ClearCourse acquires retail management software provider Swan

November 5, 2020

London | 05 November 2020 - ClearCourse Partnership LLP (“ClearCourse” or “the Group”), a group of innovative technology companies providing useful, integrated software solutions, today announces the acquisition of The Swan Group (“Swan” or “the Company”), a leading provider of retail management software. Swan becomes the 21st company to join ClearCourse, adding to the Group’s EPOS, CRM, and eCommerce capabilities.


Founded in 2003, Swan has built a reputation as one of the UK’s leading software providers for businesses operating in the retail and hospitality sectors. The Swan Group has several brands, including Swan Retail, which cater to retailers such as furniture stores, garden centres, department stores and sports stadiums. Some of the large UK retailers it supports include Furniture Village, Fenwicks, Jollyes, and Rohan. The Company provides a full end-to-end digital service, from cutting-edge proprietary software to its own in-house design agency, Standout. This fully integrated approach makes Swan unique within the retail management technology industry.


The Swan Group has made several acquisitions over the past few years, adding Touchretail to the Group in 2019 and Standout in 2018. Swan also has a wide portfolio of products encompassing till systems, back office functions and web design, which it has been expanding in tune with new technology and changing consumer behaviour. In the background, it has achieved continued organic growth through investing in its established products SRS, FRS, Midas and TRIMS as well as its new Cygnus EPOS system.


ClearCourse has a strong reputation for creating new opportunities and driving growth.


David Thompson – CEO, The Swan Group


It is an exciting time for the Swan Group with the development and roll out of new products such as its Cygnus EPOS, and a loyalty app called FUSE. The latter of which won a new product launch award at the Glee garden centre show in September, while Cygnus and FUSE were both shortlisted in the 2020 Retail Systems Awards.


The Company currently has over 65 staff based across the UK, in Waterlooville, Cheadle, Leicester, Hull and Bradford.


Gerry Gualtieri, CEO of ClearCourse, commented: “We are delighted to welcome The Swan Group to ClearCourse. Swan’s CRM, EPOS and eCommerce offering will continue to bolster our existing portfolio and help deliver better services for our diverse pool of customers across all sectors. The Swan Group is an impressive player in the industry and we’re very much looking forward to having them on board.”


David Thompson, CEO of The Swan Group, commented: “ClearCourse has a strong reputation for creating new opportunities and driving growth. Gerry and the team are the right fit to ensure that our own staff and customers are well looked after. Swan will benefit from greater investment and the opportunity to work alongside a range of complementary businesses. I am excited to see Swan’s stakeholders benefit from the positive experience that being part of the group will bring.”


A member of staff at a farm shop smiles as she operates an EPOS terminal

Software and Payments Specialist ClearCourse Acquires Cloud-Based Retail Software Provider, Davidson Richards

July 29, 2025
LONDON 29 July 2025: ClearCourse, the provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs, announces the acquisition of Davidson Richards, a leading retail management and EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems provider. Davidson Richards provides cloud-based management and EPOS systems tailored to the retail industry. Founded in 1977 and based in Derby, Davidson Richards launched its flagship product, OpSuite, in 2012 after recognising the need to address gaps left by off-the-shelf products. Today, OpSuite enables retailers to centralise and streamline operations by integrating with core systems such as accounting software, eCommerce platforms, mobile and loyalty applications, and warehousing. Trusted by many leading garden centres – a sector where OpSuite has established a strong reputation – its extensive functionality also makes it suitable for a broad range of sectors, including grocery, fashion, and furniture. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable Davidson Richards to expand their offerings, providing customers with in-house payment and eCommerce solutions. By offering these in partnership with other specialist ClearCourse companies, Davidson Richards will be able to focus on building new client relationships and to profile the benefits of OpSuite to new retail market segments. Led by a long-serving expert team including ex-retailers, Davidson Richards offers its clients consultancy, training, bespoke development and dedicated in-house support. Their customer centric approach means that many of the Davidson Richards team are directly involved in technical or support delivery for clients to provide greater value to its clients. ClearCourse aims to become the engine powering small and medium businesses across the UK by putting big tech solutions in the hands of founders and their growing businesses. Davidson Richards offers a clear opportunity for ClearCourse to deepen its presence in the retail sector, and its long-standing, loyal customer base and experienced team closely align with ClearCourse’s culture and values. Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse said: “We are delighted to welcome Davidson Richards into the ClearCourse group as part of our Retail & Hospitality Software vertical. OpSuite is a market leading product that is well positioned to expand its innovative offering into new sectors. We are excited about the natural integration this partnership enables, as OpSuite will be able to offer in-house payment and other commerce enabling solutions through the wider ClearCourse group products.” Keith Bateman, Sales Director at Davidson Richards said: “This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for our business and customers. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable us to enhance the service we offer our customers, particularly through the introduction of an in-house Electronic Funds Transfer solution. ClearCourse is the ideal partner to help us to grow the business through an increased investment into marketing and to reach more customers.”

ClearCourse welcomes new Chief Financial Officer, Sacha Bielawski

June 25, 2025
LONDON, 25 June 2025 : ClearCourse, a provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs and targeted enterprises, today announced the appointment of Sacha Bielawski as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Sacha will lead ClearCourse’s financial strategy, working with senior leaders to accelerate organic growth, drive profitable sales, and deliver the company’s goal of being a leading engine powering small and mid-sized businesses across the UK. Before joining ClearCourse, Sacha spent nearly nine years as Chief Financial Officer at Coople, a leading digital staffing agency, where he led corporate expansion initiatives and oversaw the Group’s financial strategy. He has also held senior roles within private equity and investment firms, where he focused on identifying and scaling high-potential businesses through strategic M&A, financial restructuring and investment projects across Europe and the US. Sacha builds on the achievements of Mark Grafton who will be leaving the company later this month. “We’re delighted to welcome Sacha Bielawski as ClearCourse’s new CFO at this exciting time in the company’s continued evolution” said Christina Hamilton, CEO. “His extensive expertise in scaling businesses, leading growth acceleration programmes and driving innovation and efficiency will be instrumental in delivering our next phase of growth.” “I am delighted to join ClearCourse at such a pivotal time in its journey,” Sacha Bielawski said . “I believe the company is well-positioned to capitalise on the convergence of software and payments, an accelerating trend that presents compelling organic growth opportunities over the coming years. “As ClearCourse continues to acquire software companies in high growth verticals, I look forward to leveraging my entrepreneurial experience to engage with business owners considering a partnership with ClearCourse and to support them post-acquisition to grow further within our platform. “ClearCourse is a business with significant potential, and I am excited to contribute to its next chapter of growth and long-term value creation.”