Smart AdServer officially becomes independent with the support of Cathay Capital

Paris, April 21 2015 – Smart AdServer, a direct and programmatic advertising platform, is partnering with Cathay Capital Private Equity for its newly-acquired independence, succeeding the Aufeminin group, which was majority shareholder for over 10 years. The investment fund, which is active across the United States, Europe and Asia, is a leader in partnering with fast-growing SMEs in order to implement their cross-border growth strategies. With Cathay Capital’s support, Smart AdServer intends to strongly accelerate its international development in order to become a leading advertising platform for premium players.

With the successful conclusion of this operation, Cyrille Geffray and his management team will remain fully operational in the company’s management and development, with the ambition of growing Smart AdServer into one of the major players of the international Ad Tech market.

Smart AdServer’s partnership with Cathay Capital forms part of its long-term strategy and reflects a significant new phase for the company, which will pursue the development of its business, particularly through international expansion. This process is now underway in the United States, where Smart Adserver is already capitalizing on its initial success by strengthening its New York office, but further development in South America and in Asia is expected in the coming years.
With Cathay Capital’s active support, Smart AdServer will amplify its innovation investments so as to strengthen its leadership position on its historical activities while continuing to establish strong positions on emerging business areas, namely in programmatic and video areas.

The company will also recruit new talents, with over 30 vacant positions across various business lines (including developers, sales staff, client service roles etc.). These numerous developments will directly benefit Smart AdServer’s clients.
Smart AdServer’s key ambition is to position itself as the leading advertising platform for major premium players to help them maintain strategic control over the monetization of their inventories.

Cyrille Geffray, CEO of Smart AdServer, explains: “This project led by the management team brings the company into a new stage of its development. Our main purpose is to equip our clients in order to help them remain in full control of their development and to keep their independence, without any risks linked to conflict of interest, counterparties or selling-out. Our ambition is to offer the best integrated platform for distribution, optimization of direct and programmatic sales in order to monetize all digital content (Web, Mobile and Video). Our clients are actively demanding this aggressive approach to innovation and independence.”

About Smart AdServer (smartadserver.com)
By integrating functionality that enables auctions, forecasting, and custom ad units – including mobile and video – within its platform, Smart AdServer puts publishers back in control. Smart AdServer technology enables publishers to maximize yield in both premium and programmatic without spending on third party vendors. Founded in 2001, and with offices in 10 countries, Smart AdServer works with more than 450 publsihers around the world and is the privileged partner of premium media companies who emphasize their strategic autonomy, including Hi Media, Axel Springer, Le Figaro, Antevenio, Clarin, Le Monde, IQ Digital, Netbook, and L’Equipe…

About Cathay Capital PE
Cathay Capital Private Equity, founded by Mingpo Cai and Edouard Moinet in Paris in 2006, is the leading global middle-market, private equity firm created by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs. As an expert in creating value through cross-border investments in, Europe, China and North America, Cathay Capital is fully dedicated to helping its portfolio company management teams focus on growth and succeed beyond their original borders.
Cathay’s unique platform on three continents – and offices currently located in Shanghai, Beijing, New York and Paris – as well as its multicultural team including thirty investment professionals, enables the firm to locally accelerate cross-border growth strategies through its broad local ecosystems.
As of December 31, 2014, Cathay Capital had invested in 36 companies and had over 900 million euros under management.

Contact Smart AdServer : Céline Poindron – cpoindron@smartadserver.com – Tel. +33 53 57 79 69
Contact Cathay Capital : Yoann Besse – yoann.besse@citigate.fr – Tel. +33 1 53 32 78 89