ARX Equity Partners Acquires Majority Stake in HLB PROXY
ARX Equity Partners has acquired a majority stake in PROXY Holding a.s., the holding company of PROXY, a.s. and PROXY - AUDIT, s.r.o., a professional services provider in the Czech Republic, operating under the brand HLB PROXY. The investment builds on ARX prior experience in the accounting sector and represents its second platform investment in the sector in Central Europe.
Founded in 1991, HLB PROXY is a well-established tax, accounting, audit and payroll firm, especially for international customers, and the exclusive Czech partner of the international HLB network. With almost 80 employees, the company primarily serves subsidiaries of foreign entities across multiple industries. The company is strengthening its focus on the practical application of digitalization and artificial intelligence.
Long-term value creation requires stable teams and strong leadership, and the transaction is therefore built on continuity and long-term development, with a strong emphasis on preserving the firm’s culture, expertise and team. In line with this approach, the HLB PROXY‘s top management team Ditta Hlaváčková, Šárka Adámková, Jiří Kunst and Jiří Jindrák will continue in their leadership roles and as shareholders in partnership with ARX.
"There has been a long-standing interest in our company from potential investors. After a rigorous selection process, I am delighted that our future professional journey will continue with ARX. Despite the change in ownership structure, the current team will continue to lead the company, ensuring stability and continuity in its mission and culture," said Ditta Hlaváčková, Managing Partner and co-shareholder of HLB PROXY.
"We are truly pleased to continue building our success story, now with even greater support for future growth. Together with our new shareholder, we see exciting opportunities for accelerating expansion via selected add-on acquisitions," said Jiří Kunst, Managing Partner and co-shareholder of HLB PROXY.
"By investing in technology and talent, we are positioning the firm to further enhance our advisory capabilities over time," said Jiří Jindrák, Partner and co-shareholder of HLB PROXY.
"Looking ahead, the company will remain deeply focused on delivering outstanding service to its clients and creating a supportive, rewarding environment for its employees - values that have always been central to our operations," adding Šárka Adámková, Managing Partner and co-shareholder of HLB PROXY.
ARX will support HLB PROXY’s next phase of its organic growth as well as by pursuing selected add-on acquisitions and further strengthening its position as a client-focused advisory and audit platform in the Czech Republic.
"HLB PROXY represents an attractive opportunity to invest in a well-established and strong company with an exceptional team and clear growth potential." said Tomáš Lánský, Managing Partner of ARX. "ARX has made several successful buy-and-build investments in Central Europe, and a common denominator in every case is the quality of people and company culture. We have immense respect for the HLB PROXY team, and our intention is to support this exceptional team with our experience and capital to accelerate future growth."
The parties have decided not to provide further financial details on this transaction.
About ARX:
ARX Equity Partners is a private equity firm with an almost 30-year track record supporting the growth and development of mid-sized companies in Central Europe. ARX is a leading private equity firm in its segment in the Central European region, and the HLB PROXY investment was completed from the fifth ARX-managed fund (ARX CE V). Headquartered in Prague, the firm’s activities are managed by an experienced and multinational team of investment professionals, combining a wide range of international expertise plus in-depth local knowledge. These features enable our portfolio companies to realize their full potential while achieving superior returns for our investors and partner entrepreneurs. Partnering with owners, managers, and other co-investors, ARX focuses on later-stage growth-oriented investments, such as management buy-outs and buy-ins and industry consolidation transactions across all sectors.