BATH/BERLIN — WOW Tech Group and Lovehoney on Thursday announced they have joined forces.
Together with Swiss brand Amorana—acquired by Lovehoney in 2020—the pair of global market leaders in sexual wellness now form the Lovehoney Group (LHG).
The transaction combines Lovehoney’s leading international operations and brands—including Fifty Shades of Grey—with WOW Tech’s powerhouse Womanizer, We-Vibe, Romp and Arcwave family of brands. The combined group will be led by WOW Tech CEO Johannes Plettenberg. Lovehoney and WOW Tech will continue to be run by their current management teams.
The group said it's focus will be on "delivering exceptional B2B customer service, including creative and demand-driving marketing across all touchpoints, as well as buzz-worthy PR campaigns to raise awareness and keep the brands at the forefront of consumers' minds."
Additionally, LHG’s strategy will continue to be focused on enforcing its extensive patent portfolio, which will be pursued with full force to protect the B2B partners’ commitment to the strong brand portfolio.
LHG is now home to more than 730 highly trained professionals from over 25 nations, located in 10 offices across the world with a broad spectrum of talents across engineering, industrial design, sales, and marketing.
LHG’s lead investor is Telemos Capital, the majority owner of Lovehoney since 2018. CDH Investments, which holds a significant stake in WOW Tech, stays on board as a minority investor as do the co-founders of Lovehoney Neal Slateford and Richard Longhurst.
Johannes Plettenberg, CEO of the Lovehoney Group commented: "We are excited about this transaction and partnership. Amorana, Lovehoney, and WOW Tech share the same mission to destigmatise sexuality, empower people to enjoy a fulfilling love life, and experience sexual happiness. Combined, we will be even better placed to contribute to bringing sexual happiness to the centre of society. This will benefit our entire industry. We are looking forward to continuing to work with our teams to create even more value for all our B2B partners and their customer base. By partnering even more closely together, I am certain we can all achieve our common goals.”
Established in Bath in 2002 by Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford, Lovehoney received the Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2016 and again in 2021 for outstanding continuous growth in overseas sales. In 2018 Telemos Capital became the majority owner of Lovehoney.
WOW Tech Group's primary focus lies in the research and development of new innovative products. CEO Johannes Plettenberg laid the foundation for WOW Tech as early as 2017 when he, together with investors led by Munich Rigeto, took over the German company Womanizer. The following year Womanizer merged with the Canadian sex toy manufacturer We-Vibe, and WOW Tech Group was born. In early 2020 CDH Investments became the majority owner of Wow Tech Group.
Telemos comprises a team of highly experienced investment professionals that combine the best of private equity and permanent growth capital. Founded in 2017, Telemos identifies and supports exceptional management teams in consumer goods, healthcare services, and business services to help them realise their long-term objectives.
Founded in 2002, CDH is one of the most well-established alternative assets management firms in Asia, with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. CDH has partnered with more than 150 companies, most of them leaders in a range of consumer and healthcare industries.
