SA Global Advisors advises iLink Digital on acquisition of Haefele Software.
12th March 2025 | Press Release
SA Global Advisors (‘SA’), a leading global investment banking firm focused exclusively on growth investments and M&A for the Digital and Technology sectors, is pleased to announce that it has acted as an exclusive buy-side advisor to to US-based iLink Digital, a leading AI-driven digital transformation provider with 3,000+ professionals in India, in its acquisition of UK-based Haefele Software, a Microsoft Solution Partner specializing in Azure and Digital App Innovation.
Pravin Advani, Managing Partner at SA Global Advisors said “It has been an exciting start to 2025, with today’s announcement marking our second Data and AI Consulting Services transaction in the past couple of months. This reinforces SA's commitment to partnering with Data and AI focused entrepreneurs and investors across the globe to create transformative growth and value through unparalleled opportunities we create together. Our mission is to help our clients become formidable market leaders in the fast evolving Data and AI Consulting space, through investments and strategic partnerships that drive scale.”
iLink Digital’s strategic acquisition of Haefele Software strengthens its global presence in key markets while enhancing its AI-driven digital transformation capabilities. Haefele’s expertise in Azure, Digital App Innovation, and low-code/no-code solutions, along with its stable, specialist teams, reinforces iLink’s ability to deliver high-quality, scalable solutions. As a leading AI-driven Digital Transformation solutions leader with broad capabilities and a growing global market presence, iLink is poised to drive innovation and enterprise transformation on a global scale.
Sree Balaji, Group CEO at iLink Digital, said "Haefele Software’s addition to the iLink Group gives us the much-needed presence in the UK and Ireland regions. Their South African nearshore location is an attractive offering for our customers in Europe. We have greatly enjoyed our interactions with Haefele’s team, which is full of energy and constantly striving to learn and deliver better-quality solutions to our shared customers. We look forward to achieving rapid growth in these new regions in the near future.”
Alan Haefele, Founder & CEO at Haefele Software was quoted saying, "I am so proud and excited to join iLink Digital, marking a new era of growth for our team and services in the UK and South Africa while supporting iLink’s expansion into Europe and Africa. I look forward to this partnership strengthening our technical capabilities, giving clients greater flexibility, speed, and options to achieve their business goals. Personally, I’m thrilled at how this move allows me to refocus on the UK and EU markets—a true homecoming to where my journey began in 2006—while unlocking new opportunities for my team. Throughout the M&A process, I’ve had the privilege of engaging with so many like-minded people at iLink, each interaction only reinforcing my confidence in this match and my excitement for what lies ahead."
Saravanan Karunanithi, Group Chief Strategy Officer at iLink Digital, said, "I’m excited about iLink’s partnership with Haefele. Alan and his team are dynamic, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. After visiting their Cape Town office, I’m confident in their potential to drive our growth in the UK and beyond. This acquisition marks a key milestone for iLink, making us a truly global company with a presence in Africa, Australia, and the UK. It’s a significant achievement and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved."
This transaction highlights SA's focus and role as a trusted M&A advisor and partner to some of the leading AI-led Digital Transformation companies and Entrepreneurs looking to accelerate inorganic growth and make strategic, high-value investments in the AI-driven digital transformation and cloud solutions space.
Pravin Advani, Managing Partner at SA Global Advisors added, “We are delighted to have advised iLink Digital on its acquisition of Haefele Software, a strategic move that strengthens iLink’s global footprint and enhances its ability to serve key markets, including the UK, Ireland, and South Africa. Partnering with iLink’s visionary team, we are confident that this unique combination will drive value and unlock new opportunities for further expansion. It has been a privilege to support this transformative journey and contribute to the next chapter of iLink Digital’s success as part of our long-term partnership.”
SA continues to redefine Investment and M&A-led growth for mid-sized Technology companies, as one of the most trusted partners in the AI-led Digital Transformation sector, with an ability to create unique M&A opportunities and solutions to help clients build and finance an accelerated growth journey. Leveraging deep sector expertise, investor networks and strategic insights SA enables Data and AI consulting companies realize their full potential, by creating flexible growth capital solutions and large Go-to-market synergies to complement and expand the company’s vision.
Learn more about how SA is helping companies in the AI-led Digital Transformation ecosystem transform growth at https://www.saglobaladvisors.com/.
About iLink Digital
Established in 2002, iLink Digital is a premier provider of AI-driven digital transformation services, helping organizations leverage technology to improve business outcomes. iLink Digital delivers comprehensive solutions across Product Engineering, Data Engineering and Analytics, Cloud Operations and Services, Business Applications Consulting, and RPA Consulting. With over two decades of experience in the IT industry, iLink Digital addresses numerous high-growth opportunities throughout its Innovate-Build-Manage lifecycle.
Learn more on our website.
About Haefele Software
Haefele Software was founded by Alan Haefele, a software expert with 25 years of experience in development, architecture, and business analysis. He holds a Bachelor of Business Science with Honors in Computer Science from the University of Cape Town and has worked across industries including retail packaging, neuromarketing, Martech, and financial services. For the past two decades, he has split his time between London and Cape Town with his wife and four children, growing Haefele Software into a boutique Microsoft consultancy.
Learn more on our website.
About SA Global Advisors
SA Global Advisors (SA) is a leading global investment banking firm focused exclusively on growth investments and M&A for the Digital and Technology sectors. SA partners with Entrepreneurs, Strategic Investors, CEOs and Boards of Directors to execute strategic transactions ($10M to $200M) that drive growth and non-linear value creation for mid-market and Entrepreneur-led companies. We focus on high-growth industry segments across IT Consulting, Software, Tech-enabled Services, Digital Transformation, including Engineering R&D (ER&D), Data, AI, and Cloud Transformation.
Learn more on our website.