Transaction Services at Cooper Parry Helps AtlanticLink Expand to US 
Added : 7th October 2008
Left: David Smith from Cooper Parry
David Smith from Nottingham based accountants Cooper Parry, undertook financial due diligence on behalf of the equity firm Catapult in a deal with a leading e-learning business, AtlanticLink.
The deal will enable the company to take full advantage of their recently acquired foothold in the American marketplace at a time when investment in training, especially within the financial sector, is becoming increasingly important.
Nottingham based AtlanticLink, has developed a unique rapid e-learning training product which enables users to design and deliver professional on-line training to thousands of employees which previously would have taken months to create at great cost. The company’s UK clients already include BT, Waitrose, Daimler Chrysler as well as financial institutions HSBC, Santander and Barclays.
The investment of capital from Midlands based Catapult, who are acquiring a 14% stake in the business, will enable the AtlanticLink management team to expand further into the U.S. from an existing base in Atlanta, Georgia where the company has already established itself with clients including the Royal Bank of Canada.
Managing Director of AtlanticLink Mike Alcock said: “This investment ensures we are able to capitalise on what is a rapidly growing market for e-learning tools. The responsibilities all employees now have within organisations, especially in the financial sector, means that training is an essential consideration for business. The number of staff within an organisation amplifies the need for consistent and up-to-the-minute training of a company’s entire workforce.
“The current economic climate has put further emphasis on the need for compliance to strict regulations both in this country and in the U.S. Therefore having the ability to create training content and deliver it within weeks, through our product, enables organisations to react quickly to changes in the marketplace.
Pete Le Noury, Investment Director at Catapult, said: “We have been impressed with how AtlanticLink has developed a suite of innovative products which they have proven are both easy to use and can save their Blue Chip customers money. We are backing them to further extend their UK customer base but, more importantly, to fund entry into the very significant US rapid e-learning market.”
Regional law firm Geldards advised on the deal, Partner Hugh Strickland commented “This is an especially pleasing deal to do at this time. To advise a company with such a sound business plan, and who have built such a successful business from scratch just 4 years ago, means we are very proud to be associated with them and of the work we have done for them.”
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