The Wilkes Partnership advises client, CORE IMS on cross-border sale to leading operator in Norway
Leading independent Midlands’s law firm advises client CORE IMS as it is acquired by Norse Feedback, a leading operator in Norway
The Corporate team at The Wilkes Partnership has advised a Rugby-based software company, recognised as the largest independent supplier of mental health measurement tools in the UK, as it has been acquired by a leading operator in Norway.
Mental Health Informatics Holding, trading as Norse Feedback, has successfully completed the acquisition of CORE Information Management Services (CORE IMS).
Established in 2001 by John Mellor-Clark and Alex Curtis Jenkins, CORE IMS is a renowned leader in the United Kingdom’s realm of psychological therapy evaluation measures. CORE IMS was founded following John’s involvement in a project team at Leeds University during the late 1990s. Their objective was to create the first UK-standardised quality evaluation system for psychological therapy within the UK.
The introduction of CORE (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation) system revolutionised the industry by offering standardised paper tools. Subsequently, the company’s growth and success have been built upon the development and support of specialised software.
Norse Feedback, a prominent operator in Norway, has acquired CORE IMS to facilitate its expansion into the healthcare market in the UK. Established in 2018, Norse Feedback specialises in the development, marketing, and implementation of advanced technology for measuring behavioural health.
The existing team at CORE IMS will continue to operate in the UK, collaborating with Norse Feedback to establish the business as a national leader in the sector.
The Corporate team at Wilkes, led by Corporate Partner Rick Smyth, were able to provide essential guidance and expertise through the process of the deal. Ensuring legal compliance, negotiating favourable terms and safeguarding company interests. Rick Smyth said:
“We were delighted to advise John and Alex on this transaction. At Wilkes, we thrive off of achieving our client’s objectives, witnessing their growth and being a part of their success stories. We are privileged to be their trusted legal partners and wish them every success in their new roles as Consultants.
This marks our seventh international transaction within the past 12 months, reaffirming Wilkes’ position as a leading choice of law firm for mid-market cross-border M&A.”
John Mellor-Clark at CORE IMS said:
“This is a great deal for the business and as part of Mental Health Informatics Holding (MHIH), we can continue to be at the forefront of innovation in the sector as we have been for more than 20 years.
The industry has changed a lot since we launched and technology has driven that transformation. We started out as an optical scanning business at Leeds University using paper copies of CORE system tools, and CORE IMS went on to independently develop a range of software systems to support those tools.
We would like to thank our advisers Burgis & Bullock and The Wilkes Partnership for their support on the sale and for enabling the business to continue to grow.
MHIH/Norse Feedback is a great cultural fit for our organisation and the products from both businesses complement each other well.”
In this acquisition, CORE IMS was advised by the deal team of Rick Smyth (partner) and Matt Hartas (solicitor). During the sale process, CORE IMS received guidance from the accountancy firm Burgis & Bullock.