Inflexion is pleased to announce that it has acquired ANS, a leading provider of digital transformation and cloud managed services.

ANS and existing Inflexion investment ANS will be brought together under one parent group to address the rapid market growth opportunity for digital and cloud services. The group will combine ANS’s public cloud, DevOps, applications and data expertise with ANS’s leadership in private cloud, hosting and security, to create the UK’s independent leader in secure cloud‐led digital transformation across the public and private sectors.

Each business will continue to operate under its existing brand, while offering customers the full portfolio of offerings from across the extended group.

Founded in 1996, ANS’s 270 team members enable customers on their digital transformation journey to public cloud. ANS is a key partner to Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Founded in 1998, ANS is a leader in private cloud hosting and security services with over 6,000 customers, and has a fast‐growing public cloud offering. Both companies have industry leading customer satisfaction metrics, and together will be focused on deepening the skilled resources available to customer organisations working with increasingly complex IT landscapes.

As a new UK national tech champion, the combined group will launch a Digital Academy and enhanced apprenticeship programmes, and plans to hire more than 100 new staff over the remainder of 2021 to meet the strong market demand for digital technology and transformation skills.

Simon Turner, Managing Partner at Inflexion, commented, “ANS has built itself into a UK leader for public cloud services, complementing our existing investment in ANS. Together, the businesses are well poised to accelerate their growth as the market for cloud and digital services continues to benefit from strong demand.”

Paul Nannetti has been appointed Chair of combined group, bringing deep industry experience to the business. He was previously a member of the Capgemini Group leadership team, including most recently as CEO of the Cloud Infrastructure Services division. Paul commented, “The combined Group will be an incubator of leading‐edge skills and capabilities to help our customers benefit from agile, affordable and scalable technologies to transform their businesses.”

Paul Shannon, CEO of ANS, commented, “This deal is testament to the skills, experience and leadership of the ANS team whose passion and dedication have allowed us to become a leader in our sector. Inflexion’s initiative provides a platform for us to accelerate our ambitious growth plans.”

Ian Brown, CEO of ANS, commented, “As a new UK tech powerhouse, the combined group creates tremendously exciting opportunities for our valued customers, our passionate team, and our trusted partners. With Inflexion’s vision and support we are creating a unique digital transformation business.”

Ian Brown of ANS and Paul Shannon and Chris Hodgson of ANS will join the combined Group’s Board.

The transaction sees the exit of ANS majority shareholder Scott Fletcher.

The investment is being made by Inflexion’s Partnership Capital Fund II.