Fintech PR
TrustedHousesitters finds new $100m home at Mayfair Equity Partners
- Category-defining pet-sitting marketplace community available in over 140 countries
- Pet and travel tech innovator delivered 158% year-on-year growth in 2022
- Mayfair to support product and technology innovation and marketing initiatives
- Pet and travel sectors expected to grow to $369 billion by 2030 and $1,016 billion by 2027, respectively[1]
LONDON, Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Mayfair Equity Partners, a dedicated technology and consumer investor with over £2 billion in assets under management, is backing a management buyout of TrustedHousesitters, a category-defining, subscription-based pet-sitting and travel community. Mayfair will hold a majority stake in the business alongside the management team. Rockpool will exit their stake in TrustedHousesitters and reinvest alongside Mayfair. The transaction values the business at over $100 million. Additional deal terms have not been disclosed.
TrustedHousesitters is the leading travel solution for pet people which connects pet owners with pet sitters around the world. Pet owners can find verified sitters to look after their pets while they’re away from home and, in return, sitters are able to visit destinations across the globe for a unique and rewarding travel experience. Since its founding in 2010, the company has facilitated over 10 million nights of pet sitting, has grown its operations to more than 140 countries and saves pet owners and travellers thousands of pounds annually in accommodation and pet care costs. The pet care and travel sectors are expected to grow to $369 billion by 2030 and $1,016 billion by 2027, respectively.[1]
Mayfair is partnering with Mathew Prior, TrustedHousesitters’ CEO, and the management team to accelerate growth and support product innovation across its core markets in the US, the UK, Europe, and Australia. Mathew joined TrustedHousesitters in 2019, bringing over 30 years of experience in the travel industry to the company, following managing director roles at Travelopia, Specialist Holidays Group, First Choice Holidays, and The First Resort. Under Mathew’s leadership, the company has undergone significant growth while improving balance sheet management and profitability.
TrustedHousesitters recorded 158% year-on-year growth in 2022, supported by a rising pet population, the accelerated digitisation of pet services and a return to historical rates of travel. TrustedHousesitters’ unique combination of a pet-loving community, reliability, and adventure delivers a memorable experience every time for pet owners and sitters. This leads to exceptional customer satisfaction scores which in turn drive recommendations, with more than 60% of customers hearing about TrustedHousesitters from word of mouth.
Mathew Prior, CEO, said: “Pet parents know that pets are more comfortable at home than in kennels, boarding facilities or even with friends and family. At the same time, there are millions of pet lovers throughout the world who seek authentic, sustainable, and cost-effective travel experiences. I’m proud of our platform’s growth over the past few years and the wonderfully positive feedback we receive from our members. We see a huge opportunity for continued expansion and believe that Mayfair is the right partner to help us achieve our global growth ambitions.”
Kunal Dasgupta, Partner at Mayfair Equity Partners, commented: “TrustedHousesitters is a unique pet-care and travel solution with off-the-chart customer satisfaction scores. The company is creating a category by disrupting conventional pet-sitting services and offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional holiday accommodation. We’re excited to back a genuine innovator at the intersection of travel and pet care and believe that pet sitting services are an untapped opportunity in the pet care sector. TrustedHousesitters is ideally placed to succeed and we’re excited to partner with Mathew and his team on the next stage of their journey.”
Advisors to Mayfair on the transaction included Torch Partners (corporate finance), OC&C (commercial), PwC (financial and tax), Goodwin Proctor (legal counsel), and Palladium (digital and technology).
TrustedHousesitters shareholders were advised by Clearwater International and KeyBanc Capital Markets (M&A), Taylor Wessing (legal), PwC Strategy& (commercial), Claritas (tax) and Fox Williams (insurance).
Management were advised by Liberty Corporate Finance (M&A), Mishcon De Reya (legal) and Cooper Parry (tax).
[1] Sources: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/pet-care-market-104749; https://www.statista.com/outlook/mmo/travel-tourism/worldwide
About TrustedHousesitters
TrustedHousesitters is the leading travel solution for pet people; a global community whose love of pets and travel enables home sharing and pet caring all over the world. The service was founded in Brighton, UK in 2010 and has over 200,000 members in more than 140 countries, responsible for 10 million nights of pet sitting. A subscription gives unlimited access to short and long-term sits with no further money changing hands. Sitters explore the world while staying in real homes and enjoying the companionship of pets. Meanwhile, owners enjoy freedom and peace of mind by prioritising their pets’ well-being at home with a trusted companion.
About Mayfair Equity Partners
Mayfair Equity Partners is a dedicated technology and consumer investor, with assets under management of over £2 billion. Mayfair’s investment philosophy centres on backing people and their ideas, working with founders and management teams to help them realise their ambitions. Mayfair’s model of Active Partnership includes a senior team of dedicated functional Specialists who support portfolio companies with business process improvement initiatives that help unlock their full potential.
Mayfair has an established track record of supporting fast-growing, sector-defining companies, including Ovo, a digital challenger which has scaled to become the third largest provider in the UK retail energy sector; LoopMe, a leading brand-focused mobile advertising platform; and Tangle Teezer, the category defining British haircare brand. For more information, please visit www.mayfairequity.com.
