BC Partners, Medina Capital create internet infra platform

The private equity firms have spent $2.8bn to acquire a portfolio of data centres as well as four cybersecurity and analytics companies.

Through a series of acquisitions, private equity firms BC Partners and Medina Capital have created a company combining IT infrastructure and cybersecurity.

The co-investors have spent $2.8 billion to acquire a portfolio of 57 data centres from internet provider CenturyLink and four companies providing security and data analytics services: Easy Solutions, Cryptzone, Catbird and Brainspace.

Combining these assets, the new company addresses a growing need for businesses invest in IT infrastructure and cyber security. “Our new venture is an answer to that need,” BC Partners managing partner Justin Bateman said in a statement. “We are creating a completely secure, global infrastructure to exceed today’s information security, scale and availability challenges.”

Medina founder Manuel D. Medina and his executive team will lead the new company, which has not yet been named.
“We’re combining a worldwide footprint of best-in-class data centers with cutting-edge security and analytics services,” Medina said. “Our customers will be able to leverage a suite of on-net security and advanced analytics services deeply integrated into the data center.”

The transaction is expected to close in early 2017.

Citigroup, JPMorgan, Barclays, Credit Suisse, Jefferies, HSBC, Macquarie and Citizens have underwritten the debt package to finance the acquisition. LionTree Advisors acted as financial advisor to BC Partners, and Greenberg Traurig served as legal advisor to Medina.