Partners Group Invests in SEG to Expand Global Talent Platform

Partners Group, one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, has entered into a partnership with SEG (Sports Entertainment Group), an independent international sports talent agency. Partners Group, acting on behalf of its clients, has become the largest outside shareholder in SEG and plans to invest significant capital to support the agency's expansion and diversification. Founder Kees Vos and existing shareholders remain invested and actively involved, and SEG's day-to-day representation of its athletes and artists will continue unchanged.

Founded in 2000, SEG represents over 1,000 athletes and artists across football, cycling, gaming, and music, including football coaches Pep Guardiola, Robin van Persie, and Matthias Jaissle; football players Cody Gakpo, Rasmus Hojlund, Nico O’Reilly, and Vivianne Miedema; riders Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Oscar Onley, Mauro Schmid, and Olav Kooij; content creator TenZ and competitive gamer ZywOo; and artists Kybba and JEA. SEG works with around 200 agents and staff in 40 countries. The talent representation industry is growing rapidly, driven by increasing fan engagement and the rising market value of athletes. This has fueled SEG's strong growth, with net revenues rising at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 40% over the last three years. Partners Group will support SEG in pursuing targeted acquisitions in the fragmented talent agency market, extending into other sports, and exploring adjacent industries. Beyond representation, SEG will expand services in commercial partnerships and brand development. Partners Group plans to more than double its initial equity investment to pursue identified acquisition opportunities. Kees Vos, Founder of SEG, commented, "We have always had a strategy of both organic growth and growth through M&A... Partners Group is a long-term partner - literally - with the operational expertise to help us take SEG much further." Kim Nguyen, Partner and Head Private Equity Services Investments at Partners Group, added, "The talent market is a relationship business and Kees and SEG's agents have built deep networks across multiple industries... The partnership marks Partners Group's entry into the sports sector - a space with compelling long-term tailwinds." This investment is Partners Group's first lead investment in the sports industry, following successful co-investments. The firm, which recently acquired leading European natural beauty and wellness brand Aroma-Zone, has USD 79 billion in private equity assets under management and is currently raising its sixth direct private equity program. For more information, visit www.partnersgroup.com or follow on LinkedIn. For SEG, visit www.seginternational.com or follow on Instagram.