First Five Group, which owns and holds controlling shares in specialist businesses First 5 Minutes, Sky5, and Sharp5, has acquired RiskLogic and FirstAction, creating Australasia’s largest provider of emergency, crisis management, business continuity, risk management, and safety services.
The two Australian businesses were founded and privately owned by Sydney entrepreneurs and brothers Dan and Joshua Shields. RiskLogic provides advisory and consulting services, innovative technology solutions, and training in crisis and critical incident management, business continuity, crisis communications, and cyber security. FirstAction meanwhile provides emergency-management solutions.
“Both businesses will complement our existing First 5 Minutes, Sharp5, and Sky5 entities,” said James McNamara, First Five Group CEO. “Today's announcement will provide our portfolio of companies the opportunity to accelerate growth through this broader service offering to an even greater cross-section of businesses and industry sectors.”
The deal will see RiskLogic continuing to operate as a standalone operation, with no changes to management or personnel. The FirstAction business, meanwhile, will be combined operationally with First Five Group’s emergency preparedness business, First 5 Minutes, with all FirstAction staff to become part of the enlarged business.
McNamara said there were no anticipated job losses as a result of the acquisition. Dan Shields will continue in his role as CEO of RiskLogic, while Phil Archer and Rowan Allsop from FirstAction will join the expanded emergency preparedness business comprising First 5 Minutes and FirstAction.
“This acquisition is a win-win for all parties, which will continue to operate independently, but will have the benefit of growing together with the capital support of First Five Group,” McNamara said. “The major advantage will be the ability for all of our companies to provide additional and integrated emergency response and crisis management solutions for our clients, ensuring they have a true ‘one-stop-shop,’ when it comes to out-of-home safety solutions, regardless of their business type.”
The Shields will continue to privately own Catalyst Technologies which has developed world-class technology solutions for crisis and emergency management. Joshua will assume the role of CEO for Catalyst Technologies where the strong strategic partnership with RiskLogic and FirstAction will continue.
