Pine adds Evolution Business Systems to growing Asia Pacific portfolio
Pine Services Group has taken another step in its Asia Pacific expansion plans through the addition of Melbourne-based Microsoft business applications specialist Evolution Business Systems.
The US-based holding company, which is a tech-focused branch of investment firm Evergreen, first signaled its grand Asia Pacific expansion plans earlier this year in acquiring Australian enterprise resource planning (ERP) advisory Stratus Consulting.
Now, Evolution Business Systems (EBS) joins the Pine Services Group mix after two and a half decades in business, but will continue to operate independently under its own brand with its current leadership team to remain in place, led by CEO Jonathan Martin.
“Over the past 25 years, we have built EBS on long-term relationships, technical excellence, and a genuine commitment to helping our customers succeed,” Martin said. “In Pine, we have found a long-term partner that respects what makes EBS successful and supports our continued independence, while giving us access to additional resources, expertise, and a broader network.”
A long-time Microsoft partner, EBS focuses on the Dynamics 365 Business Central suite, providing support for small-to-medium-enterprises and non-profit organisations across a range of industries including the public, healthcare, and education sectors with ERP advisory and solutions, covering areas such as financial management, operations, and decision-making through technology.
“EBS brings two-and-a-half decades of customer trust, true Microsoft depth, and a leadership team we are proud to work with,” said Pine CFO Joel Johnson, “What makes them the right fit is how they’ve grown the business; strong customer relationships, technical credibility, and market-centered values. Their consistency of growth tells you everything about how the business is run.”
EBS reiterated that everything would be ‘business-as-usual’ for its current clients, but with the additional resources of a growing global network of providers and the ability to further invest in its people, capabilities, and innovation, which has become a hallmark of Pine Services and Evergreen’s long-term investment strategy and ‘decentralised’ approach to expanding its roster.
“We acquire and support strong companies, helping them grow while preserving the legacy and customer focus which made them successful,” says Pine. “Our approach is intentionally decentralised, so leaders guide their businesses day-to-day. We partner alongside to provide the financial clarity, strategic support, and community needed to drive long-term sustainable growth.”
A/NZ growth agenda
According to an interview with IT industry publication ARN, Evergreen will continue to pursue its A/NZ expansion agenda in the coming months with several more potential local MSP purchases on the cards before the year is out, adding to the 140 or so already picked up around the world, mostly in the Anglosphere and now including 20 in the region and the recent Perth-based purchase of OSIT.
“We’re never selling our businesses,” said Evergreen M&A vice president Sydney Hockett. “Our mission is to be the best home for businesses and their leaders. We’re not in the business of turnaround situations because we’re leaving these companies alone, and so culture becomes incredibly important. We want those that genuinely care about their customers and employees.”
