PADI

Company

PADI is the largest professional SCUBA diving membership organization in the world. Founded in 1966, the Company offers SCUBA diving memberships and certifications to professional and recreational divers. Through a global network of 130,000+ instructors and 6,300+ dive shops and resorts across more than 180 countries, PADI is truly the world’s gateway to SCUBA diving.

Investment

In April 2017, a consortium of family offices acquired PADI from Providence Equity Partners.

PADI is the world’s largest diving membership and diver training organization.  PADI’s global network of instructors and dive shops and resorts sets the industry standard for SCUBA instructor training. The PADI System of diver education is designed to make learning enjoyable through performance-based learning, state-of-the-art education materials, and continuing diver education. With this global platform firmly in place, the Company plans to further leverage its brand and expertise to continue bringing first-class SCUBA diving experiences to PADI Divers worldwide. 

Key Achievements

For millions of people around the world, PADI is the first step towards a safe and fun SCUBA diving adventure. In December 2016, PADI certified its 25-millionth diver. Since investment, PADI has focused on a number of growth initiatives: further penetration of high-growth geographic areas such as China and Southeast Asia, the launch of the online diving community PADI Club, and the continued investment in a market-leading suite of digital product offerings. These measures, alongside the Company’s overall growth plan, broaden the PADI family, forge stronger connections with the diving community, and deepen the Company’s presence in the global SCUBA diving ecosystem.

 

 

 

Investment Date

April 2017

Status

In Portfolio

Sector

Travel & Leisure

Investment Type

Minority Investment 

Headquarters

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA

 

PADI