Page 6 - StudyTravel Magazine April 2022 Issue

worldwIde

IlSC, ElS and Berlitz Navitas to sell part of
announce merger SAE brand
lAnguAge tertiAry tertiAry
LSC Education Group www.ilsc.com and lobal education provider Navitas www.
ELS Educational Services, Inc www.els.edu navitas.com has announced that it will sell
Ihave announced a merger, combining two Gthe European part of its creative media
established brands in the study travel industry, institute SAE to France-based AD Education, a
and along with Berlitz Corporation www.berlitz.com join the newly European creative arts specialist.
formed Language Education Holdings, creating one of the largest AD Education https://ad-education.com is
groups in the sector. owned by European private equity company
Japan-based Benesse Holdings, the former owner of ELS and Ardian www.ardian.com, which acquired a
sister company Berlitz, reported on February 14th that owner- majority stake in Study Group in 2019.
ship of all shares in Berlitz Corporation had been transferred to Under the binding agreement, Ardian will
a special purpose company, owned by ILSC Holdings, the holding purchase the SAE operations of 22 campuses in
company of ILSC Education Group, for an undisclosed fee. the UK and mainland Europe, while Navitas will
The groups subsequently confirmed that Berltiz, ELS and ILSC retain operations elsewhere in the world.
have all joined Language Education Holdings (LEH) - the parent Scott Jones, Navitas CEO, said, “AD Education
company of ILSC Holdings - with investors including New York- is a fantastic European-based education com-
based, education-focused private equity firm Quad Partners, pany that is as passionate about creative arts,
Colbeck Capital, and the LEH management team and founders. media and digital as we are, and well placed
They said LEH will form “one of the largest and most com- geographically to meet the needs of students,
prehensive language learning and study abroad platforms in the engage with local industry, and navigate the
world, with approximately 375 centres in over 70 countries, cut- unique regulatory environments in the region.
ting-edge online delivery capabilities, thousands of multinational Crucially, a co-existence agreement will ensure
and corporate customers, and 800+ university relationships”. that we continue to align on brand, market-
“ILSC is excited to be returning to the US market and partner- ing and direction and invest in the continued
ing with ELS is ideal for us,” said Paul Schroeder, CEO. “With the growth of the global SAE brand.” bit.ly/3H57All
combination of ILSC and ELS, we have significant market share
in three of the top four language travel destinations (the United
States, Australia and Canada), and we’ll be looking to add the UK to
our portfolio of schools in the future.”
The company will continue to operate as ILSC and Greystone
College in Australia, Canada and India (15 centres), and as ELS in
the United States (currently 12 centres), and will maintain all cur-
rent support and communications contacts. The management of
Berlitz, which operates language and cultural training for individu-
als and corporate clients, will also remain the same, the group
confirmed. Read the full story at: bit.ly/3p4JHV0

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