Eversheds has advised leading managed IT services GCI on its acquisition of Hertfordshire-based unified communications specialist, Freedom Communications.

The Eversheds team was led by corporate partner Jon Cox-Brown and comprised principal associates Matthew Hussey (corporate) and Nathan Pritchard (banking) and associate Victoria Towers (real estate).

This is the fifth acquisition for GCI in under 12 months. It follows hot on the heels of its acquisition of high profile Cloud specialist Outsourcery six months ago, on which Eversheds also advised.

Jon Cox-Brown said: “This is clearly another positive and very commercial move by GCI, and one that will only strengthen and enhance its offering to its many customers.”

Adrian Thirkill CEO at GCI commented, “2016 was a busy and productive year at GCI. It was about setting the framework for growth and preparing GCI to catch the moment as next generation managed IT services transition from adolescence to mainstream business transformers. Our acquisition of Freedom is another steady step in our journey to deliver progressive and cost efficient managed services to all our customers. Freedom’s heritage and skills as a Unified Communications Systems Integrator, and its focus on transitioning customers from old world to new, is perfectly aligned with our own growth strategy and is a great fit for us.”

Anna Clarke, Group Legal Counsel, GCI, said: "This was a significant deal for GCI and as always, Eversheds provided us with the same excellent level of legal support and guidance throughout.”