Nordic engineering consulting group XPartners expands into Dutch market with RYSE
XPartners, a Nordic engineering and design consulting group, has expanded into the Dutch market through the acquisition of RYSE.
With more than 2,000 professionals, XPartners is one of the larger engineering and design consultancies in the Nordic region. Established in 2021 and built through an active buy-and-build strategy backed by private equity, the group has set its sights on further European expansion, with the Netherlands the next step in its journey, marking its fourth international market outside its home base in Sweden.
Commenting on the acquisition of RYSE, Sonny Mirborn, CEO of XPartners, said: “This is a major and important step for XPartners and a fantastic start in the Netherlands.”
“Our ambition is to establish a significant presence with several specialist companies in the Netherlands and build a platform similar to what we have in our Nordic markets. This is when the benefits of collaboration truly accelerate and we unlock the full value of our business model. RYSE will play an important role through its strong local presence and entrepreneurial approach.”
RYSE was founded in 2013, with roots dating back to 1949. The company provides advisory and project management services across the full lifecycle of real estate and urban development projects, from strategy and planning to execution. RYSE has around 80 employees and generated revenues of approximately €17 million in 2025.
“RYSE is a well-run specialist consultancy with a strong local position and clear delivery capabilities. They have built a high-quality business with a methodology that fits well with our model,” Mirborn said.
The transaction was advised by JBR, which provided buy-side M&A advisory services. Other dealmakers remain undisclosed at the time of writing.
The launchpad for a national platform
For RYSE, the transaction follows a strategic review conducted over recent months. The leadership team developed a bold growth plan underpinned by the need to find a “solid investment partner,” said Driss Aarab, Founder and CEO of RYSE.
After evaluating several interested parties, the company opted for XPartners. “We are gaining a partner that provides excellent conditions to continue growing and develop the organisation, while preserving what has made us successful. By leveraging XPartners’ expertise from the Nordics, we will make significant strides in innovating our services through cross-pollination,” Aarab said.
RYSE will serve as the foundation for XPartners in the Dutch market. Aarab will continue as CEO of RYSE and will also take on the role of Managing Director of XPartners in the Netherlands, with a mandate to build out the business and bolt-on new firms.
“The challenges in real estate and urban development are becoming larger and more complex, requiring greater scale, multidisciplinary expertise, and continuous capacity. With this step, we are setting course for building a leading platform group in the Dutch market,” commented Aarab.
