VDI GmbH based in Düsseldorf acquired the shares of VDI Verlag GmbH from Verlagsgruppe Handelsblatt GmbH & Co. KG (VHB) and became hundred percent owner of the publisher (with retroactive effect from January 1st, 2016). Since 1988 VDI GmbH and VHB operate the joint venture company with a shareholder proportion of 60/40.

We acted as exclusive financial advisor to the buyer and supported the entire acquisition process.

The publishing company VDI is a leading media company for engineers, technical professionals and executives. The offering in print, online and event area is aimed to support this target group in their professional activity and their career creation. In VDI appears VDI direct, the influential weekly paper for technology, economy, society and journalistic home for engineers. Beside the news main entrance ingenieur.de and the career main entrance ingenieurkarriere.de belongs the VDI direct recruiting days, a leading German career fair for engineers, to the portfolio of VDI.

As a hundred percent subsidiary within the VDI group, the publisher will develop new contents and products in cooperation with other areas of VDI, e.g., with the VDI knowledge forum or the expert's networks of VDI. Flagship of the publishing company remains the opinion-forming weekly paper VDI direct. Existing products of VDI, above all in the area digital, media and recruiting, should be further developed.

The advertising marketing of print and digital products about the VHB-companies iq media Marketing gmbh and iq digital media marketing gmbh continues. As of January 1st, 2017 the publisher VDI builds up a sales unity for the sales of print and digital products to customer of the capital goods industries.