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Dun & Bradstreet Corporation (D&B)
Dun & Bradstreet Corporation — the B2B data analytics firm chaired by Bill Foley, acquired by Clearlake Capital in a $7.7 billion take-private in 2025.
Dun & Bradstreet Corporation (D&B)
Dun & Bradstreet traces its roots to 1841 as the first commercial credit reporting agency, but its modern ownership structure dates to 2019, when William P. Foley II led a consortium — including Cannae Holdings and Thomas H. Lee Partners — to take the company private for $6.9 billion. Foley chairs both D&B and Cannae Holdings; Anthony Jabbour serves as CEO, having previously led Black Knight, another Foley-affiliated firm. The company sells subscription data products — DUNSRight data quality process, corporate credit scores, supply-chain risk analytics — across three segments: Finance & Risk, Sales & Marketing, and Procurement. Its client base spans financial services, manufacturing, technology, and government. The firm operates in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, with direct offices in Jacksonville, Short Hills, and London. A notable product is the DUNS Number, a universal business identifier used by the US government and major platforms. In March 2025, Clearlake Capital Group agreed to acquire Dun & Bradstreet for $7.7 billion (per Clearlake Capital, March 2025), representing a 15% premium over the prior close. The deal is expected to close in mid-2025, taking the company private once again under new majority ownership. The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation Foundation, a philanthropic vehicle, supports education and community development programs. D&B's structural differentiator is its data moat: the company maintains credit files on over 400 million businesses globally — a dataset no competitor replicates at scale. Its DUNS Number system has become a de facto standard for business identity verification, particularly in government and supply-chain compliance. The Clearlake acquisition underscores D&B's status as an infrastructure asset with recurring, tariff-like revenue.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Jacksonville
Corporate office
Jacksonville, FL, United States
Additional offices
Short Hills, NJ · London, UK
Principals
Anthony Jabbour
Chief Executive Officer
William P. Foley II
Executive Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who controls Dun & Bradstreet as of 2025?
William P. Foley II chairs the board, with Anthony Jabbour as CEO. In March 2025, Clearlake Capital Group agreed to acquire the company for $7.7 billion. Upon closing, Clearlake will own a controlling interest, with Foley and Cannae Holdings expected to maintain meaningful stakes (per Clearlake Capital, March 2025).
How does Dun & Bradstreet generate revenue?
D&B sells subscription-based data products primarily to B2B companies. Its Finance & Risk segment provides credit scores and risk analytics; Sales & Marketing offers lead generation and data enrichment; Procurement includes supplier risk and compliance tools. The DUNS Number, a unique nine-digit business identifier, underpins many products and is required by the US federal government for many procurement processes.
Is Dun & Bradstreet a family office or an operating company?
D&B is a publicly traded corporation that went private in 2019 and will be taken private again. It operates as a data and analytics company, not as an investment vehicle. However, its ownership — including Cannae Holdings and Thomas H. Lee Partners — has a family-office-like structure: Foley's act of using his personal holding company to control D&B alongside Cannae resembles a family office approach to concentrated operating assets.
What is the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation Foundation?
The foundation is D&B's corporate philanthropic arm, funded by the business. It supports education, community development, and employee giving programs. It is separate from the for-profit operations and is governed independently, though staffed by D&B employees.
What deal flow role does D&B play beyond its own business?
D&B does not function as an allocator to external funds. It is an operating company. However, its data licensing business and its ownership structure have attracted private equity interest — Clearlake Capital's 2025 acquisition values the company at 16x EBITDA, reflecting its data moat and recurring revenue characteristics.
How does D&B's DUNS Number create a competitive moat?
The DUNS Number is assigned to over 400 million businesses globally and is embedded in procurement workflows across 200+ countries. The US General Services Administration, Apple, and many Fortune 500 firms require it for vendor registration. No competitor has replicated this network effect, giving D&B a quasi-monopoly on commercial identity verification.
What regions does Dun & Bradstreet serve?
D&B operates directly in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. It has headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida; a major office in Short Hills, New Jersey; and a London hub serving EMEA. Its data covers businesses in 200+ countries through local collection partnerships.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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