Experian Completes A$820 Million Acquisition of Illion, Expanding Data Solutions in Australia and New Zealand

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(IN BRIEF) Experian has successfully completed its A$820 million acquisition of illion, a consumer and commercial credit bureau in Australia and New Zealand. This integration will merge illion’s team, data, software, and intellectual property into Experian, creating a unified business that enhances market choices and provides advanced data-driven solutions for customers. Andrew Black will lead the newly combined organization, focusing on strategic integration and growth. The acquisition aims to expand Experian’s market presence and redefine data-driven technology services. Illion’s CEO, John Banfield, will step down following the acquisition, having played a crucial role in the company’s transformation.

(PRESS RELEASE) DUBLIN, 3-Oct-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Experian, the global leader in data and technology, has announced the successful completion of its A$820 million acquisition of illion, a prominent consumer and commercial credit bureau in Australia and New Zealand.

This acquisition integrates illion’s workforce of 500, along with its data, software, and intellectual property, into Experian, forming a cohesive organization that combines complementary strengths, assets, and customer bases. The newly unified entity is poised to enhance market options and provide robust, data-driven solutions for both businesses and consumers in the region.

Malin Holmberg, CEO of Experian for EMEA and the Asia Pacific region, stated: “Having led our Australia and New Zealand operations successfully for the past seven years, Andrew Black will now take the helm of the integrated organization, steering the strategic integration and growth initiatives while leveraging our global innovations.”

Andrew Black, CEO of Experian A/NZ, emphasized that the company’s five-year strategic plan is designed to rapidly unlock the potential of the combined team and capabilities, with the initial phase focusing on maintaining speed and continuity of service for customers.

“This marks a historic milestone for our business, our employees, and our clients—and it’s just the beginning,” Black remarked. “This acquisition will allow us to further our growth in Australia and New Zealand, significantly expand our market presence, and introduce new capabilities that will redefine the landscape of data-driven technology.”

He noted that illion’s diverse and complementary product portfolio, data assets, and customer base align well with Experian’s strengths, and a robust integration strategy is in place to ensure that customers can quickly benefit from the advantages of the merged entities.

“One of the major advantages of this merger is the combined data assets, which will offer greater choice for our customers. This integration will enhance our product and service offerings, aligning with Experian’s global strategy in ways that have not been feasible before,” Black added.

Black also announced plans for rebranding the merged entity to Experian within the next year, while retaining certain illion product names that have established strong market recognition.

“Our employees represent our greatest competitive advantage, a fact recognized not only by our customers but also by esteemed workplace authorities like Great Place to Work and Work180. This integration will cultivate a collaborative culture, bringing together our top talent to create a unified, empowered, and high-performing team,” Black said.

In conjunction with the acquisition’s completion, John Banfield, CEO of illion, will step down. Banfield has been instrumental in transforming illion’s performance and culture, leading to the company’s acquisition by Experian.

About Experian

Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realise their financial goals and help them to save time and money.

We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agribusiness, insurance, and many more industry segments.

We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and innovate. As a FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 22,500 people across 32 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.

Media Contacts:

Tim Lele
tlele@keepleft.com /experian@keepleft.com.au
0411 293 176 / 03 9268 7800

Ryan O’Leary
roleary@keepleft.com.au / experian@keepleft.com.au
0434 489 741 / 03 9268 7800

SOURCE: Experian