Alantra advises Helios Medical Communications agency on investment by NorthEdge

Jan 2021

Sell-side advisory

London – Alantra, the independent global mid-market investment banking firm, has advised the shareholders of Helios Medical Communications (Helios), a full-service, independent, global healthcare communications and strategic consultancy, on partnering with mid-market private equity firm NorthEdge to support their next growth phase.

Based in Cheshire, Helios works with global pharmaceutical clients to deliver high-quality, high-impact bespoke solutions across a range of services including medical writing, advisory boards, training and symposia.

Helios, which ranked 17th on the Sunday Times 2020 FastTrack, has achieved growth through a commitment to excellence in delivery, facilitated by investment in people and a focus on team culture.

NorthEdge’s investment will support Helios’ future growth plans. In addition to expanding its existing locations in Cheshire and Oxfordshire, the business is set to launch a new central Manchester office in early 2021, and will also evaluate options for future international expansion.

Alantra’s Healthcare team was appointed due to its significant experience of working with healthcare communications businesses, finding strategic partners and securing investment solutions. Their role encompassed advising the shareholders on the options available to support the next stage of Helios’ growth, designing the deal structure and pricing, identifying potential partners and supporting the team to enable an efficient process through to completion. 

Anthony Harrington and Tom Cowap, partner and director at Alantra, led the deal supported by associate Yeboah Mensah‑Dika.​

Anthony Harrington, partner at Alantra, commented, “Helios has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting businesses in the healthcare communications and consulting sector. We worked with the founders to explore a range of options that would fit their long-term aspirations and to find a partner that is the right strategic and cultural fit. We are excited to follow Helios’ continued success in partnership with NorthEdge.”

Tom Cowap, director at Alantra, added: “This investment reflects a number of wider trends we are seeing in the healthcare communications and consulting sector. The services provided by Helios are highly sought after and we continue to see strong interest from strategic competitors and private equity investors in businesses like Helios. It’s been a pleasure to work with the team and to extend our successful track record in the sector.” 

Andrew Minnock, Managing Director of Helios, commented: “We were hugely impressed by Alantra’s expertise and experience in the healthcare communications space and it was clear from the outset that they were going to be a strong partner. Anthony, Tom and the team were instrumental in shaping the deal, guiding us through a complicated process and achieving a great result for all parties involved. Helios is a brilliant company and we are very excited to deliver our plan for the business over the next few years.”