Orange has announced an agreement to acquire European cyber security specialist SecureLink from Investcorp, in a deal that values the company at EUR 515 million. The move follows the acquisition of UK-based cyber security company SecureData earlier this year, to support growth at the Orange Cyberdefense division in Anglophone countries. Subject to customary closing conditions, this latest deal is expected to be finalised in the third quarter, or at the end of the second quarter.
Founded in Belgium in 2003, SecureLink expanded its presence first in the Netherlands and then is several other European countries, including Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Norway and the UK. In 2017, the company opened a cyber defence centre (CDC) in Shanghai. It now employs over 660 employees in fourteen offices, serving over 2,100 customers in a broad range of industries.
The company's revenues rose to EUR 248 million in 2018, of which the majority were generated from security maintenance support services via a round-the-clock help desk. Its other main activities are consulting, managed security services (MSS), and the reselling of security software and hardware products.
Orange said that FY revenues at its Cyberdefense division grew 12 percent year-on-year to reach EUR 303 million in 2018. With the acquisition of SecureLink, the business will further strengthen its position in this rapidly growing market, with approximately 1,800 employees dedicated to cyber security services. SecureLink’s senior management will join Orange following the acquisition.
