Blackstone completes acquisition of Cvent

Global meetings, events and hospitality technology provider Cvent Holding Corp., has announced the completion of its acquisition by an affiliate of private equity funds managed by Blackstone for $8.50 per share in cash, representing a total enterprise value of approximately $4.6bn. The transaction, initially announced on 14 March 2023, includes a significant minority investment from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and participation from existing stockholder Vista Equity Partners. As a result of the transaction, Cvent’s common stock has ceased trading and will be delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market. Reggie Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Cvent, commented: “Events are more important and more complex than ever before. We believe this partnership with Blackstone positions Cvent to continue leading the market for best-in-class technology to maximise event ROI and impact. We will continue to aggressively invest in the innovative solutions organisations need to more deeply engage with their customers, prospects, and employees that are so critical to their success.” David Schwartz, a senior managing director at Blackstone, said: “Cvent has long been a go-to event management partner for organisations of all kinds, enabling them to embrace technology solutions in an increasingly digital world. We’re thrilled to support its continued growth and product advancements, bringing Blackstone’s global resources to bear and leveraging the firm’s deep expertise and thematic focus on hospitality, events and real estate.” “Vista is proud of the partnership we’ve built with Reggie; the transformative change that Cvent has driven in the meetings and events ecosystem is a testament to how we help founders realise their company vision,” said Monti Saroya, co-head of Vista’s Flagship Fund and senior managing director. “Both he and his leadership team are torchbearers of innovation, ingenuity and culture, and we look forward to seeing what they accomplish next.” Qatalyst Partners acted as financial advisor to Cvent, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal counsel to Cvent. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as financial advisor to the Special Committee, and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal counsel to the Special Committee. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as legal counsel to Blackstone, and Evercore, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and UBS acted as financial advisors to Blackstone.