Avaya Auction: Who’s Looking to Bid?
UC this week brought you news at the end of March that Avaya may well have been considering a leveraged buyout from an unknown private equity firm. The plot has now thickened with various sources intimating that an auction process may be underway or imminent.
Speculation has been fuelled by apparent buoyancy in the Avaya stock price on the NYSE with shares rising by several percentage points from their value at the start of this week. As we reported previously the potential value of Avaya far exceeds its stock market value, of around $2 billion, with estimates of around a $4-5 billion total acquisition value including the several billion dollars of company debt that was last reported at the end of 2018.
The situation has developed as it appears there are several, highly capable, interested parties who have made discreet enquires to major shareholders. Although unconfirmed, various reports have named private equity firms Permira Holdings, Searchlight Capital Partners and Apollo Global Management LLC. Some of the potential suitors already represent knowledge and have a vested interest in the global communications market. Searchlight Capital Partners acquired, Avaya rival, Mitel this time twelve months ago and Permira Holdings own contact centre solution specialist Genesys. Were either of the aforementioned parties to successfully acquire Avaya, in addition to their existing portfolios, speculation would undoubtedly continue with the possibilities of mergers or consolidations of the businesses. Apollo Global Management LLC also have their own interest as they own West Corp, the technology-enablement company who specialise in unified communication and collaboration services.
The exact logistics in terms of the potential upcoming auction process is still unknown. Market news giant Bloomberg first reported that Avaya was working in conjunction with an investment bank to assist with the auction process after receiving enquires from private-equity firms and, potentially, other parties in addition. Interested parties are likely to be contacted and consulted to provide concrete offers for Avaya, whether this forms part of blind or open auction process may never be revealed. The timeline for this process is yet to be determined but firm bids are expected to be lodged over the coming weeks.
The news of the leveraged buyout offer from March and now the potential auction follows an uncertain financial period for Avaya. After successfully surviving the Chapter 11 process at the end of 2017 the future seemed bright, but financials released since then have painted a different picture. The company has made a conscious and public effort to transition its business model from that of traditional hardware vendor to a more software and services orientated company. A transition such as this is never an easy process, which appeared to be part of the reasons that Mitel made a move back to private ownership in 2018. Despite quarterly revenues rising, Avaya’s revenue figures from Q1 2019 were down in comparison to the same period in 2018. These figures apparently have not appeared to match Wall Street’s forecasts.
Despite the apparent financial difficulties it does appear that Avaya’s shifting strategy is working, albeit more slowly than expected. Contract, software and services revenue increased recently and the widespread interest in the apparent auction process and Avaya’s stock can only be encouraging for shareholders, partners and customers.
UC Today have approached Avaya, and some of the suspected bidders, for comment but are yet to receive an official response.
Source: uctoday
Industry: Unified Communication news
Latest Jobs
-
- Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting | UK - South East
- London
- N/A
-
Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting - Financial Services | UK - South East. New Role due to Growth We are looking for an experienced Account Director to develop and expand existing relationships across the financial services sector, working with investment firms, asset managers, private equity groups and strategic partners to deliver intelligent cyber consulting and a bespoke Cyber product offerings. You will act as a trusted advisor, helping organisations strengthen digital resilience, manage third-party and regulatory risk and adopt a proactive approach to cyber assurance. Key Responsibilities Manage a defined portfolio of financial clients, understanding business priorities and aligning tailored cyber solutions. Drive new client engagement while nurturing existing partnerships through a consultative, long-term approach. Present the benefits of advanced cyber services including threat intelligence, vulnerability management, incident readiness, and continuous risk monitoring. Collaborate with technical and delivery teams to ensure smooth engagement from proposal through to implementation and ongoing support. Prepare proposals, negotiate commercial terms, and clearly articulate value and business outcomes. Build trusted relationships at senior and board level. Ideal Profile Strong background in cybersecurity, consulting, or risk management within financial services. Skilled communicator with proven success managing and growing key accounts. Able to translate complex technical insight into commercial and strategic value for clients. Confident engaging with senior stakeholders and decision makers. Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London
- London
- N/A
-
SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London New opportunity created through continued growth. We’re looking for a SOC Analyst (Level 2) to strengthen a growing managed security team. You’ll work hands-on with Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR, investigating alerts, responding to incidents, and helping improve how clients stay protected. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys unravelling security events, thinking critically under pressure, and making a real difference day to day. What you’ll do · Investigate and respond to security activity across SIEM and endpoint tools · Analyse network and log data to uncover real threats · Support automation initiatives to streamline response processes · Help maintain visibility, data flow, and performance across SOC platforms What you’ll need · Practical experience using Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR · Confident working with KQL or similar query languages · Understanding of attacker tactics and response techniques · SC-200 certifications would be nice. · Experience supporting multiple customer environments Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- Senior SOC Engineer - UK - New role due to growth
- London
- N/A
-
Senior SOC Engineer – New role due to growth We are hiring a Senior SOC Engineer to take the lead across security operations for a growing managed service. You will lead detection, response and onboarding activity across multiple clients, helping shape how the SOC evolves. Expect variety; from fine-tuning alerts and threat hunting to supporting customers and mentoring junior analysts. What you’ll bring · Strong experience across SIEM, EDR, and threat detection tools · Confident working with customers in a managed service environment · Skilled in scripting or query languages such as KQL or PowerShell · Knowledge of frameworks like NIST, ISO27001, MITRE ATT&CK · Calm communicator with a problem-solving mindset · Experience with Azure Lighthouse or delegated access models · Prior involvement in automation or SOC improvement projects Location: South East England- Hybrid role Please note: Sponsorship cannot be offered now or in the future.
-
- SENIOR Cyber Risk Consultant. Cyber Risk consultancy - the right way. UK. Hybrid - Remote first
- United Kingdom
- N/A
-
Senior Cyber Risk Consultant needed. New position due to growth Seeking a passionate Cyber Security Risk Consultant who enjoys helping clients make a different to their business. Dedicated training budgets, Unlimited holiday structured career path, Work life balance guaranteed Cyber Risk consultancy done the right way. A successful individual will have experience working with clients to identify business cyber security risk. This is a remote first opportunity which means you will spend the majority of your time working remotely. You will however spend some time meeting clients as well as meeting up with the team on a monthly basis.. Some of the nice to have certifications. CRISC, ISO27001 Lead implementer, CISA, CISM, CISSP Unable to offer Visa sponsorship now or in the future.