Contact Mayfair Equity Partners
Charlie Harrison
The One Nine Three Group
Charlie.harrison@the193.com
+44-788-4136-143
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WEST ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Great Bay Insurance Group (the “Group”), a leading provider of coastal homeowners’ insurance in New Jersey, today announced the following leadership changes. Timothy J. Byrne, Jr., has been named as President of the Group and Ronald R. Lovatt has been named President of Great Bay Insurance Company, a wholly owned affiliate of the Group.
Mr. Byrne Jr. has nearly 15 years of industry experience and previously served as the Group’s Chief Operating Officer overseeing the Groups operations and underwriting strategies.
Mr. Timothy J. Byrne, Sr., Chief Executive Officer of the Group, added, “I’m excited to announce the promotion of Tim Jr. to the role of President of The Great Bay Insurance Group and Ron to the role of President of Great Bay Insurance Company. Tim Jr. and Ron have been an integral part of the Group since its founding in 2019.”
As President, Tim Jr. will provide oversight for all corporate support functions and will continue to report to Tim Sr.
Mr. Byrne Jr. holds a BS in Economic and Mathematics from the University of Vermont, an MBA in Risk Management and Insurance from St. John’s University and holds a CPCU designation.
Mr. Lovatt has 40 years of broad insurance industry experience in leadership capacities with international, national, regional and start-up insurance companies. Ron is a founding member of The Great Bay Insurance Group, working with Tim Sr. & Tim Jr. to launch Great Bay in late 2019. Ron currently serves as Chief Underwriting Officer & Chief Claims Officer for The Great Bay Insurance Group, has an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting & Marketing from Miami University.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Brian Schleider, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
609-434-2000, x102
brian.schleider@greatbayinsure.com
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Fintech PR
Forward Global responds to surge in UK shareholder activism with launch of UK Corporate Contests Practice
LONDON, March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — International risk management firm Forward Global launched its UK Corporate Contests Practice on Tuesday in response to what is described as “all-time high of shareholder activism” in London and Paris.
Speaking ahead of the launch on Tuesday night, Brendan Foo, Partner and Global Head of Corporate Contests at Forward Global, said “As activism gains currency as an asset class, savvy investors are looking toward the UK and Europe to generate alpha. Indeed, in 2025 alone, we have seen an unprecedented demand for our services not just in our traditional strongholds of the US and Canada, but also in the UK and Europe. This reflects the surge in activist (and active) engagements, with which our team is uniquely well-placed to assist.”
Forward Global’s Corporate Contests Practice was established to meet demand from law firms, investors, and advisers to provide a comprehensive suite of services to support companies in high-stakes shareholder engagements. In keeping with the firm’s established activism practice in the US, the new London offering will deliver investigative and intelligence work such as vetting board nominees, relationship mapping, scrutinizing the track records of both incumbents and challengers, and conducting deep-dive reputation analyses. In Europe, Forward Global’s Patrice Lambert-de Diesbach offers clients battle-tested expertise in investor relations and financial communications.
Shareholder activism in the UK has expanded significantly, with campaigns becoming more frequent and sophisticated. In 2023, the number of new public activist campaigns in Europe surged by 68%, with the UK remaining a primary target. US-based activist investors have also increased their focus on UK firms, launching 40% of all UK activist campaigns in 2024. With contested boardroom battles and regulatory shifts on the rise, the expansion of Forward Global’s Corporate Contests practice into the UK is well-timed, equipping issuers with the intelligence and strategies needed to navigate this evolving landscape.
The firm launched the new practice at an exclusive gathering at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London, bringing together leading voices from the shareholder activism space to discuss the evolving landscape of transatlantic shareholder activism.
The panel discussion, featuring Brendan Foo, Patrick J. McHugh of Okapi Partners, and Sebastian Fain of Freshfields, explored critical considerations for US investors entering the UK market and vice versa, differences in engagement styles across jurisdictions, and strategies for issuers to proactively engage with both activist and active investors. Panelists also examined the impact of anti-DEI and ESG sentiment on investor relations in the UK, as well as how issuers can adapt to evolving regulatory and institutional expectations.
John Watts, Managing Partner of Forward Global UK, added, “Forward Global’s new UK Corporate Contests Practice is designed to provide companies with the strategic intelligence and investigative depth needed to navigate an increasingly complex activist landscape. Our team is committed to equipping clients with the tools to engage proactively with investors, safeguard their strategic interests, and strengthen shareholder relations across Europe.”
Notes for Editors
Forward Global is an international group, with its historic headquarters in France, boasting five main offices in Paris, Brussels, London, Miami, and Washington. As a leading player in risk management with over 450 employees and 30 partners, Forward Global offers an integrated approach across the three major risks: digital, economic, and informational.
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NEW YORK, March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) provides a daily pre-market update directly from the NYSE Trading Floor. Access today’s NYSE Pre-market update for market insights before trading begins.
Alison Kosik delivers the pre-market update on March 14th
- Investors welcomed a cooler-than-expected Producer Price Index reading for the month of February as tariff talk continues out of Washington D.C.
- Attention shifts to the Federal Reserve decisions coming next week as inflation data suggests the rate of inflation growth could be slowing.
- S&P 500 looks to rebound after ending yesterday in correction territory, which is a decline of at least 10% from a recent high.
Watch NYSE TV Live every weekday 9:00-10:00am ET
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