BrazilCegeka buys KPN ICT Consulting and adds 1,000-strong team
Belgian-origin IT services provider Cegeka has acquired counterpart KPN ICT Consulting, the IT consultancy arm of Dutch telecom giant KPN.
The deal is the largest in Cegeka’s history, and adds around 1,000 Netherlands-based employees (750 staff and 250 contractors) generating approximately €100 million in revenues to its footprint. The move makes Cegeka’s Dutch wing equal in size to its Belgian arm, with around 2,500 staff operating in both countries.
Across Europe, Cegeka has over 5,000 professionals, operating from further offices in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania and Russia.
The transaction is part of Cegeka’s Northern Europe growth strategy, which also saw the company on the same day buy the Dynamics 365 team of CTB, adding twelve IT professionals specialised in Dynamics 365 implementations to its Microsoft division. “This is an important step for Cegeka in our continuing international growth,” remarked Stijn Bijnens, chief executive officer of the Hasselt-based IT company.
Karim Henkens, Managing Director of the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and Nordics business unit, added, “The transactions allows us to continue our growth and strengthen our market position in the Netherlands. KPN ICT Consulting's services integrate seamlessly into the portfolio of our Dutch branch.”
The integration will also see KPN ICT Consulting subsidiary Call2, which provides helpdesk services, join Cegeka’s ranks. After closing, the KPN ICT Consulting brand will be dropped in favour of Cegeka Netherlands, and the company will operate from offices in Apeldoorn, Eindhoven, Groningen en Veenendaal and Zoetermeer.
End of consulting era
For KPN, the divestiture marks the end of a 12-year venture in the consulting industry. The telecom company bought IT services company Getronics in 2007, but years later spun-off its foreign units to international buyers. In the Netherlands, Getronics was later rebranded as KPN Consulting and more recently as KPN ICT Consulting.
In a statement, KPN stated that the deal is in line with its strategy to simplify operations and return to its core business. Funds received from the sale – financial terms have not been disclosed – will be used to bolster operational and financial flexibility, said chief executive Maximo Ibarra, who will as of 1 February 2020 be replaced at the helm by Joost Farwerck.
Cegeka was founded in 1992 by André Knaepen. The company has seen strong growth in recent years, 15% to 20% per annum, and now generates more than €600 million.
