered businesses. Their funding is typically used to support management buy-outs, provide cash out to owner-managers and also to fund organic growth initiatives and acquisitions. Beech Tree’s sector focus is across technology, tech-enabled support services and financial services. In all cases Beech Tree looks for platform businesses in which they can invest further to accelerate organic growth and, often, also pursue acquisition strategies.

 

Advisers to Beech Tree and BCN shareholders:

 

Corporate Finance – Clearwater International (Carl Houghton, Finn O’Driscoll, Christian Pollard)

Legal – DLA Piper (James Kerrigan, Chris Wilson, Sam Jones)

Financial DD – PwC (Jonathan Cooper, Laura Bound)

Commercial DD – PwC (Nick George, Jeremy Dain)

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