£45m publishing group expands after research business acquisition
Publisher Emerald Group has acquired a professional learning research business based in London.
Towards Maturity has been bought by the £45m-turnover group, which employs nearly 370 people and specialises in academic research publishing.
Emerald, which is based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, said that Towards had a shared goal of delivering research which has practical impacts on business.
Towards started life as an e-skills project supported by the Learning and Skills Council, before government funding was withdrawn in 2008 and it became a community interest company.
It will continue to trade as an independent business following the acquisition which was finalised at the end of May, with Laura Overton as chief executive officer.
Richard Bevan, Emerald Group CEO, commented: “We’ve been extremely impressed by the work of Towards Maturity over the last 14 years, in advancing understanding among the professional learning community and helping organizations use learning data to directly improve their business performance.
“The work of the Towards Maturity Community Interest Company, of which Emerald Group is a strategic partner, aligns with the values of Emerald and our Chairman, Dr Keith Howard, as reflected in his support for lifelong learning since Emerald’s foundation in 1967. We are committed to ensuring the work of the community group continues with independence and integrity as part of a company that shares its values and aims.”
Laura Overton, CEO of Towards Maturity, added: “We are thrilled to now be part of the Emerald Group family. Our independent benchmark programme supports business impact through learning innovation and has now reached 55 countries. The support of a global business and research network will help take the important work of the community to a bigger stage.
“Emerald Group’s vision of helping their communities make decisions that count based on research that matters is an aim we firmly share, and this announcement comes at a timely moment as we have opened our latest industry benchmark to L&D leaders around the globe.”
Towards Maturity were advised by Fergus Payne of Lewis Silkin. The Group were advised by Jonathan Procter of DLA Piper.
Pictured: Simon Cox, Emerald Group finance director, Rowena Thomas financial controller with Emma Tregenza Emerald head of legal; Ewan Farrow, financial accountant with DLA Piper’s Mark Cliffe and Jonathan Procter
