Assisting in business development of Advent Europe Holding BV and supporting it through its disposal.

September 2004

Advent Europe Holding BV, the independent European distributor of Advent Software Inc.'s world-renowned asset management software, successfully completed the sale of its franchise back to the franchiser in April 2004.

Having engaged Fleming Lincoln's Calum Graham as a Non-executive Director in September 2001, he and the Advent Europe Holding BV Board quickly recognised the need to accelerate their business in remaining franchise regions well before the 2005 expiry of the software distribution agreement. The agreement entitled them to sell each established regional business back to Advent Software Inc. at a value dependant on sales volumes.

With the clock ticking, Calum Graham stepped into the role of Regional Director for the key UK & Ireland region. Here he worked closely with one of the founders, Alf Bringaker, to establish a solid client base, sales platform and services infrastructure, the two of them doubling sales in 2003. Using Fleming Lincoln resources and his own financial services experience, he was able quickly to assimilate the products and how to position them. Calum not only provided guidance in the local market but also drove the business forward, multi-tasking as salesman, client relationship manager, human resource manager and Regional Director responsible for budget formulation and management.

When it came to exercising the sale of the final region in 2004, we were able to apply our energies to the negotiation knowing that the sales momentum was in good hands.

Continuing to support the interests of the Advent Europe Holding BV shareholders, he stayed on for the earn-out period and supported hand-over to the acquirer.

Thanks to Fleming Lincoln, we the owners were able to both position our distribution company for the transaction and subsequently to focus on negotiation of the transaction while the strong business momentum was maintained.

Torbjorn Tenmann
Chief Executive Officer
Advent Europe Holding BV

Alf Bringaker
Commercial Director
Advent Europe Holding BV