EPiServer & Ektron Join Forces For Cloud Domination

Stockholm-based software companies EPiServer and Nashua, New Hampshire-based Ektron have announced the two companies have merged to create a new global digital experience leader of scale, with potent technology capabilities and a broad partner ecosystem. The combined company is backed by technology-focused private equity investment firm Accel-KKR.

The combined company, which will operate under the EPiServer name and continue to use the Ektron and EPiServer brands, has a vibrant community of more than 8,800 customers in some 30 countries backed by a robust network of more than 880 partners. It provides marketers, digital and online teams with the power, insight and agility to act on a business moment, and the confidence to realise their aspirations with a technology foundation that supports more than 30,000 websites worldwide.

Today, enterprises seek to differentiate through standout customer experiences under pressure from disruptive digital transformation developing at an unprecedented pace. Mass personalisation through targeted, relevant and differentiated content is now a basic expectation – regardless of touch point – across social, mobile and traditional channels of engagement.

Simultaneously, the convergence of commerce and content in support of joined up customer journeys demanded the combination of Ektron and EPiServer – two companies focused on creating standout digital engagement – as enterprises seek to deliver more rewarding, optimized and contextual experiences for their customers, and to positively impact conversions.

The merger will benefit and protect the investments customers and partners have made in both product sets; provide more options to extend the value of those investments; and converge the best of both offerings into a next-generation Digital Experience Cloud that offers advanced web content management, multi-channel marketing, extensive connectivity, and e-commerce capabilities all on a single platform in the cloud.

Enterprise software veterans and former KANA Software CEO Mark Duffell and CMO James Norwood have been appointed president and CEO, and executive vice president strategy and CMO respectively of the new company. Martin Henricson, CEO of the former EPiServer business assumes the role of executive chairman for the merged entity.

“By bringing these two businesses together, a new market leading platform from a truly global organisation with an incredibly strong partner network emerges to address what remains an underserved segment,” said Mark Duffell, CEO of EPiServer. “Despite significant investments underway, an evaluation by Forrester Research found no leaders among digital experience delivery platforms.[1] We believe this combination will fill that void by delivering real value to businesses and their customers alike.”

“We have seen tremendous growth within the broader customer experience market, and from investments we have made in a number of highly successful companies like EPiServer and Ektron,” said Dean Jacobson, managing director, Accel-KKR. “The union of these two businesses from our portfolio creates a company of significant scale in the space, and will benefit their customers and partners from a closer relationship and accelerated momentum,” added Jason Klein, managing director, Accel-KKR.

Tom Barnds, Jason Klein, Greg Williams, and Dean Jacobson of Accel-KKR joined the board of EPiServer on the consummation of the merger.

[1]The Forrester Wave^TM: Digital Experience Delivery Platforms, Q3 2014 by Stephen Powers, Mark Grannan, and Anjali Yakkundi, July 22, 2014

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