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What You Should Know:
– TELUS Corporation announced a significant strategic partnership with GTCR, a private equity firm with deep expertise in the healthcare sector. TELUS Health confirmed its acquisition of Workplace Options for approximately $500M (US$350M) in cash, net of around $100M (US$70M) in assumed debt. Workplace Options’ extensive network, spanning 200 countries and territories, further cements TELUS Health’s position as a dominant force in the global wellbeing solutions market.
– The collaboration supports TELUS Health’s recent acquisition of Workplace Options, a global leader in integrated employee wellbeing solutions. The move is set to dramatically expand TELUS Health’s international footprint and service capabilities.
A New Era for Global Employee Wellbeing
With this acquisition, TELUS Health emerges as one of the largest providers of digital-first health and wellbeing services worldwide. The company is now poised to support clients across all channels and global verticals, covering an expansive base of over 150 million lives, with further growth anticipated.
“Today marks a transformative milestone in our global health technology journey,” stated Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of TELUS. “By uniting TELUS Health and Workplace Options, we are creating an unprecedented breadth of experience and expertise that will drive global consistency in Employee and Family Assistance Programs (EFAP) and Wellbeing Solutions in a way that is unmatched in our industry.”
Entwistle highlighted the strategic alignment, noting, “This acquisition furthers TELUS Health’s practice of partnering with providers, digital health organizations, health plans and employers to create a more robust and localized offering executed at a global scale. This powerful combination, underpinned by TELUS’ extensive AI expertise, ability to draw on common technologies, trends and advancements will unlock high-quality health outcomes for all constituents in a way previously unrealized.”
Strategic Investment Fuels Accelerated Growth
The partnership with GTCR is a key enabler of this expansion. GTCR will invest US$200 million in connection with the Workplace Options acquisition, bringing over four decades of healthcare investment experience to the table.
“With more than 40-years of investment experience within the healthcare vertical, we look forward to GTCR’s investment on this acquisition, who will be a value-added partner, supporting our efforts to accelerate growth,” Entwistle added.
Navin Arora, Executive Vice-president at TELUS, and President of TELUS Business Solutions, TELUS Health, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods, and TELUS Partner Solutions, emphasized the strategic fit: “This is more than an acquisition, it’s an extension of our vision to build one of the most comprehensive suites of health and wellbeing solutions globally. With our differentiated and complementary products and services and a strong base of local and multinational clients worldwide, we’re excited about unlocking significant growth opportunities, new revenue streams and powerful economies of scale.”
Workplace Options Acquisition Benefits
The integration of Workplace Options into TELUS Health is expected to deliver several key advantages:
- Expanded Global Network: Establishes a vast network of over 180,000 providers across more than 200 countries and territories, positioning TELUS Health as a leader in the global employer health and wellbeing space.
- Standardized Service Delivery: Offers a consistent model for providing customers with robust EFAP and wellbeing services, backed by industry-leading customer experience support, global scale, and extensive reach.
- Enhanced Technological Edge: Combines TELUS’ robust infrastructure and leading networks with Workplace Options’ strong digital capabilities, significantly amplified by TELUS Digital’s AI expertise, providing a unique competitive advantage.
