Francisco Partners, a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology businesses, announced today the combination of TradingScreen, a provider of trading execution and order management software, and Imagine Software, a real-time risk and compliance software platform. The combined company, TS Imagine, will be a dynamic end-to-end trading and portfolio management software platform for connecting the investment management industry with a network of brokers, banks and exchanges.

The combination creates one of the most robust SaaS cloud-based software platforms in capital markets and investment management, bringing integrated and complete front office solutions, complementary product capabilities, best-in-class technology, global geographic coverage, and deep expertise to better serve investment firms and financial institutions around the world. In conjunction with the transaction, industry veteran Rob Flatley will become CEO of the newly combined business.

“I am excited to join TS Imagine and continue delivering innovative and customer-focused products and services,” said Rob Flatley. “The industry continues to face new challenges and opportunities including the need for effective trade lifecycle management combined with real time risk analytics. Our talented employees and unique, integrated software platform will deliver on this mission critical need for our customers and partners.”

TS Imagine will have approximately 400 employees in 10 offices worldwide, serving approximately 500 global buy-side and sell-side institutions across North and South America, EMEA, and Asia Pacific including hedge funds, traditional asset managers, pension funds, mutual funds, and financial institutions.

“TS Imagine brings together the global expertise of industry-leading products” said Justin Chen, Principal at Francisco Partners. “The company is uniquely positioned to address complex and time-consuming workflows in the front, middle and back offices, unifying order management, trade execution, portfolio analytics, real time risk compliance, accounting, and operations. Our investment will support the company’s continued product innovation, customer focus, and strong growth.”

“We have known Rob Flatley for nearly a decade and are thrilled to finally be partnering with him,” added Peter Christodoulo, Partner at Francisco Partners. “Rob is a tremendous operator with a successful track record of value creation for shareholders, management, employees, customers and partners. We have also been extremely impressed with the TradingScreen and Imagine teams and look forward to backing them as they take the combined company forward.”

Francisco Partners has been an active investor in financial technology and investment management technology. Select current and past investments in the sector include Dynamo Software, eFront, Betterment, and NextCapital.

The TradingScreen transaction has closed, and the Imagine transaction is expected to close in May. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel company, served as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to Francisco Partners.

Source: TradingScreen