We are delighted to announce that our owners, Jacobs Holding, have successfully secured two new partners to join as minority shareholders and investors in Cognita – BDT Capital Partners and Sofina SA. Jacobs remains the driving force, the controlling shareholder and the majority owner of our organisation.

Cognita CEO Chris Jansen explains: “Our number one priority remains to continuously improve the quality of education and become the most admired global schools group.  This not only includes continuous investment in our existing schools but the building of new schools and also acquisitions of additional schools.  Over recent months we have set out, in detail, our future plans to Jacobs. Following this process, we agreed that we should try to find additional long-term investors that could help to underpin our future. We decided with Jacobs that we would only introduce new shareholders if we all agreed the “fit” was right. It is because of this “fit” that I am so delighted. The philosophy and objectives of both Sofina and BDT mirror those of Jacobs and make them ideal partners for Cognita as we embark on the next stage of our development.”

Patrick De Maeseneire, CEO of Jacobs Holding, says: “We look forward to working alongside BDT and Sofina to help further Cognita’s international expansion, bringing the Cognita model of education to more children across the world. BDT and Sofina hold similar values to Jacobs and a long-term commitment to helping entrepreneurs build great, lasting businesses that have the potential to be global leaders in their respective sectors. The addition of patient investors, like BDT and Sofina, will help ensure that Cognita continues to grow and delivers outstanding education for its students.”

Björn Robens, Partner at BDT Capital Partners says: “We have the highest regard for Cognita’s management team and their commitment to education excellence. We also value our strong and very trusted relationship with the Jacobs management and family and are pleased to be partnering with them and Sofina, all of whom share a focus on delivering long-term value to successful, leading companies.”

Victor Casier, member of the Executive Committee of Sofina said: “The investment in Cognita, alongside Jacobs and BDT illustrates our strategy of building relationships and being aligned with partners for whom patience is as important as it is to us, and who recognise that sustainable value is created over the long term. The education sector is of particular interest to Sofina, both as an investment theme and as a societal challenge that, through our support for the Platform for Education and Talent, we are keen to address on a philanthropic dimension as well.”