BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII (an affiliated investment fund of “BPEA EQT”) will acquire IMG Academy (the “Company”) from Endeavor Group Holdings (“Endeavor”). The deal reflects an enterprise value of USD 1.25 billion.
IMG Academy is a clear leader in the large and growing sports education market. It will continue to benefit from strong secular growth drivers, including a growing focus on health and wellbeing within academia and increasing willingness to spend on education. IMG Academy’s curriculum aligns with current trends within education, where sports is a key differentiator for U.S. college admissions, both for domestic and international students.
Jack Hennessy, Partner and Co-Head of Education within BPEA EQT’s Advisory Team, said, “We are deeply impressed by IMG Academy’s unique offering and its world-class sports and wellbeing curriculum. IMG Academy’s brand is globally recognized and we see compelling opportunities in supporting its international expansion, including Asia, and broadening its educational offering, leveraging BPEA EQT’s insights from having led Nord Anglia Education’s growth in the region.”
Brent Richard, President of IMG Academy, said, “Our purpose is to empower student-athletes to win their future, preparing them for college and for life. We are constantly trying to raise the bar in pursuit of that purpose through our on-campus and online experiences. Simultaneously, our staff is passionate about growing the impact we have on the world, reaching more families, and helping them on their journey. BPEA EQT and Nord Anglia are ideal partners to achieve and accelerate those goals, and we are excited for that future.”
Andrew Fitzmaurice, CEO of Nord Anglia Education, said, “The learning experiences we create through our global partnerships with Juilliard, MIT and UNICEF stretch far beyond the classroom. They are designed to help our students develop important life skills that go hand-in-hand with impressive academic results so they leave our schools with everything they need for success in the future. Our partnership with IMG Academy will create an exciting new global sports programme offering outstanding experiences for our students that bring to life the importance of wellbeing, resilience, teamwork, and leadership.”
Kosmo Kalliarekos, Partner and Co-Head of Education within BPEA EQT’s Advisory Team, concluded, “We are truly excited about the opportunity to invest in IMG Academy and the possibilities to integrate its sports-focused curriculum across Nord Anglia’s global network of schools. This acquisition brings together a world-class sports education brand and a premier education group, and it further underscores BPEA EQT’s commitment to developing leading school platforms and help them expand across Asia and beyond, for the benefit of students, their parents, and teachers.”