Managing IP is part of the Delinian Group, Delinian Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX, Registered in England & Wales, Company number 00954730
Copyright © Delinian Limited and its affiliated companies 2023

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Rouse expands in Sweden in first PE-era deal

Stockholm old town (Gamla Stan) cityscape from City Hall top, Sw

Just months after receiving private equity investment, Rouse has bought Swedish IP firm Valea

Rouse has expanded its presence in Sweden with the acquisition of intellectual property firm Valea, the two companies announced today, December 14.

Valea has more than 70 staff across its three offices in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö.

Its client base is made up primarily of medium-to-large Swedish-based multinationals such as Volvo, Ericsson, and manufacturing company SKF.

The Valea deal is the first acquisition Rouse has made since it sold a significant minority stake – believed to be in the region of 35% – to UK private equity investor MML Capital in July.

Andrew Hammond, founding partner at Valea who will now head Rouse’s patent operations in Sweden, said MML’s investment had made the deal an easier sell to Valea partners.

 “To be able to say that Rouse’s long-term strategy has attracted the endorsement of private equity has meant a lot,” Hammond said.

Speaking to Managing IP on Tuesday, December 13, Rouse chief executive Luke Minford said Valea’s legal services business would strengthen the group’s offering in Sweden.

“We haven’t had a top-quality patent and trademark attorney business in Sweden, so Valea is a strategic fit,” Minford said.

Rouse bought Swedish IP consultancy IPQ in 2019, its first foray into the country.

Sara Holder, head of M&A at Rouse, said the group’s short-term focus would be on expansion in the regions where it already has a base.

The company has a significant presence in south-east Asia, with offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The leadership of Valea and Rouse were also of similar minds on the need for consolidation and streamlining in the IP services market.

“Our clients won’t need to negotiate with an independent law firm in the Philippines or Thailand because Rouse can offer a one-stop shop that can solve all those problems.

“It must be the way forward,” Hammond said.

Minford agreed there was an appetite from clients for global service providers.

Minford said it wasn’t necessary for multinational companies to have so many local advisers with a distinct approach in each jurisdiction.

more from across site and ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has hired former Anand & Anand partner Swati Sharma and hopes to compete with specialist IP firms
Rapporteur-Judge András Kupecz ruled that education and training weren’t legitimate reasons for a member of the public to access documents
Searches for comparison prior art will be a little easier, but practitioners will have to put more thought into claim construction and design patent titles
The Helsinki local division rejected AIM Sport’s request for a preliminary injunction in a dispute with rival Supponor
We provide a rundown of Managing IP’s news and analysis coverage from the week, and review what’s been happening elsewhere in IP
The FTC’s plans to scrutinise improperly listed Orange Book patents could make these listings more important in litigation, but firms should be looking at this anyway
Counsel at Debevoise & Plimpton explain how they helped food delivery business Grubhub avoid a preliminary injunction at the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
European lawyers tell Managing IP how the legal market is reacting to the first few months of the UPC and why cases are set to take off
The ban could be extended or cancelled, depending on whether Judge Pauline Newman cooperates with an investigation, the Judicial Council of the Federal Circuit stated
Sources say some China-based lawyers are prepared to take large pay cuts to join stable practices, but most firms are sceptical about new hires