KBS expertise commended as ADNS joins new technology group

KBS Corporate was praised by the leadership of ADNS for our “hard work and expertise” after the Teesside company became one of the founding acquisitions of a new technology group.

AD Network Solutions Group (ADNS), based in Middlesbrough, has been operating since 2011 and is an IT managed services provider which also encompasses ADNS Education, a dedicated division focused on safeguarding and classroom connectivity.

ADNS joins Cube 6, another acquisition made through KBS, as founding companies within Owlis, a new technology group launched by private equity firm Ansor.

Led by Jamie Allinson and John Lupton, ADNS brings a strong track record of rapid growth and technical delivery to the Owlis platform. 

ADNS provides nationwide IT support, communications, network and security solutions. The transaction reflects continued buyer demand across the software and IT sector, particularly for businesses with recurring revenue and strong customer retention. Over the past decade, the business has achieved exceptional growth with a reported increase of over 2,700%, reflecting its ability to deliver flexible, high-performance solutions to modern IT challenges. 

Businesses demonstrating this level of growth and operational performance will typically undergo detailed business due diligence as buyers assess customer retention, recurring revenue and future scalability.

The investment from Owlis was advised by Matthew Sibley, KBS Corporate Associate Director, with legal support from Khurshid Valli, Managing Director of K3 Law.

In a five-star online review, John Lupton, Commercial Director of ADNS, wrote: “KBS did a great job for us, specifically Matt Sibley. Also thanks to Khurshid and the team at K3 Law.

“Thank you for your hard work and expertise in delivering the outcome.”

Owlis is being led by Richard Vogt, who is overseeing the platform’s strategic development and integration having previously spent 12 years supporting the growth of technology businesses.

The group’s vision is to unite high-quality regional providers under a single, collaborative structure. This reflects a growing trend of acquisition-led growth within the technology sector. The approach also mirrors the group’s wider buy-and-build strategy, which also included the acquisition of Cube 6 as part of the creation of a nationally integrated IT services platform.

A statement from Owlis announcing the launch of the group read: “This marks the beginning of an ambitious buy-and-build journey focused on delivering best-in-class IT services, digital transformation and cloud solutions to businesses across the UK.

“We are building a platform that not only enhances service delivery and customer outcomes, but also creates meaningful opportunities for talent development across the UK tech sector.

“This is just the beginning. We look forward to partnering with more like-minded MSPs as we continue to grow.”

KBS Corporate’s Matthew Sibley commented: “It was great working with Ansor to secure the future of ADNS and I wish Jamie and John all the best going forward.

“I’m grateful to Khurshid Valli and Cameron Minifie of K3 Law for swiftly progressing the legal elements of the process.”

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