A digital marketing business has undergone another private equity buyout which has brought it back under the control of its previous owners.
Inspired Thinking Group has been acquired by Bridgepoint in an undisclosed deal, allowing previous owner Equistone Partners Europe to exit the business.
Equistone Partners Europe took a majority stake in 2017 in the Birmingham-based firm, buying out Bridgepoint's share which it had then held for three years.
Inspired Thinking Group is based in Castle Bromwich and employs around 1,000 staff at its HQ and offices in London, the Netherlands and the US.
It works with household names such as GSK, Heineken, Jaguar Land Rover and Puma, providing services such as strategy, creative production, film and photography.
Bridgepoint's latest round of investment will support the existing management team to deliver the next phase of its development internationally, focused on growth in the US with its cloud-based marketing technology and marketing services.
Chief executive Simon Ward, who founded the business in 2009, said: "Our success has been built on revolutionising the way marketers work, liberating them from tedious administrative tasks.
"We would like to thank Equistone for its fantastic support in developing our business over the past four years. And now, our relationship with Bridgepoint is another brilliant milestone in our journey as we grow globally.
"We have the team and the resources to deliver even more powerful results for our clients across the world while also developing a host of exciting new partnerships."
Emma Watford, partner and co-head of Bridgepoint's investment activities in the UK, added: "It operates in a very large, growing and fragmented market that benefits from the increasing need for automation driven by the shift to digital and personalised marketing.
"We're excited to be backing the team at a crucial time as they scale their technology offering and become increasingly global - areas where we can provide the necessary expertise to accompany them on this next stage in their journey."
While Equistone has sold its majority stake, the firm has reinvested in Inspired Thinking Group through its dedicated ‘Reinvestment Fund'.
Partner Paul Harper said: "We are proud to have partnered with Simon and the team during this exceptional phase of the company's development, comprising strong organic and acquisitive growth.
"We are also delighted to be reinvesting as a minority shareholder and look forward to continuing to support the business's ambitious global growth strategy."
