Global private equity investor Advent said it has completed its acquisition of Australia’s Automic Group, a provider of share registry, employee share plan, and fund administration services, for an undisclosed amount.
The acquisition comes as Advent was reported to be making a second attempt at raising an Asia-focused buyout fund with a target of as much as $3 billion.
Automic, founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Paul Williams, provides registry and investor administration services to listed companies and funds in Australia and New Zealand.
The company said its cloud-based platform supports more than 1,400 issuers and investment vehicles and has been used for IPOs and listed-company transitions. It also offers analytics tools that help issuers target and engage investors.
“We are excited about this next phase of growth for Automic as we drive our market leadership in Australia and pursue enhanced global opportunities alongside Advent and a highly experienced Automic Board,” said Automic CEO David Raper.
Advent said it has appointed three independent directors to Automic’s board, joining Automic Chief Executive David Raper and two Advent representatives.
Maxine Brenner, who has served on the boards of Woolworths, Telstra, and Brambles, will become an independent chair, per the announcement.
The other new independent directors are Mark Lazberger, a former chief executive of Colonial First State Asset Management and former head of international business at State Street Global Investors, and Mal McHutchison, chair of Allied Credit and a director at Judo Bank.
Advent’s Australia and New Zealand head Beau Dixon said the appointments would support Automic’s growth plans and product development, including continued investment in technology.
Advent International is one of the world’s largest and most experienced global private equity firms, with more than $100 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025.
Its investments in Australia and New Zealand include fashion brand Zimmermann and business software and payments group Transaction Services Group, now part of Xplor Technologies.
In June, PEI reported that Advent was making a second attempt at raising a $3-billion Asia-focused buyout fund. Its first fund in Asia was a Japan vehicle, Japan Private Equity Fund, which closed in 2008 at about $560 million at that time.
The firm has invested in more than 430 companies across over 30 sub-sectors worldwide, leveraging deep sector expertise and a global network to create long-term value.
It focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; health care; industrial; retail, consumer, and leisure; and technology.
