Private-equity firm BC Partners is acquiring a significant stake in Valtech SE as part of a deal valuing the digital-services agency at $1.4bn, according to the companies, a bet that brands will increasingly rely on technology and data to retain existing customers and win new ones.

The deal, which could be announced as soon as Tuesday, makes BC Partners Valtech’s largest shareholder. The buyout firm and privately held Valtech declined to specify the exact investment.

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Valtech’s management and existing shareholders including Verlinvest, a Belgian investment group started by founding families of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, are also reinvesting in the London-based company.

Founded in 1993, Valtech offers marketing and other digital services to help businesses improve customer experience online or in-store to boost sales.

Valtech, which employs over 4,000 people, expects to grow annual revenue by 30% this year. It services a roster of blue-chip brands including LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the luxury goods conglomerate, and beverage and snack food company PepsiCo Inc.

Source: Wall Street Journal

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