Ciphr Acquires Marshalls (Marshall E-Learning)

ECI Partners Acquires CIPHR (LDC Exit)

January 18, 2021

Cloud & SaaS

ECI Partners has invested in CIPHR, a UK-based provider of SaaS HCM (HR, payroll, recruitment and learning) software, as LDC exits its four-year investment. CIPHR, headquartered in Reading and supporting c.300,000 employees across customers globally, will use the new partnership to accelerate product development, organic growth and M&A activity.

CIPHR Group Acquires Digits Industries Ltd

September 15, 2020

Cloud & SaaS

CIPHR Group, an LDC-backed UK provider of SaaS HR, payroll and recruitment software, has completed the acquisition of its strategic learning partner Digits Industries Ltd. The deal integrates Digits' learning management system with CIPHR's people management platform to expand CIPHR's L&D capability and cross-sell to its mid- and enterprise-market customers.

CIPHR Acquires Payroll Business Solutions

December 16, 2019

Professional Services

CIPHR, the LDC-backed HR software provider, has completed the acquisition of Marlow-based Payroll Business Solutions (PBS). The deal integrates payroll capability into CIPHR's platform and enables two new products—CIPHR Payroll and CIPHR Outsourced Payroll—expanding the group's payroll services and customer reach.

Ciphr Acquires Shape Payroll

June 3, 2024

Cloud & SaaS

Reading-based HR software group Ciphr has acquired Shape, a cloud-based, API-first payroll platform used by around 1,500 UK businesses. The deal (Ciphr is backed by ECI Partners) is intended to accelerate Ciphr’s payroll technology development and strengthen its payroll proposition for medium and large organisations.

Creative Planning Acquires Marshall Financial Group

December 11, 2025

Financial Services

Creative Planning has acquired Marshall Financial Group, a Doylestown, Pennsylvania-based registered investment advisor, adding more than $900 million in assets under management and 19 employees. The deal expands Creative Planning's Mid-Atlantic presence and gives Marshall Financial access to Creative Planning's nationwide planning, tax, trust, retirement, and family office capabilities.

Marlin Equity Partners Completes Majority Growth Investment in Learning Pool

June 16, 2021

Education

Marlin Equity Partners has agreed to a majority growth investment in Learning Pool, acquiring the shareholding of Carlyle Cardinal Ireland to support the eLearning provider's continued organic and inorganic growth. The investment will back product and geographic expansion, additional acquisitions and hiring (Learning Pool currently has ~260 employees and plans to add 100 more), while Learning Pool's management has reinvested alongside the transaction.