The Carlyle Group to Sell ADA Cosmetics to Ardian

Transaction Is Latest Exit by Carlyle Europe Technology Partners

LONDON, UK– Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) today announced that its affiliated funds have entered into an agreement to sell ADA Cosmetics, a German supplier of premium hotel body care products and accessories, to Ardian, an independent private investment company. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in Q3 2014, subject to regulatory approvals, were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Kehl, Germany and employing 300 people, ADA Cosmetics is the largest supplier of cosmetics and accessories to premium hotels in Europe with growing presence in Asia and the Middle East. Customers include luxury hotels such as Brenners Park Hotel in Baden Baden, Etihad Tower in Abu Dhabi and, Badrutt’s Palace in St Moritz, as well as high-end chains including Relais & Chateau, Steigenberger and Mövenpick. The Company also serves many other 4 and 5 star hotels and chains.

Since Carlyle's 2011 investment, ADA Cosmetics has seen solid organic revenue growth of more than 20% to over € 50 million, and increased its EBITDA by almost 70%. The company also strengthened its strategic position through investments in Asia and Middle East and winning new brands like Hermes.

Commenting on the transaction, Thorsten Dippel, Director of the advisory team to the Carlyle Europe Technology Partners funds (CETP) said: "Through close collaboration with ADA's talented management team and Carlyle's network, we fostered a number of successful initiatives at the company, which strengthened ADA Cosmetic's position in its core markets and expanded its international presence.  ADA has delivered outstanding growth during the time we have worked with them and we feel privileged to have been partners of the management team. We wish them every success for the future."

Michael Wand, Managing Director and Head of the advisory team to CETP, added: “ADA Cosmetics is the third exit from the DACH region in the last three consecutive years, following UC4 in 2012 and Personal & Informatik AG in 2013.  Combining ADA’s strength with our local expertise and global reach, we helped them further grow and internationalize the business.  We thank the ADA management team for their great work and wish them continued success with Ardian.”

Wilhelm Könning, Chief Executive Officer of ADA Cosmetics said, “We have greatly enjoyed working with Carlyle, who helped us further grow the company into a best-in-class supplier to some of the leading names in the hospitality industry, while maintaining highest product and service standards.”

Equity for this investment came from Carlyle Europe Technology Partners II, a €530 million growth capital fund that closed in November 2008.

* * * * *

About The Carlyle Group
The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global alternative asset manager with $199 billion of assets under management across 120 funds and 133 fund of funds vehicles as of March 31, 2014. Carlyle's purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, many of whom are public pensions. Carlyle invests across four segments – Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Market Strategies and Solutions – in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and South America. Carlyle has expertise in various industries, including: aerospace, defense & government services, consumer & retail, energy, financial services, healthcare, industrial, real estate, technology & business services, telecommunications & media and transportation. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,600 people in 38 offices across six continents.

Web: www.carlyle.com
Videos: www.youtube.com/onecarlyle
Tweets: www.twitter.com/onecarlyle
Podcasts: www.carlyle.com/about-carlyle/market-commentary

Media Contacts:
Catherine Armstrong
+44 20 7894 1632;
Catherine.Armstrong@carlyle.com

Katharina Gebsattel
+49 172 718 68 57
katharina.gebsattel@vub.de

About ADA Cosmetics International  
Founded in Kehl, Germany, in 1979, ADA Cosmetics is a leading international manufacturer of high-quality hotel cosmetics and accessories. The Company operates across all aspects of the value chain, including R&D, design, production, logistics and sales and marketing. ADA Cosmetics’ key products are bathroom liquids and ADA’s in-house developed press+wash system (“P&W”) and its successor model smart care system. The company focuses on three, four and five star hotels and hotel chains and is the leading supplier of quality hotel cosmetics in Europe. Today, the Company serves more than 15,000 customers through a worldwide sales and distribution network in more than 50 countries, as well via its online platform. ADA also has a state-of-the-art production facility.

Further information at www.ada-cosmetics.com

About Ardian 
Ardian, founded in 1996 and led by Dominique Senequier, is a premium independent private investment company with assets of US$47bn managed or advised in Europe, North America and Asia. The company, which is majority-owned by its employees, keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and delivers investment performance to its global investors while fuelling growth in economies across the world. Ardian’s investment process embodies three values: excellence, loyalty, entrepreneurship.

Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 330 employees working through ten offices in Paris, London, New York, Beijing, Frankfurt, Jersey, Luxembourg, Milan, Singapore and Zurich. The company offers its 300 investors a diversified choice of funds covering the full range of asset classes, including Fund of Funds (primary, early secondary and secondary; mandates), Direct Funds including Infrastructure, Expansion, Mid Cap Buyout, Innovation & Growth, Co-Investment and Private Debt.

# # #