SEG joins forces with Partners Group

Together with Partners Group, SEG plans to grow through targeted acquisitions in the highly fragmented talent agency market. SEG will also extend its presence into more sports and explore opportunities in adjacent industries. Beyond representation, it will expand the services it already offers athletes in areas such as commercial partnerships and brand development.

Founded in 2000, SEG represents talent in the football, cycling, gaming and music industries, ranging from emerging talent to top athletes and coaches. SEG has over 1,000 talents in its portfolio, including football coaches Pep Guardiola, Robin van Persie and Matthias Jaissle; football players Cody Gakpo, Rasmus Højlund, Nico O’Reilly and Vivianne Miedema; riders Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Oscar Onley, Mauro Schmid and Olav Kooij; content creator TenZ and competitive gamer ZywOo; and artists Kybba and JEA. SEG currently works with around 200 agents and staff in 40 countries and has completed over 3,500 football transfers since inception. 

The talent representation industry is growing fast, driven by increasing fan engagement and the rising market value of athletes. This is underpinned by growing club and team revenues, which continue to diversify beyond media rights through sponsorship and merchandising, as well as premium hospitality. These tailwinds have fuelled strong growth at SEG in recent years, and the outlook for the years ahead is even more encouraging. 

SEG founder Kees Vos says: “We have always had a strategy of both organic growth and growth through M&A, with the recent acquisitions of Prodigy SEG, the world’s largest talent management agency in gaming, and SEG FLOWSPORTS, one of the biggest agencies in women’s football, as examples. As the talent representation industry keeps growing, there is a real opportunity to move into new and adjacent markets, and to offer athletes more than representation alone. Partners Group is a long-term partner – literally – with the operational expertise to help us take SEG much further.” 

Kim Nguyen, Partner, Head Private Equity Services Investments, Partners Group, says: “The talent market is a relationship business and Kees and SEG’s agents have built deep networks across multiple industries, which acts as the foundation for long-term growth. SEG’s track record of retaining talent from the early stages of their careers demonstrates its long-term partnership approach, which resonates strongly with us. We look forward to working with Kees and the team to build this platform. The partnership marks Partners Group’s entry into the sports sector – a space with compelling long-term tailwinds. SEG is our first step into this arena, and we intend to expand from here.”

About SEG

SEG is an international management agency representing over 1,000 talents across four divisions: SEG Football, SEG Cycling, Prodigy SEG (gaming) and SEG Artists (entertainment). Talents are supported 24/7 by a global network of over 200 agents and staff, active in 40 countries. In-house experts provide strategic career guidance and deliver high-quality legal, financial, social media, IP and branding expertise. In addition, SEG acts as an independent intermediary, advising football clubs and cycling teams on player and rider recruitment and contract negotiations. SEG operates from offices in Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Milan and other cities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.seginternational.com or follow us on Instagram.

About Partners Group

Partners Group is one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, with around 2,000 professionals and over USD 186 billion in assets under management globally. The firm has investment programs and custom mandates spanning private equity, private credit, infrastructure, real estate, royalties, and special opportunities. With its heritage in Switzerland and primary presence in the Americas in Colorado, Partners Group is built differently from the rest of the industry. The firm leverages its differentiated culture and its operationally oriented approach to identify attractive investment themes and to transform businesses and assets into market leaders. For more information, please visit www.partnersgroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn.