Au Pair Link

Au Pair Link joins Evolve Education Group

Friday, 5 December 2014

New Zealand's largest au pair agency and leading home-based early childhood education (ECE) provider, Au Pair Link, has been acquired by the Evolve Education Group, which will become a publically listed company on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchange.

Au Pair Link joins PORSE and Lollipops Educare as some of the prominent ECE providers to be acquired by the Evolve Education Group, a new company aiming to become a leading provider of quality early childhood education in New Zealand.

Founded in 2007, Au Pair Link was the brainchild of serial entrepreneur and 2013 EY Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Cecilia Robinson. Alongside her husband James, the entrepreneurial couple has developed Au Pair Link over the past 7 years to become the largest and fastest growing au pair business in Australasia.

Au Pair Link has been a Ministry of Education licensed home-based ECE provider since 2009, and now holds fifteen home-based ECE licences throughout the country.

"We're really excited about the future for Au Pair Link becoming part of the Evolve Education Group," says Robinson, "We think it's fantastic for the ECE sector to bring together centre-based and home-based services and enable further parental choice as well as a united voice in the industry."

Evolve Education Chief Executive Alan Wham echoed these comments. "Cecilia and James have built a great company. Au Pair Link provides an important service to families and their children and sits very well with the other ECE providers that now make up Evolve Education."

Au Pair Link is an award-winning business, enjoying appearances in the Deloitte Fast 50 (ranked 12th in 2012), Kenexa Best Workplaces (ranked 6th best workplace in 2013), heralding the business as a leader in innovation within the ECE industry. Most recently, Robinson took out the top prize in the Business and Innovation category in the Next Woman of the Year Awards.

The Robinsons have also been behind the highly successful start-up venture, My Food Bag fronted by Nadia Lim. My Food Bag launched into the New Zealand market in March 2013 and is now operating in Sydney and Melbourne.

"Juggling two businesses and a young family has been a challenge at times. The level of expertise and support that the Evolve Education Group can bring to Au Pair Link will help the business to continue to innovate and grow."

Robinson says that with the growth of My Food Bag internationally, she felt it was time to hand over the reins of Au Pair Link so the business can achieve the next stage of growth.

"Whilst it's sad to say goodbye, we're really excited about the opportunities this change will bring for the business and our team. It's all about continuing to provide the best quality outcomes for our children, families and au pairs throughout New Zealand."