Orange enters exclusive negotiations with a view to the acquisition of control of the Business & Decision group, international Consulting and Systems Integration.
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This acquisition aims to strengthen the leadership of Orange Business Services as an operator and integrator data services in France and internationally.
Orange announces its entry into exclusive negotiations for the acquisition of a control block representing approximately 67% of the share capital of Business & Decision, a company listed on Euronext Paris, with its controlling shareholders (family Bensabat and Mr. Dumoulin).
Specialist in Data and Digital, leading player in the Business Intelligence (analysis of the structured data of the enterprise) and the customer relationship management (CRM), Business & Decision consists of 2 500 employees in France and internationally, particularly in Europe.
At the end of the procedure of information and consultation of the representative bodies of the staff of Network Related Services (subsidiary of Orange) and Business & Decision, and subject to the conditions precedent that are customary, in particular the approval of competition authorities concerned, the acquisition would be carried out in cash on the basis of a maximum price $ 7.93 euros per share.
In the case of the acquisition of the control block, Orange will file a tender offer simplified for the entire shares Business & Decision is that it does not hold, 7.93 euros per share, the maximum price paid to the controlling shareholders, payable exclusively in cash, subject to the approval of market authorities.
This price per share $ 7.93 euros represents a premium of 34% compared to the average price over the last 12 months. The offer values the entire share capital of Business & Decision to about 62.5 million euros. The listing was suspended on Monday 8 may 2017, following a rumor which occurred in the press on Friday, 5 may 2017.
This acquisition project is part of the development strategy of Orange Business Services as a global actor in the transformation to digital, a leader in the entire value chain of the provision of data services.
Today, Orange Business Services is already a leader in the field of data transmission, thanks to its know-how network, and is strongly positioned in the areas of collecting and hosting data. The acquisition of Business & Decision and its expertise in the field of Business Intelligence and data science (Data Science), in particular, would strengthen significantly in France and to the international activities of Orange Business Services in the governance and the analysis of the data.
For their part, the teams and clients of Business & Decision to benefit from the skill of the operator and integrator, Orange Business Services in the fields of the Internet of things, cloud computing, cyber security, and application development, as well as the international scope of its commercial network to support multinational companies around the world.
“Business & Decision and Orange Business Services share a true digital culture and a foundation of expertise shared while being very complementary in terms of offers. We are convinced that the combination of the expertise of Business & Decision in the matter of Data and Business Intelligence and our double know-how as an operator and integrator services data processing would be a key lever for accelerating the transformation to digital of our business clients and our growth in this area “, said Thierry Bonhomme, Deputy Director-General of the Orange group in charge of Orange Business Services.
“This operation perfectly corresponds to the achievement of our strategic objectives around our two key offerings, the Data and the Digital. This is an opportunity for Business & Decision and its teams to deploy our expertise into new markets in France and Internationally and to continue to invest and innovate on the technologies of the Data. The values of Business & Decision, dear to its founder, and looking at the respect of the staff, are also shared by Orange, which will, I am sure, a successful project, ” says Christophe Dumoulin, ceo of Business & Decision.
“I am delighted that Business & Decision joins an actor who shares the values dear to its founder Patrick Bensabat in respect of the interest of its employees and its customers. This union will provide the new impetus that the company he founded has need. Teams of Business & Decision, for which Patrick had the highest esteem and greatest affection, will contribute to the success of the Orange group, contributing their expertise and their skills, ” said Tova Bensabat, Board member and representative of the majority bloc in the family.
The completion of the transaction could take place at the end of the third quarter of 2017.
About Business & Decision
Business & Decision is an international consulting and systems integration group, leader Business Intelligence (BI) and CRM, major player in e-Business. The Group contributes to the success of projects with high added value for companies and assists its clients in areas of innovation such as Big Data and Digital. He is recognized for his expertise in functional and technology by the biggest software publishers of the market with which it has partnerships. With a unique expertise in its fields of specialization, Business & Decision offers solutions adapted to sectors of activity as well as directions trades. Present in 12 countries, Business & Decision employs over 2,500 people in France and in the world.
More information on www.group.businessdecision.com
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