Pelican Capital has acquired Finders International, the UK’s largest professional probate research, data, and technology firm.
This acquisition is set to drive Finders International’s ambitious growth plans and enhance its contributions to the probate genealogy industry both in the UK and globally.
After 27 years as the founder, Danny Curran will step down, with Simonne Llewellyn, the former Deputy Managing Director, becoming Finders International’s first CEO.
Llewellyn, who has been with Finders for over 20 years and served as Deputy MD for the past 13 years, has been a pivotal figure in the research and management teams. She will bring her collaborative management style and empowering leadership skills to her new role.
Danny Curran and Simonne Llewellyn of Finders International
Simonne Llewellyn, CEO of Finders International said: “I am delighted to take up the position of CEO. It is a very exciting time for the business and, with the backing of Pelican Capital, it is an extremely positive move for Finders generally. There are clear opportunities to expand and develop further and I look forward to achieving these alongside the Finders team, our stellar board of directors and the support of Pelican Capital.”
Richard Morrison, Partner at Pelican Capital said: “With our entrepreneurial background, we understand what it means to build a business, so it was clear to us from the beginning that Danny had built something unique. Over the last 27 years, Finders International has grown from a startup into a market leader, and has developed a brilliant reputation amongst its clients. We are excited to partner with Simonne and her team in their ambitious plans to continue this growth, both organically and potentially by acquisition.”
Danny Curran, said: “Having started Finders International as a sole trader in 1997 and grown the Company to become the force it is today, I feel it’s the right time for me to sell. It has been a privilege to work with amazing people, solve complex cases, reunite estates with rightful heirs, and bring families back together. I’m leaving the business in really good shape, with a fantastic team in place and plenty of opportunity to expand and develop. With Simonne as CEO, an experienced and accomplished leader, along with the strategic input from Pelican Capital, Finders is positioned well for future growth.”
Under Curran’s leadership, Finders International has built a sterling reputation for its accurate and efficient research work, often on very complex international cases. From verifying family trees to tracing missing beneficiaries all over the world, and widely credited with professionalising the industry, Finders International is considered a trusted authority within the field of professional probate genealogy.
Finders has grown to be the UK’s largest and most successful professional probate genealogy research firm – widely regarded as a trailblazer in its field. Headquartered in London, it has two further UK offices in Edinburgh and Cardiff, along with an office in Dublin, Ireland and in Sydney, Australia. It employs more than 130 researchers and support staff and using proprietary built technology has successfully completed more than 10,000 missing beneficiary cases, delivering its world-class service to the legal profession, councils, the NHS, and members of the public.
Finders International is a founding member of the International Association of Professional Probate Researchers (IAPPR), the first and only international probate research self-regulatory body, establishing a code of conduct and ethical standards for the sector, and is attributed with pioneering the professionalisation of the probate genealogy industry.
Finders International also starred in the BBC’s long running Heir Hunters programme that provided the general population with a glimpse into the intriguing world of probate genealogy.
Pelican Capital invests in profitable companies that need up to £30m of equity to facilitate ownership change and drive growth. It gives management teams access to the benefits of private equity capital with a more personal approach than traditional private equity firms. Pelican’s investment strategy is management-focused, identifying strong teams managing high quality businesses and provide them with the support they need to maximise growth.
Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed.
