Sonder Holdings Inc. and Gores Metropoulos II Announce Closing of Business Combination
Sonder Holdings Inc. (“Sonder'' or the “Company”), a leading next-generation hospitality company that is redefining the guest experience through technology and design, today announced that it completed its previously announced business combination with Gores Metropoulos II, Inc. (Nasdaq: GMII, GMIIW, and GMIIU) (“GM II”), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by affiliates of The Gores Group, LLC, and Metropoulos & Co. The business combination was approved at a special meeting of Gores Metropoulos II stockholders on January 14, 2022.
The combined company will operate as Sonder Holdings Inc. and will commence trading its common stock and publicly traded warrants on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) tomorrow under the ticker symbols “SOND” and “SONDW”, respectively.
“While the travel industry has faced headwinds with the ongoing pandemic, Sonder has continued to grow at a rapid clip, proving the resiliency of our business model and demonstrating our ability to pivot quickly to address emerging trends and traveler needs. We delivered record quarterly revenue in both Q2 and Q3 and we remain aggressively optimistic on the future of travel,” said Francis Davidson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sonder. “Today is a historic moment for the entire Sonder team and a testament to how we’ve revolutionized the hospitality industry by reimagining and delivering what the modern traveler demands. We are really proud of what we’ve achieved to date and want to recognize the dedication of all Sonderites. We have an exceptional team in place to drive the next chapters of growth for our organization.”
“We continue to lead and innovate with our tech-enabled offering, inspiring design, consistent quality, and compelling value that are the hallmarks of a great modern hospitality experience,” said Sanjay Banker, President and Chief Financial Officer of Sonder. “We appreciate our close partnership with the Gores team and with our business combination completed, Sonder now has a very strong balance sheet to aggressively pursue our ambitious growth strategy, revolutionize hospitality, and deliver long-term value to shareholders.”
"We’re proud to have partnered with Sonder and look forward to supporting their next chapter of growth," said Ted Fike, Senior Managing Director at The Gores Group. “With a differentiated, tech-driven platform and unique value proposition, we’re confident that becoming a public company will enable Sonder to solidify its leading position as the hospitality brand of tomorrow.”
Justin Wilson, Senior Managing Director at The Gores Group, added, "Sonder is a true disruptor in the travel space, with a proven ability to execute and deliver despite a very challenging period for the hospitality industry as a whole. We’re excited to watch them continue to expand and reshape guest stays at a global level.”
Sonder will retain its experienced management team. Mr. Davidson will continue to serve as Co-Founder and CEO and Mr. Banker will continue to serve as President and CFO.
Sonder will be scheduling a bell ringing ceremony with Nasdaq at a later date to formally celebrate its public listing.
Advisors
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Sonder. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. served as legal advisor to Sonder.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as lead financial advisor and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Citigroup served as capital markets advisors to GM II. Moelis & Company LLC acted as additional financial advisor to GM II. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal advisor to GM II.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup, and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. served as joint lead placement agents on the PIPE. Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal advisor to the co-placement agents.