Public disclosure of inside information pursuant to Article 17 para. 1
of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 on market abuse (Market Abuse
Regulation)
Sale of a majority stake in learnd Ltd. as part of a management
buy-out and appointment of former chairman of the supervisory board as
sole member of the management board
LUXEMBOURG - EQS Newswire - 24 September 2025 – learnd SE (ISIN:
LU2358378979, Stock Exchange: Frankfurt) (the "Company") announces the
sale of a majority stake in its operating subsidiary, learnd Ltd., as
part of a management buy-out to a company controlled by its former
management board members, as well as the appointment of the former
chairman of the supervisory board as sole member of the management
board.
Sale of 50.5% of shares in learnd Ltd.
Today, the Company has entered into a share purchase agreement with
learnd Arrow Limited regarding the sale of 50.5% of the shares in its
subsidiary, learnd Ltd. (the "Transaction"). The Transaction values
learnd Ltd. at an enterprise value of EUR 48.5 million. The sale will
result in the Company receiving an amount of EUR 10,455,693.00. In
addition, as part of the Transaction, all outstanding intra-group loans
will be settled; as a consequence, the Company will receive an
additional amount of EUR 10,799,307.00. learnd Arrow Limited is
indirectly controlled by John Clifford and Simon Wood, the two former
members of the management board of the Company. learnd Ltd. encompasses
the operating business of the Company. The share purchase agreement was
entered into on customary market terms. The Transaction is subject to
the clearance under the National Security and Investment Act of the
United Kingdom, which is expected to be obtained prior to October 2,
2025. After the Transaction is completed, the Company will retain an
indirect minority stake of 49.5% of the shares in learnd Ltd.
In parallel with the Transaction, the Company will acquire all shares
in the Company held by the two former members of the management board
for no consideration, except for one share each (the "Repurchase"). The
Company intends to propose the cancellation of such repurchased shares
to its shareholders in the next general meeting. Additionally, both
former members of the management board will waive (i) their claims to
certain bonus payments to which they were entitled and (ii) all of their
options to subscribe for shares in the Company (the "Waiver"). Both the
Repurchase and the Waiver are subject to (i) the completion of the
Transaction and (ii) the approval of the cancellation of the repurchased
shares by the Company's general meeting.
In connection with the share purchase agreement, the Company has
entered into a shareholders' agreement with the new majority shareholder
of the operating company. This shareholders' agreement grants the
Company,
inter alia, the right to nominate one of up to four members of
the board of directors of the operating company. Certain extraordinary
measures related to the management of the operating company are subject
to the Company's approval.
Use of the proceeds from the sale
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale as follows:
(i) approximately 40% for the repayment of existing shareholder loans
and another loan, and (ii) approximately 30% for the repayment of
acquisition financing utilized for prior acquisitions. The remaining
funds will be allocated to cover operating costs and, to the extent
available, for distribution to the Company's shareholders.
New appointment to the management board and changes in the supervisory board
Immediately prior to the Transaction, John Clifford and Simon Wood
have resigned from the management board of the Company to avoid
conflicts of interest. The supervisory board of the Company has
appointed Gisbert Rühl, the former chairman of the supervisory board and
co-founder of the SPAC GFJ ESG Acquisition I SE, as sole member of the
management board of the Company. As his successor, the supervisory board
appointed Johann Stachow, former general counsel of Xella International
GmbH, as a member and chair of the supervisory board of the Company.
The supervisory board consists of Johann Stachow (chair), Karl-Theodor
zu Guttenberg, and Stefan Spang.
Important Notice
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements based on
current assumptions and forecasts made by the Company's management
board. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expected in such statements. The Company assumes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any such statements.