Press Announcement: The gold standard in jewellery retail

August 2, 2022

London | 02 August 2022 – ClearCourse, a leading group of innovative technology brands providing software solutions and an integrated payments platform, today announces a deal to acquire Pursuit Software, an established provider of jewellery management and point-of-sale (POS) software. The acquisition sees the Company join ClearCourse’s Retail division. 


Founded in 2008 and based in Norwich, Pursuit Software provides bespoke software solutions for high-end, multi-store jewellery businesses, including London-based Fraser Hart and Edinburgh’s Hamilton & Inches. The company’s services include stock management platforms, POS integration, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and repairs and manufacturing functions — all of which help jewellery brands efficiently manage their stock and customer transactions. In addition, Pursuit Software offers a payment function, a click-and-collect service and website development and integration. Its software connects to existing instore and online sales systems, creating interoperable stock management across platforms that are tailored to customers all over the UK and Ireland.

This is the first jewellery software business that ClearCourse has acquired, broadening the range of sectors served by the group’s Retail division and taking its overall customer base to over 20,000. Pursuit Software also becomes ClearCourse’s most easterly business within East Anglia, presenting new opportunities to tap into an active local economy and a strong pool of entrepreneurial talent – both of which have benefitted from substantial regional investment that has nearly doubled in recent years.


Following the acquisition, Pursuit Software will harness ClearCourse’s significant investment to transition into its next growth stage, offering up its back- and front-office solutions to bigger businesses. New and existing customers will benefit from the company’s integration with ClearCourse’s spectrum of software businesses and proprietary payments platform, ClearAccept, which is designed to allow individual businesses to tailor their users’ payment experience while easing the burden of security and compliance. 


The company’s Managing Director, Mike Burns, will continue to lead Pursuit Software on a full-time basis.

Gerry Gualtieri, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “We are very pleased that Pursuit Software will be joining ClearCourse at what continues to be a challenging and crucial time for the UK high street and its independent brands. As we welcome another great team and thriving customer base, we look forward to an expansion with two exciting elements: investing further in the vibrant East of England, an area with serious potential, and the opportunity to penetrate the jewellery management software sector: an industry with a projected value of £3.3bn this year and clear synergies across point-of-sale and payments software.”

 

Mike Burns, Managing Director of Pursuit Software, said: “The majority of today’s retail sectors benefit from the support of big, industry-specific software businesses and the fit-for-purpose solutions that these companies develop. Yet in the jewellery space – a powerful sector that handles large transactions and creates meaningful customer relationships – technological investment is critically lacking. Working with ClearCourse, our team looks forward to building out a new league of specialised providers in the retail software mid-market, with ambitions to grow as a company that top-tier businesses can trust.”


The financial terms of the deal are undisclosed. 

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.”