Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10402 — Blackstone/GTCR/Campaign Parent) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2021/C 325/02
Date: 2021-08-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: advertising, economic concentration, electronic commerce, investment company, merger control, parent company, software, subsidiary, technology








C_2021325EN.01000201.xml










13.8.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 325/2






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10402 — Blackstone/GTCR/Campaign Parent)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2021/C 325/02)

1.   
On 5 August 2021, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


The Blackstone Group Inc. (‘Blackstone’, USA),










—


GTCR, LLC (‘GTCR’, USA),










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Campaign Parent, LLC (‘Campaign Parent’, USA), including its subsidiaries Simplifi Holdings, Inc. (‘Simplifi’, USA) and The Advantage Software Company, LLC (‘Advantage’, USA) (together the ‘Target’).




Blackstone and GTCR acquire joint control, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and Article 3(4) of the Merger Regulation, of the whole of Campaign Parent, currently solely controlled by funds managed by GTCR. The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of securities.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






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for Blackstone: global asset management and investment firm,










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for GTCR: private equity investment firm, focused on financial services & technology, healthcare, technology, media & telecommunications and business services industries,










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for Campaign Parent: ultimate holding entity of two operational subsidiaries, Simplifi and Advantage,










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for Simplifi: technology platform that helps advertisers sell advertisements online, including on the web, the mobile web, in apps and with Connected TV advertising,










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for Advantage: provider of enterprise-level software designed for advertising agencies and marketing companies.






3.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.10402 — Blackstone/GTCR/Campaign Parent
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
Fax +32 22964301
Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.