Cegos strengthens its leadership in Europe through the acquisition of Integrata, Germany’s leading learning & development company

Published on 22/12/2014

Cegos goes on the offensive and consolidates its position as the market leader in the European learning sector. By acquiring the majority shares of Integrata, Germany’s leading learning & development company, Cegos Group reinforces its position as the European leader in all areas of learning & development. This acquisition should increase Cegos Group’s turnover from €160m to €200m in 2015.Complementary expertise and strategies Cegos Group and Integrata have complementary expertise and strategies, both in terms of geographical footprint and their portfolios of development solutions.Integrata will benefit from Cegos Group’s extensive international network and leading position globally with activities in over 50 countries.Integrata will bring to Cegos its knowledge and coverage of the German market across 15 sites, as well as its German key-accounts portfolio.Integrata’s activity is focused on domestic customers which increasingly have international development needs. Cegos Germany already works with many large German companies with global officesJosé Montes, Chairman of the Cegos Group, said: “As a market leader, we must seize the best development opportunities when they arise. This major acquisition will give Cegos Group a new dimension and will enable us to further develop our position as a business partner for our international customers.”Ingmar J. Rath, CEO of Integrata AG, adds: “By joining Cegos Group, our range of learning & development solutions will grow considerably, and we will reach a truly international network. As the leading company in the learning & development sector in Germany, we are proud to bring to Cegos Group our recognized know-how and expertise in the areas of personal development, organizational development and IT, as well as managed training services.” A strengthened position in every area of its learning & development businessThis acquisition will enable Cegos Group to reinforce its position in all areas of its learning and development business.

By developing our open courses and in-house courses, with German international companies: the German e-learning market offers significant growth opportunities in the medium term.
By developing "end-to-end" Managed Training Services: Integrata has extensive experience in leading Managed Training Services projects. This expertise will enable the Group to grow this activity with its customers.
By developing the reach of the Group’s international learning projects: Cegos deploys more than 300 international training projects in more than 40 countries and Integrata's key-accounts portfolio is a significant asset.

By acquiring Integrata, Cegos Group retains its capability to invest in future opportunities. Integrata AG’s senior leadership team remain significant shareholders and will continue to be responsible for taking the business forward successfully.

Advisors to the Buyer:Legal Advisors:Allen & Overy FrancfortMichael Bernhardt | PartnerNikolai Sokolov | Senior AssociateCMS Francis Lefebvre ParisJean Robert Bousquet | Associate LawyerMartine Audran | Lawyer

Due Diligence Advisors:Ernst & Young GmbHJürgen Schmidt / PartnerKarlheinz Kuhn / Senior ManagerDr. Jürgen Haun | Tax PartnerAndreas Zopf | Tax Senior Manager

Press contact:Alexandra Cavanna / +33 6 72 80 06 59 / acavanna@cegos.fr About Cegos Group Since its creation in 1926, the Cegos Group has developed into Europe’s leading player and one of the world’s top providers of professional and continuing training. Cegos currently employs 1,000 people and operates in over 50 countries worldwide through its subsidiaries and partner distributors. The Group generated sales of €158.5m in 2013.Cegos consultants cover all areas of management and soft skills development focussing upon the roll-out of large-scale training programmes in France and abroad.Cegos trains 220,000 people each year across the world, in open or in-house courses. The group deploys a global blended offer which extends from off-the-shelf courses to bespoke solutions using every available learning format. The group also offers, alone or in partnership with universities and top educational facilities, 90 certificates or diploma courses.www.cegos.comFollow us on Twitter and Facebook. About IntegrataIntegrata AG is the leading full-service provider for qualification projects and qualification processes, training logistics and seminars in Germany. The company has been in existence since 1964 and operates nationally and internationally specializing in personal development, organizational development and information technology. The portfolio includes more than 1,200 core curricula and comprises classical as well as digital learning content, learning methods and media.150 consultants offer comprehensive support in the selection of target oriented qualification measures. 200 permanent employees guarantee an optimal organization, and experienced trainers ensure a sustainable knowledge transfer. Integrata has seminar rooms and over 1,000 specialist IT work places appointed in 15 locations throughout Germany.Through continuous educational and technological advancement of its learning formats, Integrata AG safeguards the developmental edge of its customers economically and effectively. Integrata AG achieved a turnover of €42.8m in 2013.www.integrata.de