Our Corporate Finance team recently provided financial due diligence to Panoramic Growth Equity (“PGE”) on its investment in The Artisan Travel Company.
Established in 2002, The Artisan Travel Company (“Artisan”) is an independent tailormade tour operator encompassing 3 brands – The Aurora Zone, Activities Abroad and The Artisan Travel company. They combine personal experience with local knowledge to carefully craft itineraries which ensure the experience is more than just a holiday.
Panoramic has provided funding to enable the management buyout led by Managing Director, Amy Hope. Amy Hope, Managing Director of The Artisan Travel Company, said: “I’m delighted to be leading Artisan into the next stage of the company’s evolution in partnership with PGE. David Wilson and his team have been incredibly supportive throughout the MBO process and I am sure they will continue to work with us to realise Artisan’s ambitious growth plans over the coming months and years.”
PGE partner David Wilson, who will join the Artisan board commented, “We are delighted to support Amy, alongside Ian, in the acquisition of Artisan – a high-quality tour operator that has weathered the Covid storm, and now has plenty of opportunity to grow across all of its brands. We are very much looking forward to working with Amy and the management team to achieve their goals.”
Ian Finlay, who will stay as non-executive chairman of PGE, having reinvested in the company, commented, “Ali and Kate built a brilliant business in Artisan and across the years they have had some incredible people within their team. They made a brilliant move in appointing Amy as MD, allowing them to step back from the day-to-day operations. I am delighted we have helped sell the business to the perfect buyer – Amy loves the business and knows it inside out, and she will have a very supportive partner in Panoramic Growth Equity. I’ve enjoyed working with Artisan for the last three years and am looking forward to the next phase of its growth.”
Brad McAvoy, Corporate Finance Partner at James Cowper Kreston said, “We were delighted to work with David Wilson and his team at PGE on their investment in The Artisan Travel Company. With the support of PGE, we look forward to seeing Artisan achieve its growth potential and expand its national market position.”
