Arma Partners advises WGSN on the acquisition of IWSR

Arma Partners is pleased to announce that it has acted as financial advisor to WGSN, a portfolio company of the Apax Funds, on its acquisition of IWSR from Bowmark Capital.

Founded in 1998, WGSN is the world’s leading consumer trend forecaster. WGSN’s data and forecasts provide global trend insights across a wide range of industries, including food & drink, fashion, beauty, and consumer technology. IWSR is the leading provider of data and intelligence for the $1.2 trillion global beverage alcohol industry. IWSR’s products combine 50+ years of proprietary longitudinal market data with consumer insights and cover more than 160 countries.

This deal supports WGSN’s strategy to expand its market-leading trend forecasting capabilities, AI, data analytics and insights across a broad range of consumer industries. WGSN first signalled this ambition with the launch of its Food & Drink platform in 2020, and the acquisition of IWSR marks a decisive step in providing a holistic solution in this space.

In addition, the partnership will also strengthen IWSR’s expertise in its expanding forecasting and consumer sentiment operation, which it has identified as a customer need and an opportunity for business growth.

This transaction highlights Arma Partners’ strong track record in the Data, Analytics, and Information Services sector and reinforces our role as a trusted advisor to leading global platforms backed by private equity.