Tech-Focused Investment Firm KKR Buys Ensono Amid M&A Flurry

In the latest channel M&A involving private equity, KKR, the global investment firm, is buying Ensono, the big hybrid  IT services provider. KKR is acquiring Ensono from Charlesbank Capital Partners and M/C Partners. The new investment follows multiple years of strong performance by Ensono, including robust growth in 2020.

Ensono services help enterprises manage, optimize and modernize their IT systems across mainframe, cloud and hybrid infrastructure. Ensono itself just last week acquired U.K. consultancy Amido to bolster its cloud-native software engineering capabilities.

Charlesbank and M/C Partners acquired the company in 2015. It rebranded as Ensono in 2016, and since then has grown significantly in terms of new clients and revenue. Blending Ensono with KKR should deepen the company’s technology experience and global resources.

Ensono’s Jeff VonDeylen

“We have seen tremendous growth over the past few years. This includes our recent acquisition of …  Amido,” Jeff VonDeylen, CEO of Ensono, told Channel Futures. “Being backed by a strong investor like KKR will better equip us to help our clients manage their business-critical IT environments and drive digital transformation projects forward.”

Companies increasingly want to modernize their legacy infrastructure and expand to multicloud environments, VonDeylen added. They are also adopting more innovative technologies and hybrid working models.

“Ensono strives to be a cloud-agnostic partner that can provide tailored solutions that fit the evolving needs of today’s enterprises. KKR will play a significant role in helping us grow our business and help to deliver on that mission.”

The global investment firm is making the investment primarily from its Americas XII Fund. The investment adds to KKR’s experience helping to grow leading global technology businesses. These include GoDaddy, Internet Brands, Epicor, BMC, Optiv, Calabrio and 1-800 Contacts.