Autofutura acquires Chrysalis Loyalty to ‘broaden’ market appeal

Automotive business intelligence company, Autofutura, has acquired Chrysalis Loyalty, a supplier of loyalty solutions for manufacturers, finance companies and retailers.

The deal was backed by Inflexion Private Equity.

Chrysalis specialises in the retail sector, while Autofutura has expertise in both the fleet and retail sectors.

Christian Erlandson (pictured), CEO of Autofutura, said: “Combining the leading-edge capability and reach of Autofutura with the renowned pedigree of Chrysalis Loyalty creates a unique fusion of expertise.

“Forged into one focused team, our new venture will leverage best of breed technology and data, giving us an unparalleled offering in the market.”

The global automotive sector is rapidly evolving, with significant growth in ecommerce, mobility and evolving vehicle ownership models, according to Autofutura.

Now more than ever, the ability to retain customer loyalty, through a seamless and engaging customer experience, with personalised finance offerings, is key to success in the automotive industry, it says.

The acquisition, which saw Autofutura advised by Taylor Wessing and GCA Altium, will see the business consolidate the two companies.

The new structure will enable the larger business to expand its capability and underpin organic global growth opportunities, by leveraging access to mutually beneficial markets, specifically in the UK, Europe and APAC.

The blend of assets such as data warehousing, portfolio analysis, call centres, training and consultancy provided by Chrysalis and elements such as forecasting tools, re-evaluation acquisition modules and IT optimisation offered by Autofutura, will ensure every customer and potential customer’s needs are met, both now and in the future, it says.

The new entity will be led by Autofutura’s CEO Christian Erlandson, with Chrysalis Loyalty CEO and founder Jolyon Barker becoming strategic adviser.

Newly combined, the company will serve customers in more than 20 markets via its UK-based headquarters and international offices in Australia, Canada and Germany.

Barker said: “When Chrysalis launched in 2004, we defined a new approach to retention and loyalty technology with our award-winning Key2Key software platform.

“I am excited that Autofutura and Chrysalis are now joining forces. The combination of our highly skilled and dedicated teams, leading-edge global-data insights and technologies will provide OEMs, fleets, financiers and retailers an even greater wealth of customer acquisition, retention and renewal assets, which have never been more crucial for delivering success than in this period of remarkable transformation within the global automotive industry.”

Autofutura is a global data management, lead management (CRM), loyalty and retention software business providing solutions for the automotive industry.

Autofutura is a private company headquartered in the United Kingdom with offices in the UK and Germany servicing customers in 20 countries. 

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in the UK with regional bases in Australia, Canada and the USA, Chrysalis harnesses data intelligence to provide customer loyalty solutions to OEMs, finance companies and retailers across the global automotive industry.

Chrysalis currently supports nine major automotive brands and more than 2,500 retailers in 12 countries, by providing data-based intelligence to facilitate enhanced decision making. In 2017, Chrysalis completed a multi-million-pound investment in its digital platform to bolster its growth.