Baird Capital has backed three former Capita execs who plan to take their new global ICT services business to £200m within five years via an aggressive programme of buy-and-build.
CEO of the new Aura Futures business is Alpesh Unalkat, the COO is Sajan Shivshanker and Steven Hallissey takes the CFO role.
Their venture kicked off with the acquisitions of Hook-based collaboration specialist Intevi and London HQ'd workflow and managed print services firm Karlson.
The consultancy and technology provider offers end-to-end services and focuses on workspace design, collaboration solutions, workflow and management print services, digital media services and transformation management.
It currently operates out of six offices globally, including in the UK, Spain, Poland and the US, servicing 300 clients in over 60 countries.
The Intevi and Karlson acquisitions have been hailed as creating a 'platform for growth'.
Intevi’s co-founders Adam Wilson and Tom Scott, and Karlson’s MD Martyn Kidd and Director Stephen Todd, have invested into Aura and form part of the operating board.
Stuart Beere, formerly of Deloitte, has also joined the team to manage acquisitions.
“With private equity backing, two complementary businesses as the foundation for growth and the entrepreneurial spirit and track record of those involved, we have huge aspirations for Aura in reimagining the future of workspaces,” stated Unalkat.
“The business world has been facing a number of challenges in adapting to changing working practices, no more so than now.
"Bringing together changing generational attitudes in the workplace, being agile as to how and where people work, and injecting greater connectivity to ensure that no matter where people are they feel part of something, can create huge differentiation in organisations.”
Andrew Ferguson, a partner at Baird Capital and Aura Futures board member, added: “We have made a significant commitment to forming the platform and scaling the Aura business through organic and acquisitive growth with a team that has previously developed, diversified and scaled managed services businesses.”
Pictured (l-r): Sajan Shivshanker, Alpesh Unalkat and Steven Hallissey.