Houlihan Lokey Advises Automotive Transformation Group (ATG)

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Automotive Transformation Group (ATG), a portfolio company of Inflexion, has been acquired by Keyloop, a portfolio company of Francisco Partners. The combination will accelerate fully integrated omnichannel retailing within the automotive sector. The transaction closed on 1 May 2024.

Headquartered in Kent, U.K., ATG is an innovative provider of automotive technology focused on omnichannel retail solutions and employs more than 330 people. Its solutions are chosen by automotive retailers, OEMs, financiers, and fleet suppliers in more than 80 countries and at over 10,000 retail locations to help make the car-buying experience easier.

Keyloop is a leading global automotive technology company focused on delivering an “Experience-First” approach throughout the lifetime of vehicle ownership. Keyloop’s vision puts accurate data at the core of its solutions to make it accessible at the right moment.

The global automotive industry faces significant change, including rising customer expectations. A seamless experience across both digital and physical touchpoints is a vital goal for the industry. Achieving this goal is made difficult by historic process complexity.

Keyloop and ATG have combined to create an integrated technology portfolio that more completely connects the entire consumer automotive journey, helping retailers and OEMs improve the customer experience they deliver via innovative solutions.

Tim Smith, CEO of ATG, comments: “At ATG, our mission has always been to free our customers from complicated vehicle sales and deliver mobility via our digital, retention, and data solutions. We believe Keyloop is the perfect fit for us as we continue to provide cutting-edge, consumer-first software for retailers, OEMs, financiers, and fleet suppliers. We look forward to being part of Keyloop as it delivers on its mission to provide 'Experience-First' solutions for the automotive industry worldwide.”

Houlihan Lokey acted as the exclusive financial advisor to ATG.