Richmond, Va.-based Harris Williams & Co., a middle market investment bank, has announced the partnership of Visual Comfort & Co. with AEA Investors LP. Visual Comfort is an award-winning resource for signature lighting products. The transaction was led by Ryan Nelson, Michael Gessner and Wayne Harrington of Harris Williams & Co.’s Industrials Group and John Neuner, Corey Benjamin and Beau Pierce of the firm’s Consumer Group.
“Andy Singer has built an incredibly unique platform that has redefined the premium lighting category. We thoroughly enjoyed working with the entire management team and look forward to following their continued success,” says Ryan Nelson, a managing director at Harris Williams & Co. “Visual Comfort represents the second marquee lighting transaction that Harris Williams & Co. has closed in the last year and is indicative of the continued strong interest in the sector.”
“Visual Comfort is a true pioneer in the high-end lighting industry,” adds Corey Benjamin, a director at Harris Williams & Co. “By forging deep partnerships with a myriad of leading designers, Visual Comfort introduced a branded element to the category and has cultivated a comprehensive, timeless product portfolio.”
Since 1987, Visual Comfort has been a resource for designer lighting featuring many prominent designer collaborations. AEA was founded in 1968 by the Rockefeller, Mellon, and Harriman family interests and S.G. Warburg & Co. as a private investment vehicle for a select group of industrial family offices with substantial assets.
