If you’re a married person looking to have an affair, the number one internet destination is AshleyMadison.com. The Toronto-based company is looking to go public, but its hopping across the pond to do so.
Avid Life Media, parent company to Ashley Madison and a handful of other dating websites, is planning to launch an IPO in London. Why?
“Europe is the only region where we have a real chance of doing an IPO,” said Christoph Kraemer, the company’s head of international relations, to Bloomberg. “We’re no longer a niche, but it’s been difficult in North America to find the support to go public.”
“In Europe, we have simply got a more laissez faire attitude towards a business such as ours,” he said.
North America is more prudish about affairs, it appears. At least when it comes to public offerings. Half of Ashley Madison’s 34 million members come from the US.
According to the Huffington Post, Ashley Madison had sales of $115 million last year. It’s looking to raise $200 million.
Here’s founder Noel Biderman discussing the imminent IPO:
The company, founded in 2001, has never been shy to draw attention to itself.