YDesign Group to Be Acquired by Design Holding S.p.A.

(PRESS RELEASE) Walnut Creek, CA — YDesign Group, the leading online destination for modern and contemporary design lighting in North America, has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Design Holding, an international operating group in the global high-end design market that includes industry leading companies such as B&B Italia, Flos and Louis Poulsen, and is jointly controlled by Investindustrial and The Carlyle Group.

Gabriele Del Torchio, chairman of Design Holding, said: “We are very excited to welcome YDesign and the management team as part of the Design Holding family. This acquisition fits into the broader plan of establishing Design Holding as the leading innovative high-end design platform with a truly multi-channel value proposition. We have been impressed with YDesign’s reputation for trusted relationships with supplier brands and its broad product assortment, operational excellence and ability to support customers throughout the purchase process with a highly trained customer service team. The preservation of YDesign’s existing organization and the continued independence of its commercial value proposition are both integral to the success of this combination. At the same time, YDesign will benefit from Design Holding’s strong product knowledge and expertise in content-driven marketing to accelerate its growth trajectory.”

YDesign Group’s CEO Laura Walsh commented: “We are thrilled by the many growth opportunities that lie ahead for YDesign Group. Leveraging the strategic support of Design Holding’s platform, we’ll continue to strengthen our positioning as the market leader in the U.S. high-end lighting space and our reputation as the primary destination for architects and designers.”

The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. YDesign Group was advised by Financo | Raymond James.