Bailie Group

What Bailie Group does

Bailie Group is a privately-held, family-owned holding company and self-funded family office headquartered in Leeds, UK. Founded in 1862 (rooted in the W&G Baird print business) and rebranded from Baird Group to Bailie Group in 2021, the group invests in and operates lower mid-market UK businesses with £1m-£10m of annually recurring revenue, structuring deals up to £4m at approximately 4-5x EBIT while retaining incumbent management teams. The platform comprises five operating companies: CDS Tech (public-sector digital transformation, cloud, cyber, low-code automation, data insight, service design); CDS Print (large-scale public-sector print and mailing); CDS Defence & Security (learning, engineering support, digital resilience, cyber security and information assurance for the UK military, with BAE Systems as a named client); Newspress (global automotive PR and SaaS platform serving journalists across UK, USA, Germany, Spain, and Australia); and a 25% minority stake in S2S Group (IT asset disposal and data destruction, Rotherham-headquartered, 45,000 sq-ft facility). The group also wholly owns Ubi-Tech (3R), a telecommunications training provider acquired in January 2022 to extend CDS Defence & Security's capabilities.

The group earns revenue through a mix of professional services fees, subscription/recurring contracts (Newspress SaaS, investment returns from portfolio companies), transactional fees (S2S IT disposal), and ancillary commercial property rental (Riverside House, Leeds, with The Town Hall meeting space at £500/day or £275/half-day). Distribution is sales-led and direct: enterprise and public-sector framework relationships, supplemented by a small content-marketing and earned-media presence (Insights blog, PR, events including Buckingham Palace Garden Party attendance). Notable deployed platforms serving UK public-sector clients include the Single Online Home digital crime reporting system (accessible to 60% of UK citizens), the National Rail Enquiries journey planner (4 million daily visits, 99.99% availability), and the Social Work England case management system (32 million data entries, 96,000+ social workers).

The group's strategic posture is long-duration and patient capital, articulated as a self-funded family office without external shareholders. M&A is the primary growth lever, supported by £1m annually ringfenced for internal R&D and an external 'Dragon's Den' programme for socially responsible technologies. The company is ISO 14001 certified, a UN Race to Zero / SME Climate Hub signatory, Planet Mark certified, and a 2022 Innovation Family Business of the Year awardee. Revenue was £45m in 2020 with a stated target of £65m by end-2021 and £5m of profit; CDS alone grew from £15m to £60m annual turnover under group ownership.

Name

Bailie Group

Legal name

Bailie Group

Website

https://bailiegroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1862

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Bailie Group is a Leeds-based, family-owned holding company and self-funded family office that acquires and operates lower mid-market UK businesses (typically £1m-£10m ARR) across digital transformation, defence, print, automotive PR, and IT disposal through five operating subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns from Portfolio Companies: Bailie Group generates returns through owning and operating a portfolio of companies across technology, print, defence & security, automotive PR, and data services sectors.
2. Professional Services (CDS Tech): Software delivery, cloud & data services, cybersecurity, service design for public sector bodies and enterprise clients.
3. Print & Mailing Services (CDS Print): Large-scale print and mailing projects primarily for public sector clients.
4. Defence & Security Services (CDS Defence & Security): Learning, engineering support, digital resilience, cyber security and information assurance for defence and security industry.
5. Automotive PR & Technology (Newspress): Official automotive news source for journalists globally; press release creation, technology tools, and dedicated online platform for journalists and media site creation.
6. IT Asset Disposal & Data Destruction (S2S Group): End-to-end solution for redundant IT including data destruction, operating from 45,000 sq-ft processing facility.
7. Commercial Property Rental: Meeting space rental at Riverside House, Leeds - Town Hall available at £500/day full day or £275/half day.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bailie Group operates as a self-funded UK family office that acquires and invests in lower mid-market businesses (£1m-£10m recurring revenue, EBIT 15%+, deals up to £4m based on 4-5x EBIT). The group runs a portfolio of operating subsidiaries spanning technology-led transformation (CDS Tech), print and mailing (CDS Print), defence and security services (CDS Defence & Security), automotive PR and SaaS distribution (Newspress), and IT asset disposal and data destruction (S2S Group). It also provides a commercial meeting space rental (The Town Hall at Riverside House, Leeds).

