Adviser to Puma Private Equity on its investment in Influencer

Deal Overview

Wilson Partners Corporate Finance was delighted to support Puma Private Equity with financial and tax due diligence on its £3 million Series A funding of Influencer, the social media influencer marketing platform launched in 2017 by 23-year-old Ben Jeffries, who leads the company as CEO, and 25-year-old YouTuber and creator Caspar Lee.

Caspar Lee says: “At Influencer we pride ourselves in being by creators, for creators, with a team who embody this new era of creativity and enjoy unrivalled relationships with the world’s leading creators.”

The funding will allow the company to open its first U.S. office in New York, with expansion planned to the West Coast over the next year. Adam Ludwin, co-founder of search intelligence company Captify and growth marketing agency Inflecto Media, has joined the Board.

About the Parties

Influencer’s platform simplifies the influencer marketing process for both advertisers and creators, giving advertisers access to a network of macro and micro creators pre-vetted for authenticity, quality and creativity based on first-party data. This unites creator discovery, creator relationship management, campaign management and campaign reporting along with actionable insights.

Influencer has so far worked with brands including Boohoo, Alibaba, Pepsi, Starbucks, Pantene, Uber Eats, PrettyLittleThing and Apple Music, to get them in front of audiences via social media influencers.

Puma Private Equity is the private equity division of Puma Investments and partners with SME management teams to accelerate growth and help businesses achieve their potential.

Tom Bradbury, Senior Manager at Wilson Partners, said: “Influencer delivers a unique offering within an exciting and dynamic market, achieving substantial growth in recent years. This transaction provides the opportunity to take the business to the next level with the support and guidance of the experienced investors at Puma Private Equity. It was great to have supported this deal and we wish them all the very best on their journey.”