Paragon becomes new shareholder of WEKA Group

Edin Hadzic, managing partner at Paragon, says: “WEKA is an impressive success story, which we are looking forward to continuing as new shareholder. Together with the management team and the employees, we want to further strengthen the diversified structure and entrepreneurial spirit of the group. The ongoing development of markets, products and the digitalization of corporate processes will continue to be a key priority. Targeted acquisitions to complement the current portfolio will remain part of the corporate strategy. We welcome WEKA to the Paragon family and look forward to working with them”.

Wolfgang Materna, Managing Director of WEKA Holding: “I am happy to have found in Paragon a determined and reliable shareholder with excellent references. This, coupled with its experience in the media industry, lays the foundation for a successful further development of the WEKA Group. With Paragon, we see the future of WEKA, our employees and our business partners in good hands and are eager to become part of the Paragon family. Under new ownership, the management and the employees of WEKA Group will continue to strive for WEKA’s success”.

About WEKA
WEKA was founded in 1973 as a specialist publishing company for administration and industry by Werner and Karin Mützel. Over the last decades, WEKA has developed into a diversified media group and has taken a leading market position by offering a wide range of specialist information across various formats. The Group has its headquarters in Kissing (Germany) and comprises 23 companies in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. It generates an annual turnover of around € 250 million with a total of 1,500 employees.
WEKA’s business segment for “Business Information & Education” offers expert knowledge via print, digital (e.g. online content/ databases, software, e-learning) and face-to-face formats (e.g. seminars, advanced educational training). The focus is on the transfer of regulatory and/ or technical knowledge and respective updates in specific niche industries such as occupational safety, hazardous goods, law and taxation or dentistry. The content and its formats are highly practice-oriented and thus seamlessly integrated into the customers’ workflow.
The “Business Communication” segment provides specialist information via print (primarily magazines) as well as digital, event and service formats for various industries. These include, for example, industries such as electronics, ITC and building technology. The focus is on journalistic brands as well as specific data and services that inform participants of, and interested parties in, the respective target markets.
For further details, please visit www.weka-holding.de.

About Paragon
Paragon is one of the leading independent private equity firms in Europe with more than €1.2 billion of equity under management. Paragon works closely with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth and operational excellence. The investment portfolio covers various industries and currently comprises 14 companies. Paragon was founded in 2004 and is based in Munich, Germany. For further information please refer to www.paragon.de.