Product overview

Bailie Group is a mid-market acquisitions and investment company operating as a family office with a portfolio of subsidiary companies. The group operates a platform-plus-subsidiaries model comprising five distinct operating companies: CDS Tech (technology-led transformation), CDS Print (print and mailing services), CDS Defence & Security (learning and cyber security for defence), Newspress (automotive PR and SaaS), and S2S Group (IT asset disposal and data destruction). Each subsidiary operates independently with support from the parent group for strategy, capital, and shared services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CDS Tech (technology-led transformation services) Technology-led transformation partner providing cloud, cybersecurity, low-code automation, data insight, and service design to UK public sector bodies and enterprise clients needing to modernise systems and enhance user experience.
• CDS Print (print and mailing services) Print and mailing services for public sector clients with experience in large-scale brand, communications, and digital print projects.
• CDS Defence & Security (learning, engineering and cyber security services) Defence and security services including learning, engineering support, digital resilience, cyber security and information assurance for UK military and government clients, with a team combining first-hand military experience and technical expertise.
• Newspress (automotive PR and journalist SaaS platform) Global automotive news specialist and official automotive news source for journalists. Provides press release creation, technology tools for message distribution, a dedicated online platform for journalists, and media site creation; operating across UK, USA, Germany, Spain and Australia.
• S2S Group (IT asset disposal and data destruction) End-to-end IT asset disposal and data destruction services for organisations needing secure, compliant redundant-IT solutions. Headquartered in Rotherham at a 45,000 sq-ft processing facility, with additional offices in London and Glasgow.
• The Town Hall at Riverside House (meeting space rental) Meeting and event space rental at Riverside House, Leeds, available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays as a full day at £500 (8:30am-5:30pm) or a half day at £275, exc. VAT.

Quantifiable outcome

• CDS grew from £15m to £60m annual turnover under Bailie Group ownership
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fantastic MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 November 2025Leeds-based marketing agency engaged to develop tailored marketing strategies for Bailie Group as part of its INSIGHT programme, implementing digital marketing initiatives and branding refresh.
• Ubi-Tech (3R)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2022Strategic acquisition of Ubi-Tech (3R), a training provider for the telecommunications industry, supporting Bailie Group's growth goals and expanding CDS Defence & Security's capabilities. The companies had previously collaborated on military projects and share aligned values including support for the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Claremont InteriorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner that transformed Bailie Group HQ through interior design and fit-out services, creating an inspiring workspace at Riverside House.
• The Prince's TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Fergus Bailie volunteers as Business Mentor for The Prince's Trust since 2010, helping dozens of young people start their own businesses. Recently invited to Buckingham Palace Garden Party in recognition of mentorship contributions.
• Queen's University BelfastminorStrategic or Co-development Partner£35k donated to Queen's University Belfast to support underrepresented children.
• SME Climate HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal initiative helping SMEs take climate action; Bailie Group made SME Climate Commitment joining UN Climate Change High-Level Champions' Race to Zero campaign.
• Planet MarkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental certification body; Bailie Group achieved Planet Mark certification demonstrating sustainability commitment.
• Woodland TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting annual tree planting event as part of carbon offsetting strategy.
• Country Land & Business AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined to explore carbon offsetting options including tree planting, natural capital investment.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Endless LLP: UK mid-market PE firm with £1-£10m deal sizes focused on buyouts of profitable UK SMEs — closely aligned with Bailie Group's lower mid-market acquisition criteria and northern UK operating footprint.
• LDC: Lloyds Banking Group-affiliated UK mid-market PE firm with £5-£100m deal sizes and a national regional network including a strong Yorkshire/northern team, with comparable deal-size range to Bailie Group's lower end.
• YFM Equity Partners: Yorkshire-headquartered UK lower mid-market PE firm with £2-10m deal sizes, similar to Bailie Group's regional Yorkshire focus, family-friendly approach, and target of profitable SMEs requiring ownership transition.
• Connection Capital: UK lower mid-market PE firm providing minority and majority investments of £2-25m for profitable UK SMEs — overlapping target criteria and northern UK presence with Bailie Group.
• BGF (Business Growth Fund): UK's largest growth capital investor providing £2-£20m minority and majority investments to UK SMEs — comparable target segment and patient-capital approach to Bailie Group's self-funded family office model.
• Maven Capital Partners: UK lower mid-market PE firm investing typically £1-15m in regional SMEs with majority and minority structures — very similar investment criteria and northern UK footprint to Bailie Group's £1-10m ARR, 4-5x EBIT, Yorkshire-focused family office model.
• NorthEdge Capital: UK mid-market PE firm with £5-£40m deals for high-growth businesses, headquartered in Manchester and Birmingham with a northern UK focus — similar Yorkshire/northern UK regional deal-sourcing bias to Bailie Group.
• Livingbridge: UK growth investor with broad SME portfolio and £10m+ deal sizes — comparable diversified mid-market UK investment approach and long-term capital deployment model to Bailie Group.
• Synova Capital: UK lower mid-market PE firm investing £10-50m for majority stakes in high-growth UK SMEs — similar in targeting profitable UK SMEs requiring capital and operational support for the next growth stage.
• Palatine Private Equity: UK mid-market PE firm focused on £10-£100m deals with majority investments in mid-sized UK businesses, supporting management buyouts — comparable in business-model approach to UK lower mid-market companies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bailie Group